BUSINESS: 611 PRACTICES
IMERYS Group is the world leader in mineral-based industrial solutions, offering specialized solutions necessary for its customers. IMERYS INDUSTRIAL MINERALS GREECE SINGLE MEMBER SOCIETE ANONYME mines and processes industrial minerals, mainly bentonite and perlite.
The initiative aimed to highlight and preserve the cultural and mining heritage of Milos. The qualitative upgrade of the attractions enhances sustainable tourism in Milos, directly supporting the local economy and the cultural identity of the society.
Through the lighting of the Catacombs and the active action of the Mining Museum of Milos through educational and cultural initiatives, the aim was to transform local history into a living experience of knowledge, culture and sustainable development.
The initiative is aimed at the local community of Milos, students and teachers of all levels, as well as tourists who wish to learn about the history, unique geology and mining heritage of the island. It is also aimed at cultural institutions, academic institutions and tourism and cultural management professionals.
The lighting initiative in the Catacombs of Milos took place in April 2025.
The Mining Museum of Milos has permanent and temporary exhibitions, while its educational activities are implemented on an annual basis.
The initiative “Milos: Illuminating History, Preserving Heritage” was created with the aim of highlighting the unique cultural and mining heritage of Milos, connecting the island’s history with modern society through cultural communication, education and experiential activities. The main aim of the initiative was to transform cultural heritage from a static element of the past into a living experience of knowledge, participation and social awareness for residents and visitors.
The focus of the action was the upgrade of the lighting in the Catacombs of Milos, a site of particular historical and cultural importance. The intervention was carried out with full respect for the character and authenticity of the monument and included the installation of 80 LED lamps, the upgrade of the electrical infrastructure, the installation of new panels and security lights, as well as the improvement of the safety and operating conditions of the site. Through the new lighting experience, visitors now have the opportunity to get to know the archaeological site in a more modern, safe and experiential way, strengthening their connection with the history and cultural value of the Catacombs.
At the same time, the Mining Museum of Milos, for 28 years now, has been a key pillar of education, cultural activity and extroversion. The Museum, which has been operating over time with the support of IMERYS Industrial Minerals of Greece S.A. without state subsidy, is not “a simple thematic museum”, but a living space for recording, highlighting and connecting mining activity with the history and identity of Milos. Through the close relationship it has cultivated with the educational sector, it has implemented a series of educational programs and experiential activities that offer multifaceted education and entertainment to children, young people, families and adults.
In 2023 and 2024, dozens of educational and cultural activities were implemented that brought students and visitors into contact with the island's rich mining past and present. Among other things, educational programs were held such as "The Obsidian of Milos: In the Traces of Prehistory", transplanting activities of local and endemic plants, as well as presentations on the minerals of Milos and their uses from prehistory to the present. At the same time, the Museum's "Museum Kit" traveled outside Milos, bringing more than 400 primary school students into contact with the island's mining history and the modern mining profession.
Particular emphasis was placed on the participation of the new generation, as in 2024 alone, approximately 150 students from Kindergartens and Primary Schools of Milos participated in educational programs and environmental actions, while in 2023 more than 250 young visitors participated in experiential activities related to local endemic plants and the uses of minerals in everyday life. Through interactive games, museum-pedagogical events and audiovisual media, the museum offers a unique entertainment activity that leads to knowledge, enhancing children's experiential contact with the cultural and geological identity of Milos. In addition, the Museum hosted students from the National University of Athens and the National Technical University of Athens, strengthening the connection of the academic community with the history, geology and mining heritage of the island.
An important element of the Museum’s cultural extroversion is the photographic exhibition “Dialogue with Aphrodite”, a participatory art project by Mantis Lyceridou that was implemented with the participation of 132 permanent residents of Milos. The works have been presented in cultural venues and exhibitions in Greece and abroad, conveying the island’s connection with world cultural heritage. When the exhibition is not hosted outside Milos, it is exhibited at the Mining Museum of Milos, serving as a point of reference for residents and visitors of the island. On the occasion of the exhibition, a photographic album was created, with the funding of the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Insular Policy, further enhancing the dissemination and the timeless recording of the cultural value of the Aphrodite of Milos, which is one of the most important sculptures in the world history of art.
The initiative combined cultural promotion with education, sustainability and community participation, creating a comprehensive cultural communication experience with a substantial social footprint. Over the two-year period 2023–2024, the Museum welcomed a total of more than 20,800 visitors, confirming its role as a reference point for the cultural and educational identity of Milos and as an example of a substantial connection between culture, education and social contribution.
The initiative had a substantial and multi-layered impact on both the visitor experience and the local community of Milos, combining cultural enhancement with education, sustainability and safety.
The electrical upgrade and new lighting in the Catacombs of Milos significantly improved the safety and reliability of the site, eliminating risks and technical malfunctions associated with old installations. At the same time, the use of modern LED lamps and the overall aesthetic upgrade of the lighting significantly enhanced the visitor experience, highlighting in a modern way the historical and cultural value of the Catacombs. The energy upgrade also contributed to the reduction of energy consumption and operating costs, enhancing the sustainable nature of the intervention.
At the same time, the Mining Museum of Milos is constantly strengthening its educational and social role through activities that bring pupils, students and visitors into contact with the geological and mining history of the island. During 2023 and 2024, the Museum welcomed a total of more than 20,800 visitors, while hundreds of students participated in educational programs and environmental activities related to the minerals of Milos, prehistory and local endemic plants.
Specifically, in 2024, 12 educational activities were carried out with the participation of approximately 150 students from Kindergartens and Primary Schools of Milos, while in 2023 more than 250 young visitors participated in experiential environmental awareness activities. Furthermore, through the educational “Museum Kit”, 400 Primary School students in the Municipality of Lamia learned about the mining history of Milos and the modern mining profession.
Overall, the initiative substantially contributed to strengthening the cultural extroversion of Milos, strengthening the local community's relationship with its history and highlighting Imerys as an entity that actively invests in cultural heritage, education and sustainable development.
Milos, Greece
The intervention for the lighting of the Catacombs of Milos was implemented with full respect for the importance and sacredness of the archaeological site, in accordance with the current institutional framework for the protection of cultural heritage.
The company collaborated closely with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, the pertinent service of the Ministry of Culture, ensuring that the technical specifications of the project fully meet the requirements of conservation, promotion and non-intervention of the monument.
At the same time, there was coordination with the Municipality of Milos, so that the project could be organically integrated into the broader plan to promote the island's cultural identity, as well as with the Municipality's Technical Service, to ensure the technical integrity and safety of the facilities.
Furthermore, with the funding of the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Insular Policy, a photo album was created for the Aphrodite of Milos, enhancing the dissemination and the long-term recording of the island's cultural value through a multi-level collaboration between cultural and local development bodies.
The Catacombs initiative was implemented exclusively by Imerys' specialized technical staff of electricians, ensuring technical excellence and absolute respect for the archaeological site.
Imerys employees, as well as volunteers and support assistants, participate in the museum's activities from time to time, actively contributing to the implementation of cultural and educational activities for the local community and visitors to the island.
The initiative significantly strengthened Imerys' corporate social responsibility footprint, demonstrating in practice the company's commitment to the protection and promotion of the cultural heritage of Milos. Through the upgrading of the Catacombs and the continuous action of the Milos Mining Museum, the relationship of trust with the local community, the educational community and cultural institutions was strengthened, showcasing a modern way of connecting business activity with social contribution and culture.
At the same time, the energy upgrade of the Catacombs through the installation of modern LED lighting contributed to the reduction of energy consumption and operating costs, while the Museum's educational and cultural actions significantly strengthened the cultural extroversion of the organization, with more than 20,800 visitors in the two-year period 2023–2024 and hundreds of students participating in cultural and environmental awareness programs.
The initiative substantially contributed to strengthening Imerys' corporate image as a responsible organization that invests over time in sustainable development, education, culture and social cohesion of the local community.
