Cultural Heritage Counts for (South-East) Europe Conference
From 15-17 June 2017 Belgrade will host the conference “Cultural Heritage Counts for (South-East) Europe” and capacity-building days on “Education and Citizen Engagement” organised by Europa Nostra, Europa Nostra Serbia and South East European Heritage Network, with the support of the Creative Europe Program of the European Union.
The event will gather international experts and stakeholders from SEE region in discussing the Report “Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe”, the first research project implemented on a European level that analyses the impact of cultural heritage on cultural, social, environmental, and ecological development. Reflecting on experiences and data from Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, the conference aims to initiate a discussion about an integrated approach to heritage in relation to sustainable development among practitioners, researchers, and policy makers, while taking into account the examples, approaches, and specificities of Serbia and wider Southeast Europe. By sharing new perspectives and innovative practices from the Southeastern part of Europe, the organisers also wish to stimulate a stronger presence and input from heritage stakeholders from South-East Europe to Europa Nostra activities and European programs and policies.
The main highlights of the Conference are:
- The public presentation of the Serbian Edition of the Executive Summary & Strategic Recommendations of the above mentioned Report Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe (CHCFE). This was prepared by Europa Nostra Serbia with the support of the EU Delegation in Serbia, and featured inspiring lectures on methods and approaches for measuring heritage impact, and discussions on the significance and implications of ideas and findings from the CHCFE Report in the context of South-East Europe.
- Celebration of a Grand Prix of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards 2016 for the outstanding Conservation Study for the Revitalisation of the Village of Gostusa in the Pirot District (Serbia). Together with this example, the conference will feature additional selected projects and actors awarded the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards since 2005, as well as other exemplary heritage initiatives from the SEE in discussing the impact that their work has on environmental, social and economic development of the region.
- Preparations for the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018, with focus on the possibilities of participation within South East Europe and potential cooperation among EU Member States and EU Candidate Members.
- The Capacity-Building Days for Europa Nostra members and partners focussing on Education and Citizen Engagement in the field of cultural heritage, will create space and inspiring content for outreach and education managers of heritage organisations to share their experiences, discuss and learn together.
During the first day of the Conference (afternoon of Thursday, 15 June) participants will focus on wider European developments related to cultural heritage, the presentation of the outcomes of the European Report “Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe” with lectures and discussions about different approaches in evaluating heritage impact on society, and to the preparations for the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018. This part of programme will involve lecturers from Belgium, UK and Montenegro, heritage stakeholders from Serbia and other countries of the South-East Europe, together with the representatives of the European Commission.
On the second day (Friday, 16 June) the focus will be on exemplary and innovative initiatives from South-East Europe which have contributed to one of the following areas: Heritage, Environment and Sense of Place; Heritage, Traditional Skills, Training and Creativity; and Heritage, Education and Social Issues. These inspiring presentations and discussions will end in the evening with a very special Participatory Theater Performance “KoTo(r) o Kotoru” prepared by citizens and heritage activists of the World Heritage City of Kotor (Montenegro), followed by a panel discussion dedicated to Heritage Activism and Public Engagement.
Finally, the third day (Saturday, 17 June) is reserved for creative exchanges of good practices and concerns between Europa Nostra members and partners from all parts of Europe with regard to heritage education and citizen engagement.