Last year, the Europeana Network Association’s Europeana Education Community launched a call to select new members for its Steering Group. In September 2025, we were delighted to welcome the newly appointed members, who bring a passion for integrating cultural heritage into education along with valuable experience within education and cultural heritage to enrich the community’s work. They introduce themselves and share their motivations and aspirations for joining the Steering Group.
Daniela Bunea
‘With over 25 years in education, I have been actively advancing Europeana’s mission through interdisciplinary teaching, digital content creation and European collaboration. As an eTwinning and Scientix ambassador, I have led award-winning projects, published lesson plans and mentored educators. My work, spanning teacher training, public speaking, and cultural heritage integration, reflects a deep commitment to inclusive, innovative education.’
'As a member of the Europeana Education Community Steering Group, I hope to contribute a strong classroom perspective, helping to connect Europeana’s rich cultural heritage resources with practical, teacher-friendly learning experiences. I would particularly like to focus my work in the Steering Group on supporting members through collaborative initiatives, promoting interdisciplinary use of digital heritage, and strengthening the empowerment of teachers when integrating Europeana meaningfully into everyday teaching.’
Vassiliki Yiannou (consulting capacity)
‘I graduated from the department of History and Archaeology in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and hold an MA in Educational Studies (Continuing Learning) from the Open University of Cyprus (2015). I currently work as an upper secondary Greek Language and History teacher and I am Deputy Headmistress of 2nd General Lyceum of Evosmos in Thessaloniki, Greece.’
‘I am a member of ENA’s Members Council, a Board member at EUROCLIO, part of HISTORIANA’s Teaching and Learning Team and am part of both theAHEG (Association of History Education in Greece) and PEN Greece.’
‘Joining the Education Community’s Steering Group will allow me to bring my skills in networking, communication and strategic planning to help shape the community’s Work Plan and contribute to future initiatives. I am particularly interested in digital storytelling, designing educational material, especially in History or Literature, and I would love to take an active role in developing activities that promote the effective use of Europeana’s educational resources.’
Dorothea Papathanasiou
‘I am active at the Open University of Cyprus, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. As a dedicated professional in the cultural heritage sector and more particularly in the audiovisual industries, my work focuses on digital recreation and communication of cultural assets. Communication of cultural values to the public lies also at the heart of the Europeana Education Community. A more systemic and holistic - both theoretically and methodologically—that creatively integrates current cutting-edge research streams (such as neuroscience, digital reuse, Gen-AI, and public history) will help advance this goal.’
‘As educators, we are called upon to bring together and harness knowledge, skills and expertise towards a real impact and meaning for a global audience. Fine-tuning new skills for jobs in the cultural sector is the quintessential task for educators. In this vein, I am intrinsically motivated to assist the Europeana Education Community towards new cultural services and ethics in an AI-driven world.’
Ivan Milovanov
‘I am excited to serve on the ENA Education Community Steering Group, bringing expertise in non-formal educational design. I contribute by creating learning experiences that connect innovation, psychology and playful storytelling with a focus on active citizenship, democratic values, empathic skills, critical thinking, history, emerging technologies and sustainability.’
‘My motivation to join comes from a long-standing fascination with Europeana as a vital portal that safeguards Europe’s cultural heritage and unlocks powerful opportunities for learning. I am driven by the conviction that its democratic potential can inspire innovation and creativity in educational experiences, empowering both learners and educators. Alongside my role in ENA, I work as a Project Manager and Professional Development Coordinator at EuroClio, where I lead learning and development projects.’
Get involved
We warmly welcome Daniela, Vassiliki, Dorothea and Ivan to the Steering Group and look forward to the fresh perspectives and expertise they will bring to our community’s initiatives!
Would you like to get involved with the Europeana Education Community and advance the reuse of cultural heritage in education? We invite you to join our Community through the Europeana Network Association, and then to become a Member of our and LinkedIn group where we share ideas, news and best practices.