For six heritage destinations across Southern Africa, this means going beyond presenting facts to visitors. It means asking deeper questions: 

What should visitors understand? 

Whose voices should they hear? 

How can communities participate? 

And how can stories contribute to conservation, education and sustainable tourism?

These questions were at the centre of a regional training on interpretation and storytelling held from 27 to 31 July 2026 at Matobo Hills, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, which brought together participants from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

Supported by the European Union and implemented by UNESCO through the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture: Promoting Culture and Heritage-based Sustainable Tourism in Southern Africa project, the training was delivered in collaboration with Interpret Europe and technical support from the African World Heritage Fund.

Moving from planning to visitor experience

The training marked an important step in the project’s journey from planning towards implementation. Across the six participating sites, Tsodilo Hills World Heirtage Site, Matsanjeni North, Morija Cultural Precinct, Twyfelfontein / Ui-//aes World Heritage Site, ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site and Matobo Hills World Heritage Sites, work is underway to strengthen how heritage is managed, interpreted and connected to sustainable tourism development.

Interpretation is a critical part of this process. Rather than producing interpretation frameworks that remain as planning documents, the project aims to translate them into experiences that visitors can see, hear and participate in, including guided experiences, heritage trails, exhibitions, community storytelling and appropriate digital interpretation.

Through the Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Planner (CIP) training course, participants explored practical methods for identifying the significance of heritage, understanding different audiences, developing meaningful themes and connecting tangible places with the stories, memories and values associated with them.

The learning extended beyond the training room, with practical exercises encouraging participants to consider how interpretive principles can be applied in real heritage settings.

The training challenged us to think beyond simply giving visitors information about our sites. Good interpretation is about creating a connection, helping visitors understand why a place matters, whose stories it carries and what they should take away from the experience. 

Corera Links, Socio-Economic Transformation Officer – ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site, South Africa. 

Putting people and multiple voices at the centre

At the heart of effective interpretation is people. Heritage sites hold different histories, memories, meanings and perspectives. The objective is, therefore, not to develop one standard story across the six destinations, but to equip each site team to develop an interpretation framework grounded in its own heritage values, communities and visitor context.

Community participation will be particularly important as this work moves forward. Local communities are not only beneficiaries of heritage tourism. They are knowledge holders, custodians and storytellers whose perspectives can help shape how places are understood and presented.

Bringing these voices into interpretation can also create opportunities for local guides, creatives, cultural practitioners, entrepreneurs, women and young people to participate more meaningfully in the visitor economy.

As local guides, we are not only showing visitors places; we are sharing stories that come from our communities and our lived experiences. It is important that local people are involved in deciding how those stories are told, so that visitors hear the voices of the people connected to the heritage. 

Sipho Khoza, Local Community Guide – Matsanjeni North, Eswatini

This reflects a broader shift towards interpretation that is inclusive and multivocal, recognising that heritage can carry different meanings for different people and that these perspectives are part of what makes a place significant.

Learning by doing

The training was designed not simply to introduce interpretation theory, but to prepare participants for the work that follows.

Through facilitated sessions, group exercises, practical activities and reflection, participants considered how interpretation can provoke curiosity, encourage participation, create deeper meaning and ultimately strengthen stewardship of heritage.

One question captured this approach throughout the training: What story should every visitor remember after leaving your heritage site?

The question moves interpretation beyond signs, information panels and guided commentary. It asks site teams to think about the lasting connection between the visitor and the place, and what understanding that comes from emotion or curiosity a visitor should carry with them afterwards.

Interpretation is not simply about providing more information. It is about creating meaningful connections between people and heritage. When visitors are encouraged to think, participate and discover meaning for themselves, interpretation can contribute to a deeper appreciation of a place and its values.

Michal Medek, Interpret Europe trainer

From training to site-level action

The conclusion of the regional training is, therefore, a beginning rather than an end. Participants will take the knowledge and methods developed during the programme back to their respective sites, where the next stage will involve working with site teams, communities and other stakeholders to develop site-specific interpretation and storytelling frameworks.

These frameworks will help identify the stories each site wants to communicate, the audiences it seeks to reach, whose perspectives need to be represented, and the most appropriate ways of turning those narratives into visitor experiences.

This site-level process is particularly important because the six destinations are very different. Tsodilo Hills WHS, Matsanjeni North, Morija Cultural Precinct, Twyfelfontein / Ui-//aes WHS ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape WHS and Matobo Hills WHS each have distinct histories, landscapes, communities, heritage values and tourism contexts.

Their interpretation should reflect those differences.

This training is not an end in itself. What matters now is how the learning is taken back to each of the six sites and translated into interpretation and storytelling frameworks developed with communities and other stakeholders. Ultimately, we want to see those frameworks move from paper into real visitor experiences that strengthen people’s connection with heritage while creating opportunities for communities. 

Rodney Bunhiko, Project Coordinator – UNESCO

Turning stories into sustainable futures

The ambition extends beyond improving how stories are told. Strong interpretation can contribute to more meaningful visitor experiences, diversified tourism products, opportunities for local livelihoods and greater understanding of why heritage needs to be protected.

For the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture project, this connects interpretation directly to the wider objective of developing sustainable culture and heritage-based tourism across Southern Africa.

The measure of success will, therefore, not be the completion of the training itself, or even the production of six interpretation frameworks. It will be seen in what happens afterwards: whether guides are better equipped to engage visitors; whether communities have stronger voices in how their heritage is presented; whether new experiences and opportunities emerge around heritage; and whether visitors leave with a deeper understanding of the places and people they have encountered.

The training provided the participating site teams with a common foundation. The next step is to turn that learning into locally grounded interpretation frameworks and those frameworks into experiences that connect people with heritage. Because ultimately, the most powerful heritage stories are not simply the ones that are told. They are the ones people understand, feel connected to and carry with them long after they leave.

Rodney Bunhiko is a culture and heritage professional the Project Coordinator for the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA). He has coordinated significant cultural initiatives, including restoration and storytelling development projects at the Great Zimbabwe National Monument and regional heritage preservation programmes. 

Rodney can be contacted at: r.bunhiko@unesco.org 

The idea for Cats of Cres was created during an IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course organised by the town of Cres in Croatia. The course included a lot of practical fieldwork, where each participant developed and explored their own interpretive ideas.

The IE trainers noticed something else: I seemed to know almost every cat in the old town by name. One of them asked me, “Why don’t you create a tour about the cats of Cres?” Something immediately clicked.

With their guidance, I developed the idea further, and Cats of Cres became my final course project. This summer, it also became a real interpretive walk in Cres.

But Cats of Cres is not really a tour about cats. The cats are our guides. They experience the town differently from us. They see details we often pass without noticing, hear things we do not hear, and disappear into narrow passages and hidden corners we rarely explore. During the walk, I invite participants to imagine seeing Cres through their eyes.

Instead of focusing on the town’s most obvious landmarks, we stop at small details that are always there, but that we rarely consider important. A fragment of old street paving tells us how people once moved through the town. A symbol on a façade introduces a noble family. Even the terrace of a café reveals a piece of the town’s history.

At the beginning of the walk, participants receive cat ears. It is a playful invitation to become cats themselves for a while: to slow down, observe, listen and look more carefully. Participation is an important part of the experience. We observe, exchange ideas and discover the stories together.

The real cats of Cres are an important part of the experience too. They are friendly, used to people and regularly spend time around the old town, so we often meet them during the walk. Guests also receive a few cat treats, which makes these encounters especially fun for children. They can offer the cats a treat, pet them and get to know some of their names and personalities. Some cats have owners and some do not, but they are all part of everyday life in the town. Of course, there is never a guarantee that a particular cat will appear – they are cats, after all.

My hope is that after the walk participants will continue looking differently – not only at Cres, but at other places they visit. Perhaps they will notice a small detail they would previously have passed by, or see a cat disappearing around a corner and wonder: What would that cat show me if I followed it?

I would love Cats of Cres to inspire interpreters elsewhere to find their own cats, small details and local stories. Every town has a different story to tell.

Dunja Sladić is a licensed tourist and hiking guide and heritage interpreter from Cres, Croatia. Through her tour agency, Cres Fun & More, she creates local experiences connecting visitors with the island’s heritage, traditions and everyday life. She can be contacted at: info@cres-fun.com. 

The Tourism Association of Vorpommern is working to develop our region as a place where people can experience nature deeply and responsibly. High‑quality visitor experience is a key part of this vision. In June, we had the opportunity to host an Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Writer (CIW) course in the Hanseatic city of Greifswald – five intense days fully dedicated to interpretive writing. 

Nine participants from different professional backgrounds – guiding, nature conservation and tourism – came together with one shared goal: to create visitor texts that truly touch people and make them think. Under the guidance of our IE trainer, the course offered a well‑balanced mix of theory, reflection and hands‑on practice.

A central element was the development of an individual interpretive panel. Instead of simply informing, these panels are designed to speak directly to the reader. They invite emotional engagement and offer the reader new perspectives on a place, an object or a landscape. Step by step, participants transformed initial ideas into concise texts with a clear theme, meaningful links to the site and tangible relevance for visitors.

Greifswald provided the ideal open‑air classroom. After short inputs inside, we moved outside whenever possible – to the cathedral, the market square, the harbour, and the riuns of Eldena Abbey. Concepts were tested immediately on real locations, re‑worked, and then transferred back into the design of the panels. By the end of the week, we were all impressed by how diverse and creative the final results were, even though everyone had followed the same structured method.

Despite the intensive programme, there was plenty of time for exchange and networking. 

Discussions continued over coffee and during short walks through town; experiences from different regions and institutions were shared generously. This collegial atmosphere was one of the course’s great strengths and will, we are sure, continue in future cooperation.

For us as a Tourism Association, the CIW course is more than a training opportunity. It is part of a broader effort to professionalise our Nature Guide offers within the project ‘Gemeinsam Mee(h)r Natur in Vorpommern wagen‘ (Daring more nature together in Vorpommern), also known as Lebenslandschaft Vorpommern. By investing in interpretive writing skills, we want to ensure that new trails, guided tours and visitor infrastructure in our region do not just show beautiful places, but also help residents and guests understand why these landscapes matter – for biodiversity, for local livelihoods and for a sustainable future.

We warmly thank all participants for their openness and commitment, and we wish them every success as they apply their new skills in daily practice. Our sincere thanks also go to Interpret Europe for the professional facilitation and inspiring guidance throughout the week.

Annika Lenz works as project manager at the Tourism Association of Vorpommern, where she brings three years‘ experience to the role. Her main interest is in sustainable tourism. Annika can be contacted at: lenz@vorpommern.de. 

In the last issue of the Interpret Europe newsletter, we wrote an extensive article about IE’s involvement in an Erasmus+ project called Liberation Route, Europe’s Youth Ambassadors Network – all about creating the storytellers of the future to deal with difficult or sensitive heritage.

Now we’re bringing a short update about an opportunity to get involved. If you are no longer youthful, please help to spread the word and share this news with any colleagues who have contacts with youth organisations.

The first cycle of our online training sessions starts in November. The exact dates are 26 November, 3 December, and 10 December 2026, from 17.00 to 19.00 CET. 

The three sessions form a cycle, and participants should attend all three. 

Participation is free. Details of how to apply can be found here: https://www.lre-youth.eu/sign-up-online-training-series/

The sessions encourage participation, (self)reflection, research of your own environment, observation of the patterns that create different narratives, and creating digital stories. We will explore what war stories mean today, how to tell them effectively and how they can strengthen engagement, leadership and citizenship. The training will introduce techniques for sharing the stories and fostering understanding. The value-based heritage interpretation theory is an underlying pillar of these sessions. 

If you can’t make it this time, stay tuned. We will organise at least two more cycles. This cycle is reserved for young adults, people over 18. However, one of the next cycles could be for high school students. We would love to hear from you. Would you (or someone you know) like to join as a whole class? Is English a problem for you or your students? We may also be able to organise them in different languages and for particular age groups. 

Over the next two years, the project will build a European network of storytellers and interpreters for difficult-heritage, centred on World War 2. ​Together, we will create new tales that connect heritage with contemporary democratic values – and leave a digital footprint for the future. ​

More information:

LRE Youth Ambassadors website: https://www.lre-youth.eu/ 

LRE Youth Ambassadors Network application form: https://www.lre-youth.eu/sign-up-youth-ambassadors/ 

LRE Youth Ambassadors on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lre_youth/ 

Iva Silla and Samia Zitouni are Interpret Europe certified interpretive trainers from Croatia. They are working with experts from Studio Globo to develop a set of interactive and reflective online sessions for the LRE Youth Ambassadors project. Contact Iva at iva@questoftales.com, and Samia at samiaztn@gmail.com.

Is there a future for interpretive writers? All of us interpreters, and especially interpretive writers, are facing huge challenges and threats as artificial intelligence tools develop rapidly. It probably comes down to a choice: Do we want to support creative professionals and their expression, or not? Luckily enough, there are a lot of us who do. And, since we are creative, we will always have ideas and new projects. If we respect human effort and incorporate it into our projects, we still have some hope.

What is there to see in the Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb) area? Novi Zagreb is part of Croatia’s capital, built during the socialist era. Of all of the places you could visit in Croatia, why on Earth would you go and see the Novi Zagreb neighbourhood? Curiosity! If there is a place not on the tourist trail, that residents are fond of, there will be someone who wants to understand what there is to love about it.

And now, let’s combine the two charismatic underdogs: Novi Zagreb and interpretive writers. This September, an Interpret Europe training course for Certified Interpretive Writers (CIW) will take place in the Novi Zagreb neighbourhood, on the grounds of the Zagreb fair, once a place where you could see Sputnik and Apollo up close, and now a photogenic spot if you like urban decay. The training is a part of the project, The New Shore vol 2. Last year’s first edition of the project comprised several interpretive walking tours of the area for the locals. Participants exchanged thoughts and stories, and, based on their contributions, a map for a self-guided tour was created. The resulting New Shore map can be found at: www.secret-zagreb.com.

This year, the new edition of the project takes a leap forward. An alternative guidebook will be published, containing self-guided walks crafted as part of the certification process after the CIW course. At least that’s the plan. Of course, we cannot force the participants to find inspiration in Novi Zagreb, but if they do and their home assignments show sufficient quality, they might be included in the booklet.

Two CIW trainers, Ivana Jagić Boljat and Iva Silla, came up with this idea during a brainstorming walk around the Bundek lake in Novi Zagreb several years ago. How about thinking about CIW as a part of a project that could have a goal to publish a book with self-guided tours – as the CIW homework? A participatory guidebook that brings together different stakeholders and different perspectives? After several attempts to secure funding to help us realise such a book, we finally have an opportunity to try it. The idea has changed a bit: the book now contains several ‘chapters’, and the CIW self-guided walks are just one of them. Another chapter will feature fictional stories inspired by the area, to show that tourism and art can work together, that interpretation blends perfectly with artistic expression, and the specific knowledge, viewpoints, and unique human styles are not so easy to replace.

Both editions of The New Shore project are financially supported by The City of Zagreb, proving once again that heritage interpretation can be implemented in various ways, that various institutions recognise its benefits, and that an independent jury is ready to invest in our plan. Let’s hope we have positive updates by the end of the year, and let’s cheer that the walk around the lake will come full circle with a creative guidebook that unveils the spirit of the lake’s surroundings. Will the CIW help increase the visibility of an under-visited area? We hope you, too, will cheer for the underdogs!

Find out more about IE’s training courses and sign up for one near you: https://interpret-europe.net/training/ie-courses/ie-training-courses/ 

Iva Silla is an experience designer and the owner of Secret Zagreb tours and activities. She is an active Interpret Europe certified trainer. Last year, she published her first book, In the Footsteps of Secret Zagreb, using the guidelines of interpretive writing. Contact her at: iva@questoftales.com.

To cite this article: Silla, Iva (2026) “Interpretive writers at The New Shore”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026, pp. 19–20. Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026.

Attending a Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course is not only about learning and practising heritage interpretation—it is also a valuable opportunity for personal growth, meaningful connections, and discovering new strengths. 

Before attending the CIG course in Zagreb in May 2026, I thought heritage interpretation was largely a theoretical concept, something discussed mainly in academic circles. A week later, I left with a completely different perspective—not only on interpretation itself, but also on my own abilities.

Together with a diverse and dynamic group of participants from across Europe, I joined the course for reasons ranging from professional development and capacity building to exploring new career opportunities. What I did not expect was how enriching the experience would be on both a personal and collective level.

My background is not in tourism, and I had only limited experience as a guide. What brought me to Zagreb was a passion for both tangible and intangible heritage and a curiosity about interpretation. Before the course, my understanding of the field was quite abstract. Through practical exercises, discussions and exchanges, I discovered that interpretation is far more than a theoretical framework. It is a powerful approach that helps people connect with heritage in meaningful ways and can be applied across a wide range of contexts.

On a personal level, the course revealed a strength I had not fully recognised: public speaking. During an interpretive exercise at the Museum of Natural History, I found myself speaking confidently in front of the group and genuinely enjoying the experience. For someone with little guiding experience, this was an unexpected achievement. Yet I believe it would not have been possible without the supportive atmosphere created by both the participants and our trainer. Watching others step outside their comfort zones, embrace challenges and grow in confidence was equally inspiring.

Our trainer played a key role in creating an environment where learning felt both engaging and encouraging. Alongside the theoretical sessions, we took part in practical outdoor activities that allowed us to explore Zagreb’s hidden gems while developing our interpretive skills in small groups. Constructive feedback, enthusiasm and constant encouragement helped us focus not on perfect performance, but on continuous learning. The warm and welcoming atmosphere quickly turned a group of strangers into a supportive learning community. And we were often reminded, “There is always room for improvement”.

Looking back, one of the most valuable aspects of the course was the opportunity to learn from one another. Through activities that encouraged personal connections and deeper reflection, we exchanged perspectives, shared experiences and discovered new ways of approaching heritage interpretation. In doing so, many of us began to experience a genuine shift in perspective.

The greatest lesson I took away from the CIG course is that interpretation is not simply about communicating heritage. It is about creating meaningful connections—with places, stories and people, including ourselves. That is why I would recommend this experience not only to guides and tourism professionals, but to anyone curious about heritage and eager to discover new perspectives, new skills and perhaps even new paths for the future.

Ilaria Scarmagnan is IE’s Project Assistant for delivering the European-funded project HI-People, having previously worked in the Culture unit of the UNESCO office in Venice. She can be contacted at: ilaria.scarmagnan@interpret-europe.net.

To cite this article: Scarmagnan, Ilaria (2026) “Interpreting heritage, discovering yourself”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026, pp. 17–18. Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026.

The IE Trainers’ Summer School 2026 was the third in a row, confirming it as a cherished tradition of great significance for the IE training community. It is one of the IE events that every Certified Interpretive Trainer (CIT) looks forward to as a chance to do things together, learn, make new friends, reconnect with colleagues, and get inspired. 

This year, Javni zavod za kulturo Kamnik opened the doors of the charming Mekinje Monastery to host us. We, as an international team of 24 trainers, together with the IE management representatives, gathered there to grow through exchange. 

What made this summer school truly exceptional was its innovative participatory concept, making the participants active contributors from the very beginning. Instead of following a programme designed in advance, we created the agenda together, allowing everyone to express their expectations, interests and professional challenges. That way, every voice mattered and helped to shape this learning experience, reflecting the importance of the participatory meaning-making process advocated by heritage interpretation for community building.  

The topics chosen were facilitation and mentoring, outreach, training material development, building the training system, and training in the age of AI. Coordinators were named for each topic and they became responsible for managing the groups’ work, plenary discussions, exercises and presentations done by participants, and delivering summaries after the sessions. Bearing in mind the significance of the synergy between management and trainers, participants proposed the steps to take together, which would support all trainers, and the management too, and vice versa. So, it became clear that the event was much more than just a regular professional learning opportunity – it was a transformative step in our joint interpretive journey.

In addition to the event’s co-creation perspective, some trainers gave presentations that were prepared in advance, covering some important topics. Also, a hybrid meeting with trainers who weren’t able to join us in person was organised. During this part, a summary of the coordinators’ meeting held at the IE Conference 2026 in Faro was presented. The participants also discussed the trainer licencing system inspired by a presentation on the proposal to changes to the criteria. 

The summer school was attended by some new trainers who attended the subsequent three-day upgrade course for certification, so they got an early insight into the IE training system and community spirit.

Beyond the sessions in the monastery, participants enjoyed a visit to the impressive Velika planina and a guided tour through the picturesque town of Kamnik.

The summer school, of course, had to come to an end, but its impact is only beginning. We returned to our homes carrying much more than knowledge and skills. We carry a renewed passion and power of togetherness, fresh perspectives, and the confidence to inspire others across Europe where we act as trainers, with a deeper understanding that every community has voices worth hearing. This event confirmed that the summer school is an experience that keeps the IE trainers coming back year after year. Stay tuned for the next chapter. 

Bojana Sekulić is an IE Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) and trainer (CIT), as well as a certified hiking and tour guide in Montenegro. She is passionate about heritage protection and local community empowerment, so she creates and delivers meaningful experiences for travellers. Bojana believes heritage interpretation enables responsible tourism to become a powerful force towards sustainability. She can be contacted at: bojana.sekulic.bs@gmail.com. 

To cite this article: Sekulić, Bojana (2026) “Trainers’ Summer School – Where exchange leads to change”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026, pp. 15–16. Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026.

The Training Team had discussed the event for several months. A former monastery in Mekinje, near Kamnik, appeared to be the ideal location for a retreat, the EU network grant enabled organisational support and reduced participation fees – but the team was still torn regarding the programme’s structure.

On the one hand, there was a desire to announce a wide range of offerings to the trainers. On the other hand, the trainers had to become aware that they needed to take more responsibility to keep the IE training programme alive with almost no financial means; and then there was also an urgency for all to become more familiar with the participatory methods that have been incorporated into all IE certification courses since the 2022-23 review of the IE training programme.

The final decision was made only shortly before the summer school began. 25 trainers had registered, and the programme would be developed almost entirely by them. After their arrival, trainers were asked to write their suggestions on colour-coded facilitation cards. The colours distinguished between theory, exercises, workshops, open discussions and ‘desires’, i.e. topics trainers simply wanted to address or learn about from one another.

Expectations ranged from very high to fears that not enough proposals would be gathered. In fact, the Training Team held their breath while the courtyard filled with cards. Trainer after trainer presented their proposals – and there seemed to be no end to them. Finally, more than 50 suggestions were clustered and arranged into colourful thematic blocks to be implemented during the following days.

It would be presumptuous to claim that everything went perfectly well. Anyone wishing to learn through hands-on experience how to avoid mistakes in planning and facilitation certainly had the opportunity to do so. However, while there was no shortage of subjects, the challenge lay more in bringing the various sessions to clear conclusions and to document the results. Since parallel sessions were to be avoided whenever possible, one trainer handed over to the next without significant breaks – and the consistently high standard maintained throughout was an impressive proof of our trainers’ versatility and expertise.

On the last day, the group left ‘their monastery’ and was ‘catapulted’ via cable car up to Velika planina, a mountain plateau at 1,500m, characterised by alpine pastoral farming, where the trainers carried out interpretive exercises and freed their minds while hiking together in the fresh mountain air.

The summer school concluded with a guided walk through the old town of Kamnik, led by a local guide who immigrated from the USA and suggested that this was the town with the highest density of breweries in the world relative to its population. Consequently, the summer school wound down in one of Kamnik’s beer gardens…

The group concluded that, especially in times of increasing online meetings, there is hardly anything more enjoyable and more important for strengthening the bonds than an in-person meeting over several days.

In the final circle, the trainers from Hungary announced that the next summer school will take place in June/July 2027 in Szombathely – close to the Austrian border, where the 2018 IE conference was held. I think it is safe to say that many of us are much looking forward to it.

Thorsten Ludwig is an interpretive trainer, planner and consultant based in Germany. He has run his own company, Bildungswerk interpretation, since 1993. You can contact him at: ludwig@interp.de.

To cite this article: Ludwig, Thorsten (2026) “Is it possible to co-create a summer school?”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026, pp. 13–14. Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026.

IE’s next Certified Interpretive Planner (CIP) course will take place 16-21 August in Uppsala, Sweden. Find full information about the course at www.slu.se/CIP26eng
On the course you will learn how to plan for meaningful experiences at a heritage site, based on the principles of interpretation, and how to use interpretation to provoke new perspectives, critical thinking and inspire active citizenship.

Why the course is relevant for you
This course is for all of you who work with planning for nature interpretation or heritage/ culture interpretation. It is relevant for a wide range of sites and areas where you want to communicate with visitors about the local stories and values, for example national parks, heritage sites, visitor centres and museums. Maybe you work in the public sector with areas, sites and trails for the public, or at a consultancy firm producing exhibitions for visitor centres and museums or interpretation for other kind of sites.
Join this course to explore how heritage sites can be made more meaningful and accessible for all. You will discover the essentials of heritage interpretation and, together with others, work on a real site to create inspiring and practical planning proposals.

Course content
The course programme covers all that is relevant for adding the interpretive component to planning for and together with local people and visitors around specific heritage sites.

The course consists of three parts:

1. Introductory online meeting in June. This is an opportunity for participants to meet each other, and to gain an initial understanding of the course content and logistics. 
2. Main course in Uppsala 16-21 August. This includes intensive training activities, presentations, study visits, individual and group work. You, together with other participants, will work as a team to develop interpretive proposals for a site. On the last day, all participants will present their proposals. 
3. Online meetings after the course. Three optional online meetings to assist you in your homework about developing an interpretive plan.

You can see more about course content at www.slu.se/CIP26eng

You will be certified
Participants that successfully meet all certification requirements of the course will be certified by Interpret Europe as interpretive planners – CIP.

Our venue
The venue for the course is SLU in Uppsala. During the course we will work with an area in the beautiful campus Ultuna, as well as visit a different site to get inspiration and provoke new perspectives.

Info webinar about the course
Join a webinar about the course on 27 April at 13:00-13:30 CET to find out more and ask any questions. The session will be recorded.

How to register
Register at www.slu.se/CIP26eng by 22 May.

For content-related questions, please contact Valya Stergioti at: vster@outlook.com.   For registration – to the webinar and the course, and any questions on logistics and practical arrangements, please contact Per Sonnvik at: per.sonnvik@slu.se.

To cite this article: Sonnvik, Per (2026) “Become a Certified Interpretive Planner (CIP)”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026, p. 17.
Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026.

It’s hard to believe it’s been three months (at time of writing) since the Interpret Europe Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course that I attended. 

Nestled between the start of winter holidays and the last bits of autumn, we gathered in the unlikely yet ideal setting of Gračac. Thanks to the Zadar Region Tourist Board, the Cerovac Caves Centre of Excellence was our home for the next few days. We gathered from all over Croatia to learn, discuss, and dive into a new experience.

Our trainer encouraged us to search for phenomena inspired by our rugged surroundings. Getting out in the cold was a welcome opportunity for us to seek meaning, try out stepping stones, and apply what we had learned so far in the warmth of the inside space.
After spending two days soaking in all things interpretation, it was time to test out our skills in the once-thriving city of Obrovac at the other side of Mount Velebit. Fortunately, our group was blessed with an enthusiastic tour guide-to-be of just the area, who gave us a brief guided tour through the small town that has seen better days. It was surprisingly exciting to explore its riverbanks and hidden corners, discovering layers of history and centuries of life that formed the identity of its people. With so much inspiration it was easy to create our own interpretive walk connecting places of encounter in the seemingly empty city. The sights we chose spoke to us past what the eye could see. I don’t remember everything that was said, but I remember the emotions we felt and shared in our communal space. Isn’t that what interpretation is all about?

Connecting with our surroundings on a deeper level happened quite literally on the second weekend of our brief but impactful gathering. We were invited to explore the lower part of the Cerovac caves. The underworld thrilled us and made us feel like a part of a larger ecosystem, both socially and historically. Seeing the formations created over thousands of years really puts things in a different perspective. Working again with the rough surface of the northern slopes of Mount Velebit made so much more sense after touching its dark underground heart. Even the cold seemed a bit softer and became one of our phenomena.
A sunny Sunday marked the end of our time together. Climbing the old fortress of Obrovac and marvelling at the Zrmanja river canyon made us fall in love with the region all over again. It was especially emotional to search for meaning in this area, which suffered greatly in the Croatian Homeland War of the 1990s. Making new connections through our shared values seemed more meaningful than ever.

To say our goodbyes with more ease, we shared a rich meal together in a rustic local restaurant. The memory of our time together, the knowledge we gained, and the connection we experienced will be ground for all our future interpretations.

Maša Pavičić is a tour guide and writer, mostly focused on culture and travel. She also does communication for the Dalmatian Islands Environment Foundation. Maša can be contacted via her website, Cultourist: www.cul-tourist.com.

To cite this article: Pavičić, Maša (2026) “Finding inspiration in unlikely places”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026, p. 16.
Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Spring 2026.