On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the reconstruction of the Mostar Bridge, a symbol of unity among diverse communities, representatives of the European Heritage Hub conducted a site visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in the International Conference on Unity and Plurality in Europe (ICUPE19) and the International Summer School Youth and Heritage. This visit was also the occasion to establish links with local stakeholders.
The ICUPE19 Conference on heritage and religion as agents of peace-building
The annual ICUPE19 conference took place in Mostar from 28 to 30 July 2024. The event was organised by the International Forum Bosnia and held with the support of ICCROM, UNESCO, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, GUtech, the European Heritage Hub, Europa Nostra, and ALIPH, and was co-funded by the European Union. Discussions underscored the potential of religious and cultural communities to foster peace and resilience in the face of climate challenges.
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary General of Europa Nostra and Project Leader of the Hub, opened the ICUPE19 conference on 28 July. “When it comes to the effects of climate change, thinking locally is no longer enough. The wide-reaching impacts pose ethical and social dilemmas that transcend borders. Our response must therefore align with principles of collaboration, shared values, and solidarity”, she stated.
The next day, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic also participated the panel discussion “People Whose Legacies are Invincible Bridges: In Memory of John Sell, Jukka Jokilehto, and Bogdan Bogdanović”, during which she paid tribute to their invaluable commitment to heritage preservation and enhancement. She particularly recognised the life dedication of John Sell, former Executive Vice-President of Europa Nostra, who “cared passionately to preserve beautiful places for the benefit of everyone”.
Stavroula Thravalou, Coordinator of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens, participated in a panel discussion on 29 July focused on climate justice and cultural heritage, highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Hub to advance the green transformation and ensure the heritage sector’s voice is heard in the policy landscape. She also presented case studies and sites affected by climate change, including those listed in the 7 Most Endangered Programme, as well as case studies from Greece related to the work of the Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET) within the framework of the Life-IP AdaptInGR research project.
Stavroula Thravalou’s presentation concluded by emphasising the need for frameworks that integrate the principles of climate justice into the regulatory provisions for cultural heritage preservation and ensure respect for the rights of local communities in climate and cultural heritage policies.
International Summer School Youth and Heritage
Members of the European Heritage Hub also participated in the International Summer School Youth and Heritage (ISSYH19), which took place in Stolac and brought together students from around the world with a keen interest in heritage.
At the opening ceremony, Jasna Popović, Coordinator of the youth activities in the European Heritage Hub, presented how young people can become more involved in heritage-related activities through the Hub project and ESACH. Ioanna Mikrou, Board Member of ELLET, outlined the goals of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens. Additionally, Stavroula Thravalou conducted a Master Class for participants, focused on ‘Environmental aspects of vernacular heritage. Tools and methods for climatic adaptation’.
The European Heritage Hub Small Grants Scheme, supported by the European Union and ALIPH, is co-funding the House of International Dialogue and Research (HIDR) in the frame of ISSYH19. This initiative integrates authorised heritage discourse with grassroots practices, fostering inclusive social trust, offering global youth direct engagement with heritage to aid societal resilience.
Connecting with local initiatives
The Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens, operated by Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET), took the opportunity of this visit to organise several meetings with civil society organisations. Semi-structured interviews and discussions with local stakeholders were held by the Coordinator of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens, Stavroula Thravalou, and Senada Demirović Habibija, Assistant Professor at Dzemal Bijedić University in Mostar and Founding President of Urban House IDEAA. Discussions highlighted the challenges faced by cultural heritage actors in protecting the natural and built heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the need for an inclusive regulatory framework to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Representatives of ELLET and Hispania Nostra, both affiliated partners of the Hub, also visited the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar, a site of significant memorial importance listed within the 7 Most Endangered Programme in 2023.
