IMMA at the International Scientific Symposium “Museums and the Destination Experience: Challenges and Opportunities”

On 20 and 21 June 2025, the Foundation of the Museum for the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) is pleased to participate in the international scientific symposium organised by the Folk Life and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace (FLEMM-Th), entitled “Museums and the Destination Experience: Challenges and Opportunities”, held at the Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki.

Through interdisciplinary presentations and examples of good practice linking culture and tourism, the symposium highlights the role of museums as dynamic centres of cultural experience and important drivers of sustainable tourism development. A central focus of the discussions is the development of synergies among museums, local communities, academic institutions and tourism organisations.

IMMA is represented by its Director, museologist and philologist Ms Athena Pavlidou, with a presentation entitled “The Role of Museums in Sustainable Tourism Development: The Foundation of the Museum for the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia—Strategy, Opportunities and Challenges”. Professor Stavroula Mavrogeni, Director of KEMIT-IMMA, is also participating with a paper entitled “Yugoslav History Museums: National History and Cultural Heritage”.

The two speakers are also participating in the round-table discussion of the conference’s first session, alongside Dr Atasoy Sumer, Dr Stamatis Angelopoulos and Stavroula-Villy Fotopoulou, moderated by Mr Kostas Konstantinidis.

We warmly thank the Folk Life and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia and Thrace and its President, Mr Fotis Kilipiris, for the excellent organisation and for the opportunity to participate in a productive dialogue on the contemporary role of museums, sustainable tourism development and the connection between culture and the destination experience.

Photo: Nikos Tsiokas, FLEMM-Th