The 17th annual Forum of European Heritage Heads took place in the Spanish city of Seville. This year’s forum theme is “Heritage: a living being”.
The event serves as a platform for sharing experiences among different countries regarding the preservation of European intangible cultural heritage, as well as for discussing best practices in the context of international cooperation.
The Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Rostyslav Karandieiev, addressed the organizers and participants of the Forum in his welcoming remarks. During his video message, he emphasized that the preservation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage has become an extremely important task in current times and requires the support of international partners.
“Today, as Ukraine suffers from military aggression, the preservation of our cultural heritage becomes the most crucial task in shaping our Ukrainian culture not only for the present but also for the future. The challenge lies in safeguarding our heritage for future generations, and it is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks in the current circumstances. We extend our gratitude to all those who are assisting Ukraine – helping to monitor the situation, documenting the aggressor’s crimes, and providing aid to us in planning the future restoration of damaged objects. We thank those who will help us to restore them and open Ukraine’s unique cultural heritage sites to foreign tourists,” emphasized Rostyslav Karandieiev.
He also called for the preservation of both the tangible and intangible spiritual heritage of Ukraine and called on active participation in its restoration and promotion on the international stage.
“For Ukrainians, the preservation of our past is extremely important. It’s about preserving those practices that make us Ukrainians. We cherish our traditions in songwriting, choral performances, choreography, and in some other unique projects. And we very much want the global community to be aware of these projects, to have the opportunity to see, hear, and experience Ukraine through its intangible heritage. Through its invaluable cultural elements and to share these convictions with the world,” noted Rostyslav Karandieiev.
The event was organized by European Heritage Heads Forum, an informal expert network of leaders in the field of national heritage from European Union countries and member states of the Council of Europe, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Spain, during the Kingdom of Spain’s presidency of the European Union. The forum took place from September 27th to 29th in the city of Seville, Kingdom of Spain.
