#Women4Heritage 2025 event spotlights the essential role of women in preserving heritage and advancing peacebuilding 

On the eve of International Women’s Day 2025, 7 March, Europa Nostra convened the fifth annual gathering of its #Women4Heritage network. With over 130 participants, the online event put a spotlight on the essential role of women in preserving endangered heritage and advancing peacebuilding. Heritage leaders, practitioners, innovators, communicators and volunteers from across Europe and beyond joined the #Women4Heritage 2025 online event, which was moderated by Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra.

The discussion began with a message of support for our Ukrainian colleagues and a powerful intervention from Lesia Voroniuk, Ukrainian Cultural Curator and Head of World Vyshyvanka Day NGO, which won a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in 2022. She emphasised the role of intangible heritage in expressing and preserving identity during war, and the vital role women play in its preservation.

Since the full-scale Russian invasion, the Vyshyvanka Day NGO has been working to preserve Ukraine’s cultural heritage by relocating private collections and documenting traditional attire from occupied regions. A team of 25 researchers reconstructed 12 historical outfits from Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Crimea, ensuring that valuable cultural artifacts are not lost. With over 1,000 heritage sites destroyed and 2,000 cultural institutions damaged since the outset of the war, the NGO remains committed to researching, publishing, and preserving Ukrainian heritage, while also honouring the resilience of those in occupied territories.

Angela Atzori, Team Leader for Cultural Heritage at the DG EAC of the European Commission, stressed the urgent need to preserve cultural heritage, particularly against the risk of neglect, and recognised the critical role women play in these efforts. If cultural heritage isn’t maintained, preserved, or valued due to neglect, it deteriorates physically and loses its relevance in society. Political manipulation is another major issue, as it can distort historical narratives and erase aspects of cultural identity.

Inspirational testimonials

 

Mathilde Augé, Executive Director of the World Monuments Fund (WMF) France, highlighted the pivotal contributions of women at various levels – ranging from donors to advisors and researchers – and showcased how heritage projects led by or benefiting women are driving meaningful change across their network. Among them, for instance, was the Osmania College for Women, a special project to preserve higher education for women, and the restoration of the Mam Rashan Shrine, a powerful symbol of Yazidi resilience and a strong symbol for the community and women in particular. Mathilde Augé also mentioned the Angkor Archeological Park, a significant symbol of Cambodia’s post-conflict healing, as well as Chernihiv Regional Library for Youth, a symbol of Ukraine’s strength and unity. Throughout these examples, she underscored the remarkable role of women in the fight to protect and preserve cultural heritage, reinforcing its importance as a source of identity, resilience, and community empowerment.

 

Elke Selter, Director of Programmes at the ALIPH Foundation, explained that ALIPH works with local operators and on 500 projects in over 40 countries. In all projects, women have an important role to play, yet their contribution is frequently hidden due to societal constraints. To shed light on their resilience, dedication, and unwavering commitment to preserving cultural heritage in some of the world’s most challenging environments, ALIPH organised an exhibition which features the work of women from Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, and Ukraine.

 

Tamar Sopromadze, Programme Assistant at the Georgian National Committee of the Blue Shield (GNCBS), spoke about the ongoing conflict in Georgia and the threats to displaced communities, underlining the importance of highlighting women’s stories and how they contribute to preserving intangible cultural heritage. She explained that since the beginning of the war, new generations are being born with no knowledge of their roots. In a context of changing traditions, women on the ground, often actively serving as leaders in their communities, are fighting to preserve intangible cultural heritage.  GNCBS has worked tirelessly to document the stories and traditions of internally displaced people (IDPs), especially of women, by creating short videos featuring their intangible heritage.

Amra Hadžimuhamedović, Director of the Centre for Cultural Heritage at the International Forum Bosnia, underlined that recognising the role of women goes beyond gender equality – it represents a profound transformation in how heritage is understood and preserved, through a lens of collaboration, empathy, inclusivity, and shared values. She highlighted the efforts of women who not only hold key positions in very important cultural organisations, but who also fight for gender equality and mentorship. Their vision inspired the project of the International Summer School, which invites young people from abroad to come to Bosnia and Herzegovina and restore houses and embrace heritage. She called attention to the fact that heritage is the agent of policy-making in these turbulent times. Heritage is not just about the past, it’s a tool to shape a more just future.

 

In alignment with the theme of International Women’s Day 2025: “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, Europa Nostra shared the powerful message: Our rights matter. Our heritage matters. Our role matters.

The event concluded with an open discussion, providing participants the opportunity to exchange knowledge and foster connections for further action.

👏 A huge thank you to all the remarkable women who joined our 5th #Women4Heritage webinar! #Heritage is a powerful tool for shaping a more just & strong future – & #women are at the heart of making this a reality🕊️

More outcomes to follow on Monday. Until then, happy #IWD2025! pic.twitter.com/aGJhLUL4E3

— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) March 7, 2025

 

#Women4Heritage, a growing network

Launched by Europa Nostra in 2021, the #Women4Heritage network counts with over 400 female members. Women from diverse backgrounds within the heritage sector and beyond are invited to join the #Women4Heritage LinkedIn group to engage in forthcoming activities, spark discussions, and drive collective action.

 

Since its launch, Europa Nostra has hosted four #Women4Heritage online gatherings between 2021 and 2024. The #Women4Heritage network and related activities are part of the network project Europa Nostra Heritage Agora (2025-2028), which is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.