Heritage interpretation
Being touched by a heritage site, considering how it relates to us, and how it can help to shape our common future – this is what distinguishes good heritage interpretation. Heritage interpretation takes place in various locations, such as protected areas, historic sites, zoos or museums. It is supported by a broad range of approaches from guided walks to sophisticated exhibitions. Many people working at heritage sites are good interpreters and can encourage good heritage interpretation even if they are not aware that it is an increasingly important profession.
Interpret Europe – European
Association for Heritage Interpretation
Learning from our heritage is essential for building European citizenship. Learning is most powerful where real things can be experienced first-hand, in places such as protected landscapes and historic towns, monuments and museums, zoos and botanical gardens. Interpret Europe brings all these sites and venues together. Joining Interpret Europe provides opportunities to share experiences on how to make European heritage more meaningful to people with a network of more than 800 professionals, enterprises and academic institutions in more than 48 countries. IE provides its members with networking and training opportunities, webinars, conferences and news. More information
University of Primorska Faculty of Humanities and Unesco Chair
The university’s Faculty of Humanities, established in 2000, is a young and student-oriented faculty, offering courses in the field of humanities, social sciences and art. We are situated in the historic centre of Koper and our activities bring back the spirit of humanism to the old town centre. We continue and enhance the tradition of humanistic education that has been developing in the city since the 15th century. The humanities, humanists and humanism have always been the mirror and the driving force of society. They promote a critical, fresh view of the world, of the present, the past and the future. The humanities, the arts and social sciences give the university a backbone, a breadth and a diversity of views, that creates an appropriate balance among various academic disciplines.
The faculty is included in UNESCO networks and chairs programme. In 2021, we inaugurated a UNESCO Chair for interpretation and education for enhancing integrated heritage approaches.
The Chair aims to fill the gap within the existing UNESCO chairs in the world, as it identifies interpretation and education through an integrated approach to heritage as the key to sustainable heritage management. Trends in scholarship in practice pinpoint the need for an inclusive approach to the management of cultural and natural heritage. The main concept in this sense consists in the participatory and ‘values-led’ approaches that aim at promoting sustainable management of both natural and cultural heritage through community involvement. The main goal is to develop interpretation and education for professionals and the general public in the context of an integrated approach to heritage.
Find out more about the university from www.upr.si and www.fhs.upr.si.