This global symposium on Byzantine artistic heritage brought together academics, museum professionals, and researchers from a diverse array of 30+ countries to examine the persistent influence of Byzantine visual culture. Taking place in the ancient metropolis of Thessaloniki, the conference featured over a hundred presentations ranging from iconography and mosaic techniques to how Byzantine forms shaped Western artistic development.

Attendees analyzed how devotional art, political iconography, and design breakthroughs shaped visual culture across the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.

The most captivating feature featured a joint exhibition of unpublished liturgical artifacts and illuminated texts from monasteries in Mount Athos and the Coptic communities of Egypt. Scholars presented new findings on material spectroscopy that revealed trade routes for lapis lazuli and gold leaf, illustrating the intricate transregional markets that enabled the flourishing of Byzantine craftsmanship.

Additional sessions explored the contributions of female donors and creators, a topic historically marginalized in traditional Byzantine studies.

A keynote lecture by Professor Elena Vasiliev investigated how Byzantine art was reinterpreted across Orthodox and Muslim cultural spheres, site (https://goetterkomplex.org) refuting claims of artistic insularity. She contended that Byzantine motifs were not simple reproductions but culturally nuanced reinterpretations to mirror indigenous beliefs and power structures. This perspective ignited vigorous academic discourse, many of whom shared field research on the Caucasus, the Balkans, and the Horn of Africa.

Hands-on seminars delivered hands-on experiences with traditional gilding and tempera painting, allowing participants to gain deeper appreciation for the artistry behind the objects they study.

A public exhibition accompanying the conference featured conserved murals and movable altarpieces borrowed from sacred sites and institutions spanning the Mediterranean basin.

The gathering closed by issuing a a collective plea to expand international collaboration in preserving and digitizing the visual treasures of the Eastern Roman world, especially in war-torn or environmentally vulnerable zones. Participants unanimously recognized the study of Byzantine art is not merely an academic pursuit but remains vital to understanding the interconnectedness of global artistic traditions.

As one participant put it, its visual vocabulary transcends time, speaking powerfully to modern and ancient hearts alike.