General Conference - European Parliament, Brussels

Date : 30 January 2026

Time : 9.00 – 13.00 CET

Place : Altiero Spinelli building, European Parliament

Room : Spinelli 1G2, first floor

Register by January 26 – 12.00 pm

Building on the CRAFTOUR Policy Recommendations and the insights from the Policy Round Table with the European Commission, this conference brings together leading individuals, institutions and organisations from across the crafts sector. Designed to maximise impact and visibility, it brings important and innovative voices to the stage, sharing stories, experiences, visions, and outlining strategic recommendations calling for a European Crafts Renaissance.

Register for the General Conference

As the CRAFTOUR General Conference is hosted by the European Parliament, advance registration is required in order to attend. The information collected in the registration form is mandatory; without it, access to the event will not be possible. In person attendance is limited to 100 people.                  

Agenda of the Conference

The agenda may still be subject to minor changes.

Welcome & introduction

08h00 – 8h30
Arrival at the pickup location
09h00 – 9h30
Welcome coffee
09h30 – 9h40
Welcome by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Member of the European Parliament
9h40 – 10h00

Introduction of CRAFTOUR: Katja Reppel, Head of Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation and Madina Benvenuti, MD of Mad’in Europe 

10h00 – 11h00

PANEL 1

The interconnection of CRAFTS with other sectors :

Traditional building, historic monuments, fashion, luxury,  interior design, design, musical industry, tourism.

Panellists  :

Alfonso Pallavicini, President of European Historic Houses 

Sébastien Mainil, Director Awap / La Paix Dieu School & Pôle de La Pierre

Hugh Roche Kelly, Independent Woodturner and Head of Workshop at Sonian, Brussels

Evy Lenoir, Roofer and President of Union des Artisans du Patrimoine (UAP)

Moderator: Laura Miguel Baumann, Secretary General of European Crafts Alliance

 

CRAFTOUR video presentation: Challenges – Policy recommendations for:

– Understanding, monitoring, valorising crafts

– Empowering skills transmission

 

Feedback from participants on the CRAFTOUR presentation. Q&A

11h00 – 11h20
Coffee break
11h20 – 12h20

PANEL 2

The Impact of Crafts on :

Tangible and intangible heritage safeguard, territorial identity, cultural diversity and sense of belonging.

European economic development and competitiveness. SME’s and microbusinesses, employment , rural areas and sustainability.

Panellists : 

Lodovico Folin, UNESCO Representative to the EU

Xavier Long, Deputy General Manager of the Institut des Savoir Faires Français 

Audrey Aubard, Secretary General, FFIGIA

Calum Iain Maciver, Chief Executive of the Harris Tweed Authority 

Moderator: Fabrizio Panozzo, Professor of Cultural Policies, Ca’Foscari University

 

CRAFTOUR video presentation: Challenges – Policy recommendations for:

– Safeguarding European crafts,

– Innovating business models, digital transition

 

Feedback from participants on the CRAFTOUR presentation.  Q&A

12h20 – 12h30

Conclusions by Kristien Van Goey, European Commission, Head of Unit C.1 – Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies in the Research Executive Agency

Save your spot and register

Speakers

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú

Member of the European Parliament

Madina Benvenuti

Managing Director of Mad'in Europe

Alfonso Pallavicini

President of European Historic Houses

Hugh Roche Kelly

Independant woodturner and head of workshop at Sonian, Brussels

Evy Lenoir

Roofer and President of Union des Artisans du Patrimoine (UAP)

Laura Miguel Baumann

Secretary General of European Crafts Alliance

Calum Iain Maciver

Chief Executive of the Harris Tweed Authority

Lodovico Folin Calabi

UNESCO Representative to the EU

Xavier Long

Deputy General Manager of the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français

Audrey Aubard

Secretary General FFIGIA

Katja Reppel

Head of Unit in the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and Innovation

Fabrizio Panozzo

Professor of Cultural Policies, Ca’Foscari University

Kristien Van Goey

European Commission, Head of Unit C.1 – Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies in the Research Executive Agency
DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE INITIATIVE ?

           © 2025 CRAFTOUR

FOLLOW US
Instagram Facebook-f Twitter Youtube
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú

Brings a powerful voice to the European Parliament, shaped by her experience as a barrister and a broadcaster. As a proud Carlow woman and Gaeilgeoir, Cynthia is delighted to be representing Ireland in Europe. A committed member of the IMCO Committee and substitute on PETI and TRAN, she champions practical, compassionate policies that protect children, uphold the social contract, and strengthen the single market. Cynthia works tirelessly to ensure EU decisions improve daily life for citizens.

Madina Benvenuti

Is a Swiss-born professional with French and Italian nationalities, whose life and career reflect Europe’s cultural diversity. Having lived in France, Italy, Germany, and Belgium, she is fluent in five European languages and deeply connected to Europe’s heritage.

With over 25 years of experience in the media sector, she has worked with leading organisations such as Class Editori and Groupe Expansion, founded two press agencies in Paris, and led major digital transformation initiatives for international media and photo agencies.

Since 2013, Madina has focused on the European crafts sector as the founder of Mad’in Europe, an initiative supporting the valorisation of crafts, the transmission of skills to younger generations, and the economic sustainability of artisans through European programmes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon.

Alfonso Pallavicini

An experienced businessman and passionate about built cultural heritage, Alfonso Pallavicini was elected as the president of the European Historic Houses Association in 2018. He is a true European: he was born in Italy into a Hungarian-Italian family, lived in Austria and France, and currently lives in Belgium with his family. After a long career in Investment Banking, he left BNP Paribas as Head of Europe and then moved into private equity to Belgium and Luxembourg. He serves on several boards as non-executive director. Mr. Pallavicini does not only own a historic house, but also has helped in restructuring and reviewing different private heritage houses’ business models.

Hugh Roche Kelly

Is a highly specialised artisan, creating unique works using wood sourced entirely from the Sonian Forest of Brussels. His own independent practice mostly involves woodturning, and has had his work shown all over Europe. He is also head of workshop at Sonian Brussels, a high end furniture workshop crafting bespoke furniture and collectible design objects.

Evy Lenoir

Studied garden and landscape architecture, but soon afterwards, she joined her husband in his roofing company. They are specialised in restoring heritage buildings. After years of climbing on roofs and managing the company, Evy is happy today to pass on her passion and knowledge to youngsters.  She is also the current president of the Union of Heritage Craftsmen and Women (UAP).

 Laura Miguel Baumann

Secretary General of the European Crafts Alliance and consultant for national and international clients in the fields of craft, design, and the cultural and creative industries.

Laura holds a degree in Translation and Interpreting from Pompeu Fabra University. She has complemented her academic background with several Master’s degrees: in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid; Business Internationalisation; and Intercultural Communication and European Studies.

She has worked in both the private sector and in non-profit organisations and public institutions—mainly in Spain, but also in countries such as Serbia and Belgium. For over 15 years, she has managed projects aimed at strengthening and improving the competitiveness of the craft sector, as well as its promotion and development. She has served on juries for awards in the craft field and has curated numerous exhibitions.

Calum Iain Maciver

Calum Iain is Chief Executive of the Harris Tweed Authority.  The Authority was established by an Act of Parliament in 1993 with a remit to ensure that all cloth certified with the Harris Tweed Orb symbol complies with the legal definition of Harris Tweed.  In accordance with the Act, Harris Tweed cloth must be: “Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides.”  As Chief Executive of the Authority he is responsible for overseeing the Authority’s strategic direction and organisational governance.

Prior to taking up his role with the Harris Tweed Authority, Calum Iain worked with the local Council for the Outer Hebrides for 21 years.  He headed-up several key functions including Planning, Housing, Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Economic and Community Development, Libraries, Museums, Heritage, Municipal Services and Transport.  Prior to joining the Council, he spent 12 years with regional development agency, Highlands and Islands Enterprise in several developmental roles. 

Before entering the public sector, Calum Iain was an accountant with a land-owning trust on the Isle of Skye and with a Highland clothing company in Inverness.  He also served in the military spending time in Belize, Hong Kong and the Falkland Islands.

He studied Business and Highland History at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and has long been active in community and cultural governance across the Western Isles.

Lodovico Folin Calabi

He was appointed as UNESCO Representative to the European Union in March 2025. Prior to this, he served as Senior Crisis Coordinator at UNESCO Headquarters, leading the organization’s overall response to the war in Ukraine (2022-2024) and was Chief of Taskforce in the Director-General’s Cabinet (2019-2022), supervising the Organisation’s flagship recovery and reconstruction initiatives Revive the Spirit of Mosul (since 2019) and Li Beirut (since 2020), coordinating the large-scale efforts for the reconstruction and recovery of the Old City of Mosul in Iraq and of Beirut after the August 2020 blast.


He has been UNESCO Representative to Palestine and Head of the UNESCO National Office for Palestine from 2014 to 2019. From 2012 until 2014, he was the UNESCO Representative to Libya and Head of the UNESCO Project Office in Tripoli, where he coordinated the reactivation of UNESCO’s overall development cooperation with Libya after the 2011 conflict. Previously, Lodovico Folin Calabi worked with the UNESCO Culture Sector since 2003, first at the World Heritage Centre until July 2011, and then at the Executive Office of the Assistant Director-General, where he was in charge of the overall coordination of the UNESCO flagship initiative “Culture: a Bridge Development” in South-East Europe. His work also focused on historic cities and contemporary development and he coordinated the steps leading to the adoption of the UNESCO’s Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape.

He previously coordinated the World Heritage related training and research centres established under UNESCO’s auspices in China, Bahrain, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Italy. Lodovico studied international corporate law and holds a Ph.D. in Urban History, with a thesis on the urban development of São Paulo, Brazil, and is alumnus of the U.S. Department of State’s “International Visitor Leadership Programme”.

Xavier Long

Deputy General Manager of the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving France’s exceptional craftsmanship and high-end manufacturing excellence. In his role, Xavier drives strategic partnerships, advocacy initiatives, and influence efforts to strengthen the visibility and sustainability of French savoir-faire. He also oversees the Institute’s economic intelligence activities, a division he originally created to anticipate trends and support decision-making. 

Xavier is involved in the Institute’s international strategy, with a strong focus on European engagement and cooperation to enhance the global recognition of craftsmanship and high-end manufacturing. With a background in marketing research and economic intelligence, he brings a strategic perspective to fostering innovation while safeguarding heritage. He holds a postgraduate degree in Marketing from Université Paris-Dauphine and a Master’s degree in Economic Intelligence from the European School of Economic Intelligence.

Audrey Aubard

International Free Lance Consultant, specialised in GIs, “made in” or territorial branding, quality schemes, strategies and management, certification tools, and producers’ organisations. She is a senior legal expert in IP, food laws, crafts, and labelling. Currently, she manages Aubard Consulting, an independent Bordeaux-based consultancy. She also serves as General Secretary of the French Federation of industrial and craft GIs (FFIGIA)and as an auditor for the French Committee for Accreditation (COFRAC).

Katja Reppel 

Head of Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation in charge of research and innovation on democracy, equality and culture. 

Her unit contributes to defining evidence-based solutions and strategies for promoting trust in governance, the rule of law, active citizenship, the future of democracy, balancing security and safety with citizens’ rights and fundamental freedoms, countering polarisation, radicalisation, extremism and disinformation, advancing public sector innovation, preservation and valorisation of cultural heritage, innovation in and with cultural and creative industries, and assessing the impact of technological advancements on these issues. The unit also promotes gender equality and diversity in research and innovation policy, and supports citizens’ engagement in R&I policy making.

She is a lawyer by training, and has over 30 years of experience in different European, international and national organisations, dealing mainly with innovation policy, SME competitiveness, digital economy, gender mainstreaming, and smart specialisation.

Fabrizio Panozzo

Director of the aiku center – art enterprise culture of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice where he is professor of cultural policies and critical management studies and coordinator of the minor in “Artistic Management “.

His research and teaching interests focus on the various forms of interaction between economic and artistic, cultural and creative processes. He has published books and articles in international journals on these topics.                                                                    In recent years he has conceived and directed a series of research projects elaborating the “Art & Business” model, with which he and his team propagate the idea of “artification” of professions and workplaces. In this context, his action-research interventions have introduced the expressive codes of artistic installation, video art, theatre, dance and poetry into several traditional working environments.

Kristien Van Goey

Is a Belgian economist with more than 25 years of experience within the European Commission. She has worked in different policy areas, and for more than 10 years in the research field. Since 2022 she joined the European Research Executive Agency where she is heading the unit Inclusive Society, implementing Cluster 2 ‘Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society’ of Horizon Europe.