Have you heard about the Culture Compass report? 

It was published in November by the European Commission, presented by Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Culture, Youth and Sport. It is available here:

https://culture.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2025-11/Communication%20-%20Culture%20Compass%20with%20cover_0.pdf 

This strategic document recognises culture and cultural heritage as a cornerstone of Europe’s security, resilience, democracy, competitiveness, social cohesion and sustainable development. This forward-looking framework is designed to shape the EU’s cultural policy by ensuring that culture plays a central role in fostering European identity, celebrating diversity and promoting excellence. 

It will guide EU policies in four key directions, for an EU that: 1. upholds and strengthens European values and cultural rights; 2. empowers artists and cultural professionals, and supports people; 3. draws on culture and cultural heritage to become more competitive, resilient and cohesive; and 4. champions international cultural relations and partnerships.

Members of the European Heritage Alliance, the European Heritage Hub Consortium, and other organisations have already publicly supported the document and agree with the call for the strategy set out to be adequately funded, including allocating at least 2% of the next EU budget to culture.

Manos Vougioukas, Secretary-General of the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) stated: “As the only pan-European network for cultural tourism with over 40 members in 21 countries, we very much welcome and endorse this awaited Culture Compass, given that it recognises and highlights the synergies of culture, heritage and sustainable tourism.”

City leaders in the Eurocities network “strongly support the EU’s new Culture Compass and are ready to help translate its ambitions into action at the local level. They urge the EU to match this vision with robust funding—especially through the Agora EU programme, Creative Europe, and cultural priorities embedded in broader EU budgets. The Compass addresses key challenges facing Europe’s cultural and creative sectors, promotes democracy and artistic freedom.” (Taken from the Culture Compass Reaction Statements shared by the European Heritage Alliance)

NEMO, the Network of European Museum Organisations, actively contributed to the Culture Compass for Europe by emphasising the independence of cultural organisations and the indispensable role of museums. Through its advocacy, Europe’s 30,000 museums are recognised as democratic spaces that foster learning, social cohesion, and well-being. NEMO’s positioning highlights museums as central actors in addressing cultural challenges such as participation, resilience, and rights within the EU’s strategic framework.

This new Culture Compass strategy obviously has positive implications for heritage interpretation, and IE’s values-based approach could be key in helping communities reach their potential through the people-centred co-creative interpretive processes for which we advocate. Keep an eye on the potential funding streams that may come out of this Culture Compass – it might be fruitful to help us steer the right course for heritage interpretation under this framework.

To cite this article: Interpret Europe News Team  “Culture Compass for Europe”, Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2025 (Winter 2025), p. 27–28.
Available online: Newsletter winter 2025

This new book will surely pique your interest and ignite your passion for the science of food! It is with great pleasure that we announce the release of a cutting-edge book that promises to revolutionise the way we approach food. The Art and Science of Food Experience is published in Croatian (Znanost i umjetnost doživljaja hrane) and is intended to support those working in the catering and hospitality sector, culture and tourism, but will also be useful for artists, heritage interpreters, gourmet connoisseurs and foodies. It will be of great use to students of culture, arts and tourism fields, marketing, and through some topics to students of psychology, ethnology, and political science. Its content is also applicable in everyday life and suitable for anyone who wants to live a more beautiful and pleasant life.

The goal of the book is to explain the principles of gastronomy experience design by involving all five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. The book is based on the experience economy techniques as a modern approach to gastronomy audience building that enables designing experiences that psychologically satisfy consumers. In addition to the introduction, the book contains five chapters with subchapters. In the first chapter, entitled Food in the Experience Economy, the author explains the basic principles of experience design. In the second chapter, Brain-Food Connection, all five senses and their connections with the brain are described. You may be surprised by the complexity of those connections. The third chapter, entitled Designing a Gastronomic Experience, provides specific instructions for creating experiences through multisensory stimuli. The fourth chapter, Food and Identity, emphasises strong connections between food and identity, which is elaborated through the following sub-themes: food as a brand, gastrodiplomacy, and food and tourism. The final, fifth chapter, presents the topic of Food and Art, through a double prism: food in art and food as a work of art.

The principles explained in the book can be easily applied in heritage interpretation; the connection of the brain with the use of colour, form, symmetry rhythm, melody etc. as subliminal tools are indispensable elements of food but also heritage interpretation. Thus, whether one will use orange colour instead of green, steady rhythm and major key for the background music instead of syncopated rhythm and minor key melody can make a whole lot of difference! Your consumers/visitors may have totally different experiences as well as perceived or induced emotions due to such stimuli. Therefore, do not underestimate these subliminal tools as the brain reacts to them, even though our consumers/visitors may not be consciously aware of them.

The author practices what she preaches, because the book itself is designed as an experience product that engages all the senses. Although the sense of sight is the primary sense used when consuming this book (through pictures and aesthetic design of the book), other senses are close to follow. The sense of touch is activated starting from the cover of the book that engages the reader with tactile design and symbolic association of walnuts as good food for the brain; sense of smell and taste are engaged through the attached recipes; while hearing is activated by music and videos accessible through QR codes that enable the download of music and video clips. 

The pages of this book are brimming with actions, creative ideas, and profound insights that will revolutionise your approach to gastronomy and elevate the experiences you create for your consumers or yourself. 

Title: Znanost i umjetnost doživljaja hrane/ The Art and Science of Food Experience

Author: Daniela Angelina Jelinčić
Publisher: Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb, Croatia
At the moment, the book is only available in Croatian.
You can order your copy here: https://www.superknjizara.hr/hr/znanost-i-umjetnost-dozivljaja-hrane-2023-daniela-angelina-jelincic 

Marta Šveb Dragija is a research assistant from the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO), Zagreb, Croatia. Her main research interest is focused on an interdisciplinary, socio-psychological approach to the study of experience design in cultural tourism. Marta can be contacted at: marta.sveb@irmo.hr.

To cite this article: Šveb Dragija, Marta  (2023) ‘New publication: The Art and Science of Food Experience ‘in Interpret Europe Newsletter 3-2023, pg.21.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PDF-Newsletter-2023_3-autumn.pdf

If you would like to spend your summer reading time discovering more detail from some of the presentations you attended at iecon23, or if you missed the gathering in Romania and would like to know some of the content that was discussed, look no further!

The full conference proceedings can be downloaded from the Materials section of the IE website:

https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ie_conference2023_proceedings.pdf

The keynotes and conference wrap-up are also included to give additional context of the Learning landscapes initiative and value-based heritage interpretation that IE has been pioneering with UNESCO for best practice interpretation at World Heritage Sites.

To cite this article: IE News Team (2023) ‘iecon23: Proceedings ‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg. 31.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

Laptops for Ukraine initiative extended to help museums and libraries safeguard cultural heritage [European Commission / Europeana Foundation]

Laptops for Ukraine is an initiative by the European Commission, the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation and Digital Europe, a European organisation representing the digital technology industry. It aims to collect and deliver laptops, smartphones and tablets for schools, hospitals and public administrations in Ukraine’s most affected war regions. 

On 15 June, the European Commission announced the expansion of the Laptops for Ukraine initiative in order to help cultural heritage institutions in Ukraine. There is a pressing need for equipment, such as laptops, 3D scanners and data storage devises in order to be able to scan and digitally document Ukraine’s cultural heritage. The aim is to be able to trace destroyed, lost and stolen cultural heritage objects, to restore and bring them back to life, preserve and make them available online to everybody. The Europeana Foundation supports the initiative by reaching out to its stakeholders. 

Organisations interested in donating equipment to Ukrainian cultural heritage institutions, such as libraries and museums, are requested to contact by email the European Commission’s Directorate General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), unit responsible for digital cultural heritage: CNECT-CULTURAL-HERITAGE@ec.europa.eu. More information here:

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/laptops-ukraine-initiative-extended-help-museums-and-libraries-safeguard-cultural-heritage

Call for nominations: 7 Most Endangered Program 2024 [Europa Nostra / European Investment Bank / Creative Europe, EU funding]

If you know of important heritage in Europe that is endangered, nominate it for the 7 Most Endangered program 2024 and join Europa Nostra in its efforts to save our heritage! Both tangible and intangible heritage are eligible for the programme, regardless of whether it is publicly or privately owned. 

Launched in 2013, the 7 Most Endangered Program forms part of a civil society campaign to save Europe’s endangered heritage. In most cases, the listing of an endangered site serves as a catalyst and incentive for the mobilisation of necessary public or private support, including funding. 

The listed sites are also eligible for an EIB Heritage Grant of €10,000 per selected site to assist in implementing an agreed activity that will contribute to saving the threatened sites. 

The 7 Most Endangered Program is run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute. It also has the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union as part of Europa Nostra’s network project “European Cultural Heritage Agora”. 

All info can be found here:

https://www.europanostra.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/7ME2024-Call-for-Nominations.pdf

Capacity-building programme for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Italy [UNESCO]

In the year that marks the 20th anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Culture of Italy  and UNESCO are pleased to announce the launch of the capacity-building course on the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Italy. The course, which is part of UNESCO’s global capacity-building programme for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage, is primarily aimed at communities involved with the Italian elements inscribed on the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, staff from relevant institutions, civil society organisations, researchers, and other practitioners in the field of living heritage. The course is organised by the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe in close cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture of Italy.

Survey on digital preservation practices in European cultural heritage institutions by the Climate Action Community of the Europeana Network Association

If you are a digital professional working in a cultural heritage institution, or part of a heritage institution IT team, or involved in any way in the digital preservation or management of digital content in your organisation we need your help.

The Environmental Sustainability Practice Task Force of the Europeana Network Association Climate Action Community has launched a survey to evaluate the sustainability of digital preservation practices in European cultural heritage institutions, with a view to finding ways to mitigate our sector’s environmental impact. The survey is accessible here: 

https://survey.zohopublic.eu/zs/RuDHuy

If you feel that you and your institution can contribute to this effort please respond to this survey by Wednesday, 13 September 2023 and share your ideas, experience and challenges. Your feedback is essential to inform the work of the Climate Action Community, including awareness-raising and advocacy actions for climate-conscious working practices in the digital cultural heritage sector, to minimise our environmental impact. 

Be part of the New European Bauhaus Festival 2024! [European Commission]

In April 2024, the European Commission will organise the second edition of the New European Bauhaus Festival – and we invite you to be part of it! On the theme of ‘Resources for all’, the 2024 edition of the hybrid event will bring together people from all across Europe and the world to debate how we can shape a sustainable, inclusive and beautiful future. 

The New European Bauhaus Festival encompasses four key pillars: The Forum provides a platform for engaging discussions and the exchange of ideas surrounding the New European Bauhaus; The Fair provides a space for local communities, regional/national actors, EU-wide organisations and project representatives to showcase their initiatives; The Fest provides a space for cultural representatives, actors, artists, citizen associations and others, to contribute to the creation of a cultural programme including performances and art works; Satellite events are organised independently in Brussels and beyond, with core activities in line with the New European Bauhaus values. 

Interested organisations and individuals can propose their own activities, projects or satellite events to one of the three calls to become a spotlight feature of The Festival. A fourth call is for media partners. 

You can apply until 15 September. 

Read all about it here:

https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/get-involved/festival_en

To cite this article:  IE News Team (2023) ‘European Heritage Alliance roundup‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg. 27-29.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

We are excited to share some remarkable news with you! It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce the release of a highly anticipated book, which we believe will captivate the hearts and minds of professionals and enthusiasts alike. 

The book, ‘Manual for sustainability of cultural heritage’, is published in the Croatian language and the original title is ‘Priručnik za održivost kulturne baštine’. Its goal is primarily to provide a deeper understanding of the topic of sustainability of cultural heritage so that, among other things, heritage is understood as a significant development resource.
To do that, the book highlights different aspects of sustainability of cultural heritage (economic, environmental, sociocultural, and political) and proposes specific measures and indicators for the sustainability of cultural heritage which may be incorporated into public policies.
Heritage interpretation is dealt within the book from different aspects. Thus, it is considered as a means for ensuring financial sustainability of heritage assets alongside being an important factor for attracting visitors. For example, the book puts emphasis on and proposes design techniques for the multisensory interpretation of cultural heritage, because quality and interesting interpretation is appealing for the visitors, which adds to its sustainability. The same is illustrated with examples of good practice, while the text is enriched with special sections offering advice from case studies. 

Hence, the book will equip cultural heritage professionals and decision makers with additional knowledge and inspirational examples of good practice in terms of interpretation of cultural heritage, but also in terms of financing, marketing and other heritage management dimensions.
The book was originally prepared within the Interreg Europe KEEP ON project, while this version has been extended and adapted for the Croatian market.

The full details are:

Manual for sustainability of cultural heritage (Priručnik za održivost kulturne baštine)
Authors: Daniela Angelina Jelinčić, Dragana Glivetić and Sanja Tišma
Publisher: Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb, Croatia

You can order your copy here: https://www.superknjizara.hr/hr/prirucnik-za-odrzivost-kulturne-bastine-2022-daniela-angelina-jelincic-sanja-tisma-dragana-glivetic

Marta Šveb Dragija is a research assistant from the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO), Zagreb, Croatia. Her main research interest is focused on an interdisciplinary, socio-psychological, approach to the study of experience design in cultural tourism. Marta can be contacted at: marta.sveb@irmo.hr.

To cite this article:  Dragija, Marta Šveb (2023) ‘Manual for sustainability of cultural heritage‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg. 26.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

On 23 June, the European Commission published a report on how citizen participation in cultural activities enhances civic engagement, democracy and social cohesion. In the run-up to the European elections in 2024, international research shows that citizens who participate regularly in cultural activities are more likely to vote, to volunteer, and to participate in community activities, projects, and organisations. 

The report, which also gives guidance for actions at national and local levels, presents evidence that the density of the local cultural offer and the volume of available public funding are positively linked to patterns of civic and democratic behaviour. It concludes with key policy lessons and a set of 14 concrete recommendations for policy makers. 

IE has been emphasising that interpretation needs to be participatory and that it should discuss European values and encourage critical reflection. As such, interpretation is a perfect tool for all sorts of heritage sites to contribute to more mindful, democratic and inclusive societies. 

This report is the result of a study announced in the EU Work Plan for Culture 2019-2022. The report and more information can be found here.

To cite this article:  IE News Team (2023) ‘Culture and democracy – The evidence‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg. 27.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf

UNESCO is working in partnership with PRAXIS at the University of Leeds, UK and with support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to deliver a series of brief reports honing in on key themes within the cultural heritage for sustainable development sphere.

Agreed in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unite 193 Governments with the shared aim of leaving both our planet and societies on a sustainable footing for future generations.

The Heritage and Our Sustainable Future conference was held online in March 2021 and we have previously reported on how relevant it was to our interpretive work and IE’s current Tourism initative.

One of the latest reports in the series to come out of the conference follow-up work, released on 18 November 2021, was the Creative Industries and Tourism: Beyond Economic Development Brief Report. The conference session explored the role of heritage-based tourism, intangible heritage and creativity in promoting more inclusive, people-centred and sustainable approaches to socio-economic development. Contributors discussed how it is possible to unlock the potential of heritage to rethink and reframe our (unsustainable) models of development, which have often focused solely on economic growth and its immediate benefits. The session took into consideration a wider range of quality-of-life elements, and a variety of global challenges, including gender equality and climate change.

One of the key insights was:

“Heritage can be a driver for promoting sustainable tourism and generating new economic activities – from arts, crafts and creative industries to sustainable fishing, organic farming and agriculture – while also stimulating solidarity and empowering marginalised and disenfranchised groups.”

Recommendations from the report include:

• Create linkages between traditional heritage practices, contemporary arts and design, and modern techniques
• Increase heritage awareness and stimulate creativity
• Harness the potential of museums and heritage institutions as unique environments for community engagement, co-creation, networking with stakeholders and long-term heritage management

Of course, we can see how heritage interpretation could help to meet these goals.

The report can be found here:
https://unesco.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Creative-Industries-and-Tourism-Report.pdf

Why not look through the full series of thematically arranged reports:
https://unesco.org.uk/conference/heritage-and-our-sustainable-future/research-practice-policy-and-impact/

• Biocultural Heritage and Landscapes: Linking Nature and Culture
• Bridging the Gaps: Cultural Heritage for Climate Action
• Re-thinking Capacity Strengthening for Sustainable Development
• Reducing Inequalities and Decolonising Heritage Practices: People Centred Approaches
• Using Digital Technology to Innovate in Heritage Research, Policy and Practice
• Heritage, Mental Health and Well-Being
• Creative Industries and Tourism: Beyond Economic Development
• Heritage, Disaster Response and Resilience
• Inclusive Development for Sustainable Cities
• Evaluating the Impact of Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development

To cite this article: IE News Team (2021) ‘UNESCO: Heritage and Our Sustainable Future series’ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2021, pg.33

Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Newsletter-Winter-2021.pdf