APPROACHES

Dimitris Dimopoulos, biologist Ph.D. In order to make understandable the value of biodiversity and ecosystems, the scientists have tried to assign an economic value to the services that these offer. It is a difficult attempt but it is necessary in order to attract the interest of politicians, governments, companies and citizens. Likewise, also the negative consequences of the human activities in the environment have a very high cost.

Archontoula Papoulakou, archaeologist The monuments (mostly churches) of Mani in the late byzantine era could be considered as a series of monuments that reflect the multiculturality of a specific area in a specific era. Most of the information retrieved from the monuments come from the numerous inscriptions preserved inside the churches.

Michalis Probonas, University of Crete – Natural History Museum of Crete The program "Conservation Actions for Gypaetus Barbatus and Biodiversity in Crete" has carried out urgent conducting actions of protection for the gypaetus barbatus (lammergeyer), the rarest species of predatory birds in Greece, all over Crete as well as special conducting measures in the region of Asterousia – Kofina and in the region of Agios Dikaios.

Elias Messinas, architect In the 1930s there were more than 100 synagogues in Greece. The destruction of Jewish communities by the Germans during the period of Occupation resulted in the extermination of roughly 87% of the Jewish population. After the Second World War there were still in Greece 38 synagogues remaining, in 25 cities. Most of them had been looted and abandoned or had been used as residences, store houses and stables. Due to the lack of organized Jewish community they were sold and later on demolished. Nowadays, 12 synagogues remain in use in 9 cities in Greece, many of which have suffered irreparable damages during their restoration.

Stathis Gotsis, historian, Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens

Costas Kadis, Costas Kounamas, Salih Gucel This paper describes an initiative of scientists, NGOs and local people from the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities towards the conservation of unique plants of Cyprus found within the buffer zone. The initiative focuses on the development of multiple conservation actions within (in situ) and outside (ex situ) of the natural habitats of the targeted plants. It also seeks the participation of local, marginalized communities in the conservation process.

Demetres Zygomalas, architect, MSc in conservation of historic buildings and complexes One hundred years ago, in the summer of 1908, Thessaloniki was only a step away from turning yet another important page in its history. Merely four years remained for the 478-year Ottoman rule to come to an end and for the city to be incorporated in the modern Greek state. At this point, Thessaloniki demonstrated two basic characteristics: a religiously multifarious population and an equally multifarious in nature ensemble of worship places. One hundred years later, the summer of 2008 finds Thessaloniki with a largely one-sided population in terms of religion and a similar in nature group of worship places. What remains of the multifarious nature of 1908 and why will be discussed in this article.

Elena Vomvila, archaeologist The use of the past as a vehicle to address otherness and enhance cultural diversity has not been widely explored within the archaeological enquiry. Little has been said on how the discipline ought to respond to the spatial diffusion of identities and the cultural hybridity inflicted by globalisation and mass migration.

Ilias Mavroidis, Dr chemical engineer Biodiversity is an “inheritance” that we have to preserve and to hand over to the future generations. It forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we so fully depend. The loss of biodiversity is a serious problem that our planet faces. Therefore, a number of international and multilateral conventions aim to protect biodiversity.

Antigoni Katsadima, journalist-communication specialist In intercultural city the language we don’t know is the reason for examining the dipole ‘‘otherness – identity’’ with its prospects. The history of cities has demonstrated that cities are consisted of heteroclite elements. Dialectics about interculturalism relates to the notion of serendipity; The author names Vitizen the inhabitant – collector of the new city.