Dr Artur Obłuski, head of the ERC Starting Grant UMMA, a project carried out at the Center of Mediterranean Archeology of the University of Warsaw (UW), is one of the 3 finalists of the competition for the European Research Council Award “Public Engagement with Research Award” in the INSPIRE category. The award is presented to ERC grant winners who have demonstrated excellence in engaging non-academic communities in their projects.

The ERC-funded project “UMMA – Urban Metamorphosis of the community of a Medieval African capital city” is being carried out in Old Dongola, Sudan.

“Together with local communities, as well as local and regional self-governments and central authorities, we initiated activities aimed at a strategic approach to the heritage preserved at this site. So that our hosts, apart from their splendor, also have more tangible advantages, e.g. economic benefits as part of sustainable development, the benefits which will be received by the local communities, not large corporations. It should be remembered that Sudan is the 8th poorest country in the world”, explains Dr Artur Obłuski.