As a newly admitted member of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), MYIS Agia participated in the conference held within the framework of the 3rd Panhellenic Meeting of ERIH Members. The event took place on 12 June 2026 in the Holy City of Messolonghi, which this year commemorates the 200th anniversary of its heroic Exodus.
Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and hosted by the Region of Western Greece and the Regional Unit of Aitoloakarnania, the annual conference focused on the theme: “Industrial Heritage between Land and Water: The Challenges of Protection in Environmentally Sensitive Areas during the Period of Climate Transition” (ERIH Greece: Industrial Heritage Meets Climate Action).
SHPP Agia was represented by Maria Petrantonaki, Director of the Regional Development Company of Crete S.A., and Myrto Kontomitaki, Museologist and Art Historian, and associate of the company. Their presentation, entitled “The Time Capsule of MYIS Agia: When the Past Precedes the Future,” highlighted the significance of the site as a living example of industrial heritage and sustainable development.
The conference was organized by the Salt Museum of Messolonghi, the Industrial Heritage Council (SYM.VI.K.), the Hellenic Society for Environment and Culture, the National Representative of Greece in the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), and the Region of Western Greece.
The meeting opened with a keynote address by Dr. Walter Hauser, President of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), based in Germany. Greetings were subsequently delivered by Spyros Diamantopoulos, Mayor of Messolonghi; Emi Panourgia, representative of the International Relations and European Union Department of the Ministry of Culture; Panagiotis Sakellaropoulos, Deputy Governor for Culture and Tourism of the Region of Western Greece; Olga Deligianni, National Representative of ERIH in Greece; and Maria Petrantonaki, Director of the Regional Development Company of Crete S.A.
Following the conference presentations, participants were given a guided tour of the renowned Salt Museum of Messolonghi, led by the museum’s director, Despina Kanelli.
It is particularly noteworthy that, among Greece’s thirteen carefully selected ERIH sites, two are located in Crete and specifically within the Municipality of Chania: the Agia Small Hydroelectric Station and the Yannis & Eleni Garedakis Museum of Typography. In 2027, the Museum of Typography will host the 4th Panhellenic Meeting of Members of the European Route of Industrial Heritage, further strengthening Crete’s role in the promotion and preservation of Europe’s industrial heritage.
