Building the Legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018

Abstract [eng]

The paper presents the current reflections within the European Commission’s on how to build a lasting legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage. The initiative is underway, with more of ten thousands of events and activities taking place across Europe, providing a unique opportunity to experience and enjoy the wealth of memory, ideals, principles and values embedded in Europe’s cultural heritage, and thus reflect on our identity of Europeans. But the European Year is more than just a year-long celebration of the past: its aim is to be a laboratory “for heritage-based innovation”, a wide ranging, shared reflection at policy level on how to implement the new integrated, holistic and participatory approaches that have been highlighted in the latest policy documents at EU level. The European Commission is opening the way, engaging national authorities, representatives of civil society and international organisations, and all the European institutions in the governance of the Year. New models of “crossover” initiatives are also being tested, in order to maximise the benefits to Europe’s economy, culture, society and the environment, implemented in cooperation with various Directorates-General and Stakeholders, and organised in four pillars:

• Engagement: promote awareness of the value of cultural heritage, above all among young people;


• Sustainability: make full use of the potential of cultural heritage in local development strategies, also through its reuse and cultural tourism;


• Protection: promote quality in cultural heritage interventions, improve risk management and do more to combat illegal trafficking;


• Innovation: promote research and favour the use of the results obtained, and encourage active participation.