On December 13, 2023, we inaugurated regular meetings of Kraków heritage organisations from the non-governmental sector. Their goal is to get to know each other, network, discuss topics important for civic organisations and joint projects. Thirty-three representatives from twenty-four organisations took part in the first meeting.
Creating a network of Kraków civic organisations working for heritage is an important element of Kraków’s cultural policy. We would like it to be not only a platform for exchanging views, but also for formulating needs, seeking solutions and speaking out on issues important to the city’s heritage. This is a crucial voice also for Europa Nostra, which will be transmitted via our Hub to the organisation’s headquarters in The Hague. Europa Nostra, as an advocacy organisation cooperating with the European Commission, the Council of Europe, UNESCO and other international bodies, is looking for better solutions – organisational, financial, in the field of communication – for the heritage sector throughout Europe.
The first Kraków meeting of heritage NGOs took place in the form of a discussion at three tables on projects implemented by Kraków organisations in the context of three areas – social, digital and green. It was a direct reference to the research project ‘Mapping the non-governmental heritage sector in Central and Eastern Europe’, which Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków is currently implementing as part of the European Heritage Hub project. Its main idea is a triple transformation: green, digital and social – changes taking place within each of these areas separately, but also their interconnectedness. Nowadays, in order to face a number of challenges related to, among others, climate change, new technologies or migrations, NGOs also have to face it.
The meeting was attended by representatives of organisations dealing with the history and heritage of districts of Kraków, protection of historic buildings, collecting objects of material culture, promotion of heritage, education and animation in the field of heritage, and research on culture and heritage. Despite their diversity, many organisations combine activities that go beyond one area – e.g. social with digital and green.
The venue for the meeting was the headquarters of the Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage (Towarzystwo Miłośników Historii i Zabytków Krakowa), which is the operator of the Hub. Participants were greeted by Dr Michał Niezabitowski, Vice-President of the Society of Friends, and discussions at three tables were led by Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska, Head of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków, Dr Joanna Sanetra-Szeliga, Deputy Head of the Hub, and Dr Aleksandra Janus, Co-Director of Centrum Cyfrowe, which is our partner in the project of mapping the non-governmental sector in the region.
The first meeting was attended by representatives of the following organisations: Federacja Polsko-Węgierska im. Bálinta Balassiego, FestivALT, Fundacja Bookowy Dom, Fundacja Ecotravel, Fundacja im. Zofii i Jana Włodków, Fundacja Instytut Bezpieczeństwa Dziedzictwa, Fundacja Kultura i Miejsce, Fundacja Muzeum HERstorii Sztuki, Fundacja Muzeum Komiksu, Fundacja Promocji Nowej Huty, Łagiewnickie Towarzystwo Kulturalne, Fundacja Zbiorów Rodziny Sosenków / Muzeum Zabawek w Krakowie, Ośrodek Żywa Pracownia, Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze – Odział w Krakowie, Polskie Towarzystwo Ziemiańskie – Odział Kraków, Stowarzyszenie 12 Pułk Piechoty Księstwa Warszawskiego, Stowarzyszenie Instytut Badań Organizacji Kultury, Stowarzyszenie Konserwatorów Zabytków – Oddział Krakowski, Stowarzyszenie Podgórze.pl, Stowarzyszenie ROZSTAJE: u ZBIEGU KULTUR i TRADYCJI, Stowarzyszenie Twoje Korzenie w Polsce, Teatr Złoty Róg w Bronowicach, Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Bronowic, Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Prokocimia.