European Parliamentary Research Service’s Post

This week, I had the privilege of visiting Suriname and meeting with many inspiring heritage colleagues. The main reason for my visit was to participate in a session at Anton de Kom-University as part of the NWO-funded project “Decolonizing Epistemologies: The Re-interpretation of Existing Traditional Knowledge in Suriname.” Decolonization is not only relevant for museums in Europe. It is equally important for museums and heritage institutions in formerly colonized regions. Many of the standards, practices, and ways of working that are commonly used in the heritage sector are rooted in worldviews that developed during the colonial period. These approaches are not well suited to the needs of museums in other parts of the world and in other climate conditions. This applies to many aspects of museum practice: documentation standards, climate control and climatization strategies, handling protocols, thesauri, and classification systems, among others. It was a real honour to meet so many dedicated heritage professionals in Suriname, to learn from their experiences, and to have thoughtful conversations about what decolonizing heritage practice can mean in this context. I am grateful for the hospitality, the openness, and the many inspiring conversations.

Last year our research showed how pseudo pages exploit search and ad platforms to outrank cultural heritage sites and mislead travellers - not only diverting bookings and revenue away from them, but also eroding the trust travellers place in what they find. Grateful to the teams at GetYourGuide and the Municipality of Florence (Comune di Firenze) for moving this forward into action - this is exactly the work the alliance exists to do.

🌍✨ Cultural heritage is the living memory of humanity, carried through traditions, knowledge, languages, and practices that connect generations and preserve the unique identities of communities around the world. Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage means protecting the stories, values, and wisdom that shape who we are and inspire our shared future. 🌿 #LivingHeritage #CulturalIdentity #UNESCO 🤝🎭 Every two years, nations reaffirm their commitment to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognizing that meaningful preservation requires inclusive participation where every community, voice, and tradition has the opportunity to be valued and represented. 🌎 #CulturalDiversity #HeritageProtection #Inclusion 🌱📚 Intangible cultural heritage is not preserved only in museums or archives—it lives within people, communities, and everyday practices, carrying knowledge, creativity, and identity from one generation to the next. 💙 #CommunityHeritage #Traditions #IntergenerationalLearning 🕊️🌍 A more inclusive approach to heritage protection strengthens mutual understanding, celebrates cultural diversity, and builds bridges among societies by recognizing that every culture contributes to the richness of our collective human experience. ✨ #PeaceThroughCulture #GlobalCitizenship #RespectDiversity 🌟🌏 Protecting #LivingHeritage is an investment in humanity’s future, ensuring that traditions continue to connect us, empower communities, and preserve the invaluable cultural treasures that belong not only to today’s world but also to generations yet to come. 🌿 #ForThePeople #FutureGenerations #OneHumanity 💚

Every two years, countries come together to reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage under the 2003 Convention. H.E. Tomas Guardia Williamson, Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Panama to UNESCO and Chairperson of the General Assembly of the 2003 Convention, reflects on why safeguarding intangible cultural heritage means protecting cultural identities — and why a more inclusive approach is essential to ensuring that all communities are represented. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eE4KXm8z #LivingHeritage belongs to communities — it connects us, preserves identities and carries knowledge into the future. For future generations. For the good of all of us. #ForThePeople

How are decisions on World Heritage made? 🎥 You can follow the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee live from Busan, Republic of Korea and gain insight into the discussions shaping the future of our shared heritage. Watch the livestream and learn more: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e5HV2rA3 #48WHC #WorldHeritage #UNESCO

The Cultural Heritage Forum Report is now available online. On 1 July 2026, Palazzo Corsini in Florence hosted the Cultural Heritage Forum, a special gathering organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Le Dimore del Quartetto and dedicated to owners and managers of historic houses and heritage sites from across Europe. At the heart of the Forum were four thematic workshops, led by Matina Agiorgiti, Vincent Curie, Andrea Montorio, and Paola Mungo, which offered participants the opportunity to exchange experiences and explore key topics for the future of cultural heritage, including sustainable management, access to funding opportunities, the enhancement of archives and collections, community engagement, and digital innovation. The discussions highlighted a shared vision: historic houses are not only places to preserve, but active cultural spaces capable of generating social, cultural, economic, and environmental value, creating new connections between heritage, people, and places. The newly published report gathers the main insights and reflections that emerged during the day, offering a contribution to the ongoing dialogue on the future of cultural heritage. A heartfelt thank you to all partners, speakers, and participants who made this special moment of exchange possible. 📖 Read the full report on our website: https://bit.ly/4g0tScL #LeDimoreDelQuartetto #CulturalHeritageForum #CulturalHeritage #HistoricHouses #10Years

"Intangible Cultural Heritage in MONDIACULT 2025: Toward an Integrated Cultural Policy Framework?" (ICH Courier Volume 66 Spring 2026) #ICHCAP #ICHCOURIER #MONDIACULT #UNESCO #2003CONVENTION #INTANGIBLECULTURALHERITAGE https://lnkd.in/gvc3KH-W

The Industrial Heritage of South-East Asia: A New Regional Study for UNESCO in partnership with TICCIH and ISC20C INFO & DOWNLOAD: https://lnkd.in/dTAtM8Se UNESCO

Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture hosts Southern Africa heritage workshop  By: Hertha Ekandjo The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme is hosting its Southern Africa Entanglements Workshop in Namibia to reimagine shared heritage narratives between Southern Africa and Europe.  The is attended by artists, historians, heritage practitioners, cultural professionals and community knowledge holders   Held under the theme "Reimagining Shared Histories: Co-Creating Heritage Narratives between Southern Africa and Europe," the four-day workshop seeks to move beyond the discussions of the past.  This is achieved by encouraging participants to collaboratively develop inclusive and forward-looking heritage narratives rooted in shared histories and mutual respect.  Read full story at: https://shorturl.at/JjhxP

The Question That Changed How I Think About Heritage A question has been on my mind lately: Who decides what becomes heritage? Is it governments? Museums? UNESCO? Or communities themselves? The more I read, write, and engage with cultural heritage, the more I realise that many traditions disappear not because they lack value, but because no institution ever recognised them as worth documenting. Heritage is not only inherited. It is also recognised. And recognition shapes what gets funded, researched, preserved, and remembered. That makes documentation more than record-keeping. It is a decision about what future generations will know. As I continue exploring heritage governance through my writing and research, this question keeps returning to me: How many cultural traditions have we already lost, not because people stopped caring, but because no system existed to preserve them? What cultural practice from your community deserves greater recognition before it disappears? I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts. #CulturalHeritage #LivingHeritage #HeritageGovernance #PublicPolicy #BeyondTheFestival #PersonalGrowth #InclusiveEducation #LinkedInJourney #1%Extraordinaryscholar #BeyondBordersCoaching