Heritage Voices

Professor Gábor Sonkoly, a renowned theoretician of cultural heritage and co-creator of the discourse of the historic urban landscape, talks about the practical application of the concept in the form of the European Heritage Label and other ‘lists’ and ‘registers’ of heritage sites and practices. Does the abundance of heritage inscriptions distract the public’s attention, or does it help to raise awareness and develop the heritage economy?

Dr Mechtild Rössler, who was involved in the creation of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre already in 1992, shares her insights into the inscription processes for the World Heritage List and discusses the challenges and concerns surrounding its development and heritage conservation. The politization of nominations and the wrong intentions behind them seem to be the most alarming issues. Should we focus on better management of the sites that have already been inscribed, or do we need more sites on the list?

One of the greatest ambassadors of Belarusian heritage and internationally renowned scholar Dr Stsiapan Stureika shares his insights with us and reflects on the current condition of heritage in Belarus. This conversation comes as a result of research which we conducted in 2024 for the report “Mapping of the Central and Eastern European non-governmental heritage sector” (freely available here), which highlighted the challenging situation of the NGO heritage sector in Belarus. After a government crackdown on NGOs in 2021, the heritage sector has now lost its former shape.

What role can cultural heritage play in European Union policy? How does the situation in conflict-affected countries, such as Ukraine or Syria, influence the perception and protection of European cultural heritage? What are the main challenges related to social divisions in Cyprus, and how can they be addressed to achieve agreement and cooperation? In the second interview of the “Heritage Voices” series, Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska and John Beauchamp speak with Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth from 2010 to 2014, one of the key figures in shaping and managing European heritage policy.

What are the most pressing issues in the heritage sector today? Who are the key players in this field? Which concerns are causing the greatest worries? In our new series ”Heritage Voices”, we discuss hot topics on the heritage map with influential figures from this discipline — practitioners and theorists alike! In the inaugural interview, Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska, head of Europe Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków, talks with Dr Joanna Ślaga, Deputy Director for Research and Strategy at the Jagiellonian University Museum – Collegium Maius in Kraków, about academic heritage — a field that is only now beginning to gain proper recognition in heritage studies.

A conversation about the challenges faced today by heritage, people, non-governmental organisations and local government in the field of protection and management from the perspective of Krakow. The catalogue of these challenges is long. Some of them we know well, they have been with us for years, others have appeared recently, caused by the pandemic and geopolitical situation.