On May 15th and 16th, 2024, the ARCHE project convened a workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia, bringing together high-level representatives to strengthen regional cooperation in cultural heritage. Hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Culture, the event gathered speakers from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, and Egypt, highlighting a growing commitment to aligning national strategies with a broader European agenda. The discussions focused on fostering cross-border cooperation and developing sustainable conservation practices to contribute to the future European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage.
The workshop showcased an emerging regional cohesion, with a clear will to influence future European frameworks. Sessions featured key policy makers, including Špela Spanžel, Director-General of the Cultural Heritage Directorate for Slovenia’s Ministry of Culture, and ministry representatives Senka Ibrisimbegovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Almiran Toka from Kosovo. They discussed interministerial alignment and the positioning of culture as a strategic policy area, exploring how transnational cooperation can be expanded.
A key priority that emerged was the need to educate younger generations on the links between climate change and heritage. Participants, including Saša Čaval of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, stressed that cultural heritage should be seen not as a passive legacy, but as an active tool for adaptation and resilience. The discussions encouraged a rethinking of interventions on existing structures, favoring the revival of traditional, low-impact conservation methods. This approach aligns with the principles of preventive archaeology, promoting a non-invasive, care-based approach that is both sustainable and culturally rooted.
A special session was dedicated to exploring international collaboration models, featuring Egypt as a primary case study. Dr. Eltayeb Abbas, representing the Grand Egyptian Museum, and Christian Greco, Director of the Museo Egizio in Turin, presented on the successful inter-institutional cooperation between Egypt and Italy. This focus on the new Grand Egyptian Museum served as a tangible example of how bilateral partnerships can address complex preservation challenges, offering a potential model for the South-Eastern European region.
The workshop concluded by underscoring a collective ambition to build a unified approach to shared challenges. By consolidating a network of policymakers and experts, the event laid the groundwork for the region to play a more integrated and influential role in the future of European heritage policy. The key outcome was a reinforced commitment to collaborative action, ensuring the region’s unique heritage and expertise contribute significantly to a resilient European cultural landscape.