IE is calling for interpretive planners. Members with related background and experiences are also welcome to join the network.
As heritage interpretation is increasingly becoming a recognised approach to non-formal learning in Europe, so is interpretive planning becoming a sought-after service. IE’s goal is to promote and enhance standards of excellence in interpretation, and also support and direct the development of our profession.
IE’s activities in this concern so far have been the development of the Certified Interpretive Planner (CIP) course and collaboration with UNESCO on the WH-Interp Planning course that has trained 42 WHS managers across Europe in interpretive planning. Based on this collaboration, we are adapting all other IE courses to the ideas around value-based interpretation. The latter has been suggested as a core mandate for WHS visitor centres by UNESCO (2019) after their collaboration with IE.
Further, the IE Architects team has published a brochure Heritage interpretation for architects and landscape architects, that presents the basic principles of HI to architects. Finally, the most recent endeavour – Learning landscapes initiative – aims to develop and test a strategic planning methodology for entire regions in collaboration with UNESCO. As demonstrated by these efforts, Interpret Europe represents the highest standards in planning that promotes co-creation by various stakeholders, sees heritage as an inspiration to consider our human values in the past as well as in the present and future, sees interpretation not only in service of protection but also fosters consideration and critical
reflection of contemporary problems about which we can learn from heritage. We like to say that heritage interpretation makes heritage more meaningful to people, and people more mindful towards our shared values.
Against this background, we would like to better understand which of our members deal with interpretive planning and what kinds of projects they work on. This is a call for all interpretive planners, consultants, managers, designers, landscape architects, architects and other related professions to join a new IE interpretive planners network. In the context of the Learning landscape initiative, which is still seeking for more considerable funding and, therefore, its timeline and scope is not yet known, we intend to tap into experiences of the IE interpretive planners network, to involve its members wherever needed. The initiative also aims to deliver on methodology and other outcomes that will benefit the network in the longer term.
The network might grow into an IE team with a work plan and vision if there is a will from its members to initiate and sustain it. If you are interested to be in the loop, please complete this form by 15 August.
To cite this article: IE Management(2023) ‘IE interpretive planners network ‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 2-2023, pg. 33.
Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Newsletter-2023_2-summer.pdf
