Dr. Simona von Eyb will take over as director of the Bamberg World Heritage Center (ZWB) on October 1, 2023, succeeding Patricia Alberth. This decision was made by the City Council. “With Dr. Simona von Eyb, Bamberg is gaining a proven expert with excellent international connections, which will enable her to continue to positively develop our city in the area of World Heritage,” explains Mayor Andreas Starke, who congratulated Dr. von Eyb with a bouquet of flowers.

For several years, Simona von Eyb taught at the Chair of Cultural Management at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and developed and led international projects with a focus on World Heritage. Prior to that, von Eyb worked as a cultural heritage advisor at the European Education and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels.

The professional career of this trained cultural manager also includes stints as an expert in the field of culture and education at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in China and at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris. She is particularly drawn to leading the Bamberg World Heritage Centre because of the great potential of the Bamberg World Heritage site. “Above all, I want to actively promote awareness of the World Heritage site in Bamberg and develop it in a forward-looking manner,” emphasizes von Eyb. She believes her 20 years of professional experience in this field will allow her to contribute optimally to this effort.

Ulrike Siebenhaar, the city’s cultural affairs officer, is also convinced that Bamberg made an excellent choice in appointing von Eyb: “Her expertise in cultural heritage management is outstanding and has completely won us over. I am certain that the World Heritage City of Bamberg will benefit from this, and I look forward to working with her and the team at the World Heritage Center.”

Central Coordination Office

For exactly 30 years, since 1993, the Old Town of Bamberg has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2005, the Bamberg World Heritage Center has served as the central coordinating body for all matters related to World Heritage. The Center’s responsibilities are diverse and encompass numerous areas of urban life and activity: construction and historic preservation, urban planning and development, culture and tourism, education and research, environment and economy. The Center serves as the primary point of contact for questions regarding World Heritage and acts as its representative both internally and externally. The goal of the Bamberg World Heritage Center is to harness the potential offered by the World Heritage designation and utilize it for the benefit of the city and its citizens. Through events, publications, and in collaboration with the media, the Center aims to raise awareness of the World Heritage site and thus make it a vibrant part of social life in Bamberg.

In addition, every World Heritage site is required to report regularly to UNESCO on the condition of the site and to ensure its protection and sustainable development. To fulfill these tasks, the Center is therefore involved in the city’s overall urban development concept and represents the interests of the World Heritage site on the City Planning Advisory Board. The focus of the work to preserve the “outstanding universal value” is on historic preservation. In this area, the ZWB works closely with the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and the University of Bamberg.

Photo credit: City of Bamberg, Michael Memmel

Caption: Cultural Affairs Officer Ulrike Siebenhaar (left) looks forward to collaborating with the new director of the Bamberg World Heritage Center (ZWB), Dr. Simona von Eyb.