Community, conversation and the Spirit of Faro: Reflections from an inspiring Interpret Europe conference.
In April I attended the Interpret Europe conference wearing my Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI) hat, as I am the current Chair of AHI. It was my first IE conference and what an inspiring few days I had! This year, this major event in the Interpret Europe calendar was built around The Faro Convention, created in 2005 by the Council of Europe. Discussion throughout focussed on how the ‘Spirit of Faro’ operates now, 21 years after its creation, and whether it still matters in contemporary European heritage interpretation.
To be honest, I had never heard of The Faro Convention, as the UK Government did not ratify it. However, it is a very important document as it emphasises co-creative shared values and community-led interpretation. At its core is the belief that heritage is not just about objects, places or traditions, but about the meaning and value communities attach to them. These connections linking past, present, and future are central to people’s sense of identity and wellbeing. This perspective aligns closely with the principles we champion within AHI.
The conference programme offered a rich blend of thought-provoking presentations, hands-on workshops, and engaging site visits. The keynote speakers were particularly inspiring. Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins, who chaired the Council of Europe’s steering committee that shaped the Faro Convention, opened the event. He was followed by Amra Hadzimuhamedovic, President and CEO of the House of International Dialogue and the Research Centre for Peace and Heritage in Sarajevo. Her work integrating cultural heritage into post-conflict recovery efforts brought a powerful and deeply human dimension to the discussions. Notably, she also contributed to drafting the Faro Convention.
While I enjoyed all the content of the conference, the New Paradigm Café on the last morning was particularly stimulating. Split up into small groups, we all worked on one particular issue – what the Faro Convention means for the future of heritage interpretation. From a variety of different perspectives related to the various winds that blow across the continent, each group representing one of these winds, we produced large posters summing up our thoughts on the way forward. Without exception, we all highlighted the importance of working within our communities and using heritage as the common denominator to begin discussion and stimulate understanding of the diverse world in which we live and the heritage that has got us to this point and is still part of every community’s culture.
Any meeting of heritage interpreters becomes a celebration of community and friendship, and what interpretation can achieve. At a time of global uncertainty, this conference seemed particularly meaningful with its emphasis on telling the stories of diverse cultures across Europe and how, by understanding these and the value of everyone’s heritage, we can all co-exist in democratic societies.
While political decisions may set boundaries, there is no reason why we in the UK cannot continue to connect with our European colleagues, sharing ideas and enjoying good conversation and laughter together.
Jackie Lee combines practical experience with a passion for bringing history to life. Chair of the UK’s Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI) and founder of Artemis Scotland, she specialises in first-person costumed interpretation and wrote A Practical Guide to Costumed Interpretation (Routledge, 2023). Jackie can be contacted at: jackie@artemisscotland.com.
To cite this article: Lee, Jackie (2026) “Faro at 21!”, Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026, pp. 5–6. Available online: Interpret Europe Newsletter Summer 2026.
