Proposal for the reopening of the historic shipyard buildings at the Venetian port of Chania – Chania to be a “pillar” of the Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

Proposal for the reopening of the historic shipyard buildings at the Venetian port of Chania – Chania to be a “pillar” of the Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

The President of the International Cultural Organization “Historic Cafes Route”, Vasilis Stathakis proposed officially  the reopening of the historic shipyard buildings of Chania, as functional monuments; in order to promote the cultural heritage of the city of Chania.

Specifically, Mr. Stathakis addressed the above request (16.10.2020) to the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to the Hellenic Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, to the Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, to the Vice Governor of Chania, Nikolaos Kalogeris, to the President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Crete, Ioannis Kourakis to the Mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis and to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chania, Antonis Rokakis in order to reopen the historic shipyard buildings in Chania. The request has also been received and registered by the Secretary of Antiquities of Chania (20.10.2020) in the form of mail.

Since 2016 (29.9.2016) that Mr. Stathakis met in Luxembourg  with the Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on “Cultural Routes” of the Council of Europe and Director of the Institute of “ Cultural Routes”  Stefano Dominioni, he recognized the importance of protecting cultural monuments and at the same time incorporated them in our daily lives. For example, Institute of Cultural Routes in Luxembourg is located at the iconic Neumunster Abbey and most of the “Cultural Routes” fora are held into emblematic monuments (e.g. the Palazzo Ducale and Teatro del Giglio, Lucca, Italy and the Kulturforum Görlitzer Synagoge in Görlitz, Germany). Worldwide, museums and important buildings of great architectural and historical significance also serve as venues for conferences and cultural events (e.g. the Acropolis Museum in Athens, the Old Parliament building in Athens, the Schonbrunn Palace and the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris, the historic Parliament building in Bucharest etc).

“Monuments should be part of every cultural and daily activities, which is the reason behind the for a mention proposal.  Mr. Stathakis already proposed  (19.11.2019) the permanent hosting of an office – branch of the Cultural Routes in Chania, Crete and the permanent holding of the International Forum of Cultural Routes in Chania, to the Director General of the Council of Europe, Snežana Samardžić – Marković, to the Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement of “Cultural Routes” of the Council of Europe and Director of the Institute of Cultural Routes Stefano Dominioni, to the Hellenic Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni (24.2.2020) and the Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis. In fact Mrs. Mendoni, conquered the idea to host the offices at the historic shipyard buildings at the Venetian port of Chania.

The proposal for reopening of the historic shipyard buildings in the Venetian port of Chania is as follows:

– Offices – Annex of the Institute of “Cultural Routes” of the Council of Europe

– Conference Center – multipurpose hall with the possibility of accommodating up to 1000 people in one or more parallel events (conferences, presentations, cultural activities, theatrical performances, music events, etc.)

– High level Restaurant (during the Conferences) and space for interactive exhibitions / promotions / tasting of local products, etc.

– Museum – displaying the history of the shipyard buildings at the Venetian port of Chania

–  Show Room/ Gift shop – with memorabilia and pamphlets from the 38 certified “Cultural Routes”

– Museum of Cultural Routes (to present the unique story behind every certified Cultural Route)

The proposal aims to promote Chania internationally, to increase conference and institutional tourism in a city that has all the guarantees to become – after Luxembourg and Strasbourg – one of the pillars of the Institute of “Cultural Routes” of the Council of Europe.

It is worth noting that the “Historic Cafes Route” (former European Historic Cafes Association – EHICA) proposed the holding of the 10th Annual International Forum of “Cultural Routes” in Chania. The proposal of Mr. Stathakis was followed by a joint effort by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Chania and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chania were to host the forum for 2020. The Conference was finally postponed, due to covid19, for October 5-7, 2022,.

The proposal for reopening the historic shipyard buildings at the Venetian port of Chania, “will undoubtedly be an international Greek success, a success of the city of Chania. It will also introduce Greece as a country of cultural entrepreneurship that promotes in the best way culture and history…” stated Mr. Stathakis.