Join the next one, organised by Interpretive Guides Canada, InterpatMX and National Association for Interpretation (NAI):

Thursday 29 October 19:00 CET
The power of interpretation in tourism

Great tourism experiences are about more than seeing the sights or learning the facts, they’re about creating connections that visitors can feel and remember. Interpretation brings destinations to life by revealing the stories, people, culture, and meaning behind a place.

Join panelists from Interpretive Guides Canada, InterpatMX and the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) for an international conversation exploring how thoughtful interpretation can transform the visitor experience.  Discover how guides and tourism professionals can create experiences that spark curiosity, build emotional connections, and turn a trip into more than just an Instagram post.

Kristin Robinson is a CIT, CIGT & NAI Lead Trainer. She is the founder of The Impact Story, a training and consulting company focused on personal interpretation and storytelling.  She is an Advisory Board Member for the International Association of Tour Directors and Guides and is a certified facilitator.  Her 25+ year interpretive career spans cultural/natural/historic sites and international tourism and she holds a Master’s Degree in Performance Anthropology. The conviction that inspires her is that more people exploring and caring about more things in their complexity, will lead to a thriving future for all.  She can be reached at kristin@theimpactstory.com.

Tracey Gage is the Executive Director of the Interpretive Guides Association. She is also a guide, educator, trainer, and tour manager with 30 years of experience in interpretation, guiding, and outdoor education. She has worked as a backcountry guide, interpretive guide, tour guide, grizzly bear educator, operations manager, and guide trainer in the Canadian Rockies and beyond. A certified Master Interpreter and Hiking Guide, Tracey helps guides create experiences that move beyond facts to spark curiosity, reflection, connection, and care. Her work focuses on strengthening professional guiding and helping tourism experiences become more meaningful for guests, communities, and places.

Aura Banda is an interpretive trainer and expedition naturalist with over 21 years of experience, primarily in the Galápagos Islands. Trained by Dr. Sam Ham as a trainer in thematic interpretation and certified as a HEART trainer, she helps guides connect visitors with places, people, wildlife, and stories.
Her long-standing collaboration with Dr. Dee Boersma and Ecosystem Sentinels on Galápagos penguin research is the cornerstone of her approach, integrating science, expeditions, and thematic interpretation, to inspire conservation action. She trains guides to recognize interpretative opportunities, transforming visitors’ curiosity as a starting point to inspire deeper understanding, and support for conservation initiatives.

Register here to receive the link for attendance. Participation is free of charge.

In 2025, Europeana published five new walking tours in Amsterdam, Dublin, Gdansk, London and Pisa. Each tour was illustrated and interpreted with digital collections from museums, galleries, libraries and archives around Europe. In this practical webinar, you will hear from Europeana about tour best practices and ideas on how to use digitised collections in your interpretation projects.

Adrian Murphy has worked at Europeana since 2016, engaging audiences with the digitised cultural heritage collections. He works on editorial strategy, digital storytelling, participatory campaigns and developing audience communities, as well as curating features such as stories, exhibitions and walking tours. Prior to Europeana, he worked at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London, where he managed digital activities. He is a Trustee of the Stained Glass Museum, as well as a member of ICOM and a regular contributor to Wikimedia Commons.

Join us next week for an open and inspiring conversation, and let’s explore together how evaluation can strengthen heritage interpretation across Europe and beyond. If you wish to take part in the webinar, please register here at least one hour before the webinar begins. ***Please register using the same email address associated with your IE membership.***

The final event of the initiative will take place online on 8 June 2026, from 09:00 to 12:00
CEST. Interested participants can register via the following Zoom link

Implemented across four pilot areas in Greece, Montenegro, the Netherlands, and Romania, the initiative explored how the co-creation of interpretive strategies—through inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement—can support the transformation of UNESCO sites and their wider territorial contexts into dynamic learning environments.

Activities included the application of participatory and interdisciplinary methods to develop interpretive strategies for the sites, as well as capacity-building for key actors at different levels: from strategic design and interpretive planning to the development of personal and non-personal interpretive services.

The event will offer an opportunity to reflect on the rationale, methodology, and ambitions of the initiative, while showcasing its key outcomes through the experiences of local partners and trainers involved in the four pilot areas.

The programme will feature presentations from the pilot sites, illustrating the activities undertaken and lessons learned in co-creating interpretive strategies. Particular attention will be given to positioning heritage interpretation as an integral component of the sustainable management of UNESCO-designated sites. This includes strengthening the connections between local heritage values, global challenges, and people’s everyday lives, in alignment with UNESCO’s mission and strategic objectives.

The final event will also explore how the approaches developed within the LLI contribute to education for sustainable development and global citizenship, by fostering critical thinking, empathy, and active engagement. It will highlight transferable methodologies that can support other heritage sites and territories in adopting participatory and people-centred practices, thereby reinforcing the role of heritage for more inclusive and sustainable societies.

To find the details of the tentative programme please go here.

We would like to invite you to a discussion on evaluating heritage interpretation provisions, taking place on the 29th of April at 15:00 CEST. Evaluation is an essential part of creating meaningful and effective heritage interpretation experiences. Whether you are assessing individual interpretation services, temporary programmes, or entire exhibitions, understanding what works and what could be improved helps us better fulfill our purpose. We would be very interested to hear about your approaches, methods, and findings.

Are you evaluating visitor engagement, learning outcomes, emotional impact, or overall visitor satisfaction? Do you rely on visitor surveys, interviews, observation, feedback forms, or more informal methods? How often do you carry out evaluations, and how do the results influence your future planning? Let’s make use of the expertise within our network and exchange knowledge across countries and professional fields. Learning from one another’s successes, challenges, and practical experiences is what makes our community rich and rewarding.

Join us next week for an open and inspiring conversation, and let’s explore together how evaluation can strengthen heritage interpretation across Europe and beyond. If you wish to take part in the webinar, please register here at least one hour before the webinar begins. ***Please register using the same email address associated with your IE membership.***

This presentation explores how to design an interactive exhibit focused on an endemic, endangered species. Using the African penguin as a case study, we learn how to translate conservation science into accessible, engaging experiences, integrate interactivity to drive emotional connection and balance education with marine conservation and welfare. The session will also highlight practical design decisions that encourage visitor action and long-term conservation impact. If you wish to take part in the webinar, please register here at least one hour before the webinar begins. ***Please register using the same email address associated with your IE membership.***

Claire Taylor is an interactive exhibits and marine animal welfare specialist who has been creating educational experiences for 26 years. She studied multimedia design, combining creative thinking with a passion for marine animal conservation and welfare. As a mother of three children, Claire brings a unique, family-focused perspective to creating meaningful, accessible and engaging exhibits for all ages.

Samantha Duddington is a creative manager with over a decade of experience in graphic design. She is passionate about using design to connect audiences with the ocean and inspire meaningful conservation action. Through her role, she develops interactive exhibits that educate and engage visitors with a strong emphasis on endangered species like the African penguin.

The SOS Cagarro campaign was launched in the Azores in 1995 and aims to protect young Cory’s Shearwaters disoriented by artificial lights during their first night flight. The initiative, which has become one of Portugal’s oldest environmental education campaigns, mobilizes the community to rescue and release the birds. Volunteers, schools, associations and government entities all take part. Using children’s literature as a conservation tool – the case of ‘A história do Zeca Garro’ in the SOS Cory’s Shearwater Campaign. Carla has worked on this campaign since 2005 and has produced several communication products for it: a children’s music CD, a computer game and a children’s book. The book was created and produced with scientific, educational and ecological concerns that Carla will share with you, reflecting upon the 20 years that have passed since its release. If you wish to take part in the webinar, please register here at least one hour before the webinar begins. ***Please register using the same email address associated with your IE membership.***

Carla Susana Goulart Martins da Silva has academic training in the fields of biology, geology and pedagogy, and has worked since 2000 in environmental awareness in the Azores archipelago, with whale watching companies, schools, environmental NGOs and later in the Azorean Government. In 2005, Carla joined the Pico Island environmental education centre and started working in the nature conservation campaign SOS Cagarro.

Join us to co-create our Interpret Europe conference 2026: Re-interpreting Heritage in the Light of Faro, which will take place in Faro, Portugal in April. We will explore how heritage interpretation can strengthen democratic values, foster dialogue, and connect people with both cultural and natural heritage in meaningful ways. Faro is the birthplace of the Faro Convention, a milestone in people-centred, value-based approaches to heritage, making it the perfect setting to reflect on how interpretation can contribute to inclusive, sustainable communities across Europe.

To this end, we will organise group discussions and open space sessions and invite you to shape and co-create the future of interpretation with colleagues from all around Europe and beyond.

However, our standard programme with presentations and workshops remains, so you are warmly invited  to consider your own contribution by submitting an abstract (and later a full paper) by 5 January. 

As always, we will peek beyond the conference halls and visit numerous places in the Faro region. Whether your passion is culture, gastronomy, or nature, there will be something for everyone to remember this remarkable corner of Portugal forever.

You will be able to choose from six long study visits and at least six short ones, making the selection really hard.

Will you be tempted to visit the Loulé Rock Salt Mine, one of the most important geological sites of the Geoparque Algarvensis? 230 metres below the surface we will not only marvel at the magnificent underground world but also discuss how interpretation could help small businesses to find new ways forward in times of globalisation.

Or, will you prefer to go to the archaeological site of Milreu, surrounded by a serene agricultural landscape. We will rest our senses by wandering through the remains of a luxurious Roman villa and ponder over the succession of beliefs and cultural practices that shaped the south of the Iberian Peninsula. 

The group visiting the Eco-Cork Factory will learn about one of Portugal’s greatest natural treasures and one of its most exported products worldwide. In this family-run factory the love for cork has been passed down from generation to generation. Here, the ancestral knowledge of cork harvesting and transformation is preserved and at the same time adapted to modern times.

‘The cubist town’ of Olhão, an ancient fishing village, is a living testimony of the historical interconnection of locals with the ocean. We will trace the paths of legends, immersing ourselves in narratives that have influenced lives for centuries. Here, stories of fishermen, sailors and local folklore have woven a rich tapestry of identity. 

Or maybe you will choose to hop aboard a boat and experience the stunning Ria Formosa with its barrier islands, salt marshes and sand dunes as well as its rich flora and fauna. In conversation with local fishermen committed to sustainable practices, we’ll discuss the ecological challenges they face and the strategies they use to adapt to a changing world.

A bunch of short visits will let us explore Faro itself and its near surroundings, its landmarks, hidden gems and the most determinant moments in its history. Whether you chose a museum, the science centre, the digital visitor centre, a guided tour along the beach, a hike on the Ludo trail in the nature reserve or a tour up on the roofs of Faro or in its narrow streets – you will find plenty of food for lively discussions that align with our conference theme. Tastings of food and wine at sunset will round off our days. But this is not all! 

Parallel to our conference, our local organisers – Sciaena organisation – will be holding their annual Marmotto festival. This will be our unique chance to enjoy some artivism through a lively cultural event that blends music, interactive art, talks and performances inviting visitors to think about ocean conservation and expression through creativity. 

To round up our Portuguese adventure, join us on one of the post-conference tours to Évora or the Geopark Algarvensis.

There are good reasons why Évora will be the European Capital of Culture in 2027. A walk in the city centre is like a journey through 2000 years of Portuguese history. We’ll go on a guided tour visiting Évora’s most remarkable historic sites, including haunting chapels, ancient aqueducts, and serene gardens, and learn about the challenges and expectations of this UNESCO World Heritage city.Nature lovers should definitely not miss the post-conference tour UNESCO Geopark Algarvensis, a unique landscape of striking cliffs, hidden caves, and dramatic rock formations shaped over millions of years. We will learn about the region’s geological history, and discover the rich biodiversity of the area. 

However, before we get there, you should be aware of these deadlines so you don’t miss out on preparation for the conference:

Call for papers deadline: 5 January

Early bird registration until: 1 March

The conference website will be our most reliable signpost and information desk before we will meet in April so keep an eye on that for any extra information.

Bettina Lehnes is IE’s Event Coordinator. She can be contacted at: bettina.lehnes@interpret-europe.net.
Available online: Newsletter winter 2025

Faro, at the very Southwestern edge of the continent, is the right place to reflect on a theme which we consider of central importance for the future of Europe in challenging times of rapid change.
It was here where the Council of Europe launched the ‘Faro Convention’ in 2005, embarking on a transformative journey towards more democratic, people-centred, and value-based practices in dealing with Europe’s heritage. Today, the Council of Europe’s Faro Convention is more relevant than ever for all heritage – cultural and natural.

The Faro spirit provokes the entire heritage sector to re-assess its basic assumptions and practices and it provides guidance to lead the sector into a new era.  

It can inspire all professionally involved in heritage interpretation, including

• those working on the ground as front-line heritage interpreters, as interpretive writers or interpretive planners, or as interpretive agents and mediators, as well as others working in the field of heritage education,
• those engaged in professional development as trainers, teachers or researchers related to heritage interpretation, and
• those who govern or influence the framework conditions for heritage interpretation as site managers or as policy makers at local, regional, national or international level.

Heritage interpretation in the Faro spirit can become a catalyst for societies that seek unity in diversity. We can empower people, communities and societies to establish common ground while embracing diversity by engaging them in fruitful reflections about the past that matter for the present and future. 

The Algarve – so much more than a tourist destination

The whole region has been shaped throughout history by the succession and coexistence of diverse cultures and religions arriving by land and sea. It can look back on a turbulent past and it displays traces of these events everywhere.

There is the old town of Faro with a labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets lined with seventeenth- and eighteenth-century houses and its Gothic cathedral where you find many traces of its history and feel the spirit of the city’s eventful past.

Not quite as old is the Club Farense, a renowned place where, over cigars, gentlemen once debated world events and ladies met for more than card games. This is the unique setting for our next Interpret Europe conference in April 2026.

Founded over 150 years ago, the Club Farense in Faro hasn’t lost its special atmosphere even after so many decades. Every room tells its stories and transports visitors to times long past. We can immerse ourselves in this world and fill the rooms with our stories and contributions. While the club is usually reserved for its members, on weekends you can experience just about anything related to art and culture there – from all kinds of music to readings, theatre and shows.

And it will be at the heart of our conference!

Exploring the region

Our study tours will take us to places where we dive deep into the heart of heritage, both natural and cultural, tangible and intangible. Each tour will reveal unique stories and connections that tie individuals to their homeland, illuminating the dedication of those committed to preserving and sharing these treasures with both locals and visitors alike. Details of the study tours and more about the region we will be visiting will be announced on the website and in the next newsletter.

If you’re an early bird, you’ll be able to start your day with an exhilarating birdwatching tour in Ria Formosa at sunrise, providing a breathtaking start to your day before the conference day begins.

Your contribution

Our conferences depend on your contributions. We’re sure many of you have ideas and experiences connected to the theme which you’d like to share with others, and we look forward to a diverse range of sessions and workshops.

The call for papers will be open in October so keep an eye open for information coming on that.

Our 2026 conference will be organised in partnership with Sciaena, a non-governmental organisation that works towards a healthy marine environment through the promotion of sustainable ways of exploitation, the involvement of the population and political intervention.

Make sure you join us in April 2026 at the Algarve and be inspired by the light of Faro!

Want to know more? Take a look at the conference website: www.interpreteuropeconference.net.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at: bettina.lehnes@interpret-europe.net

To cite this article: Lehnes, Bettina (2025) ‘Re-interpreting heritage in the light of Faro: #iecon26’ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 3-2025, pp. 18–19.
Available online: Newsletter autumn 2025

Interpret Europe’s Conference Coordinator Bettina Lehnes and Country Coordinator Portugal, Pedro Morais, are just back from Faro where they spent some packed and exciting days. It’s now time to bring all their impressions together to provide a memorable conference programme for you.

The old town of Faro enchants and captivates with a labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets lined with seventeenth- and eighteenth-century houses and a Gothic cathedral at its centre where you find many traces of its history and feel the spirit of the city’s eventful past.

Off Faro’s shore lies the Parque Natural da Rio Formosa, a labyrinth of canals, islands, salt marshes, mudflats and sandbanks which attracts a great range of marine life and migratory birds and is the most important natural resource in the south of Portugal.

While we are still discussing the possibilities, developing new ideas and discarding others to create the next exciting conference for you, it is certain that we cannot possibly gather in Faro without talking about the Faro Convention. The Council of Europe’s Faro Convention of 2005 was a groundbreaking milestone towards a value-based and more inclusive understanding of heritage. Although written for the field of cultural heritage, its values and principles can inspire nature interpretation in the same way. Today, the Faro Convention is even more relevant than ever, while its potential to enhance theory and practice of all heritage interpretation is still not fully embraced.

Let’s come together and reflect on the ethics and methods of heritage interpretation related to the Faro spirit, aiming to engage diverse heritage communities in interpretive co‐creation.

You can learn what the Faro convention is about here: https://rm.coe.int/1680083746 

If you want to find out a little more about Faro and our hosting partners, please keep an eye on the conference website and information will be added as we have it: www.interpreteuropeconference.net. We will use the summer to provide more information soon and issue the call for papers by October.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to offer your support, please contact Bettina Lehnes at: bettina.lehnes@interpret-europe.net.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you in Faro in April 2026!

To cite this article: IE Conference Team (2025)  ‘Interpret Europe conference 2026 – Save the date!‘  in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2025, pg.25.
Available online: Newsletter summer 2025

Join the next one:

Tuesday 1  July 17:00 CEST
A circular economy for exhibitions

Can we transform the way we create and reuse interpretive materials? This webinar unveils a bold initiative to make heritage interpretation more sustainable, equitable, and collaborative. By reimagining resource-sharing, museums and heritage sites can pass on surplus materials – display cases, signage, even entire exhibits -to those who need them most. This circular model doesn’t just reduce waste; it bridges the gap for institutions with limited budgets, unlocking access to high-quality interpretive resources. Join us to explore how this approach can spark real change, foster deeper collaboration, and redefine the life cycle of exhibition materials.

Eric Langham is a globally recognised museum planner and cultural strategist. He leads Barker Langham’s creative work worldwide, shaping experiences that unite story, space, and time. A published thought leader and trusted advisor, he influences major institutions and serves as a trustee and fellow across the cultural and academic landscape.

Participation is free of charge. You can register here.