UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has announced the appointment of four new Goodwill Ambassadors—among them a Greek figure whose work bridges tradition and modern entrepreneurship: Costantza Sbokou-Constantakopoulou.

An architect, entrepreneur, president of Endeavor Greece, and the creative force behind Phaea Resorts, Sbokou-Constantakopoulou embodies a cultural vision that goes beyond Greece’s touristic image. Her work thrives at the intersection of creativity and sustainability, demonstrating that innovation can coexist with memory—and that culture can still serve as a tool for development, not a decorative relic of the past.

“In these challenging times of global conflict and crisis, the need to protect our cultural heritage is more urgent than ever,” she said, expressing her intention to act as a bridge between communities, eras, and narratives. It is a statement that reads like a quiet reminder: culture is not a luxury, but an act of resistance against oblivion.

Her selection by UNESCO is far from coincidental. With degrees from the National Technical University of Athens and Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, and positions on the boards of leading institutions—from the Benaki Museum and the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center—Sbokou-Constantakopoulou represents a new Greek generation that understands culture as both an aesthetic and a political stance.

Joining her in UNESCO’s new network of Goodwill Ambassadors are acclaimed actor and filmmaker Gael García Bernal, entrepreneur Ibrahim Magassa, and academic Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi. “These individuals embody the diversity of talents and experiences that enrich UNESCO’s mission,” noted Azoulay.

Perhaps that is the essence of this initiative: in a world constantly fragmenting, culture remains the one space where humanity still meets itself.