European Heritage Days - Europejskie Dni Dziedzictwa

Theme for 2024: ‘Heritage of Routes, Networks, and Connections’ – ‘Szlaki.Sieci.Połączenia.’

Dates: 7-8 and 14-15 September 2024

"Routes, Networks, and Connections"

Routes. Networks. Connections. is a direct reference to the Cultural Routes project of the Council of Europe, which was initiated in 1987 by the Council of Europe. The initiative primarily promotes cultural cooperation in connection with the development of tourism. In 2017, Poland signed an agreement and joined the project, which currently consists of a list of 48 routes, and we are part of 18 of them. The trails are very diverse in nature, from the oldest ones, e.g. Santiago de Compostela, to the less obvious ones, such as the trail of women writers, e.g. Maria Konopnicka, ending with the European Ceramics Trail, which cannot miss Bolesławiec.

National Institute of Cultural Heritage has been creating systemic solutions in Poland for years, networking places and managers of heritage of extraordinary value on a national scale, including: supervising, on behalf of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the procedure of entry on the List of Historical Monuments. Currently, the register includes over 120 objects whose resources are shaped by parks, gardens, works of architecture, or industrial heritage. Established in 1994, we celebrate their 30th anniversary this year. Another important network are historic buildings included on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the network of museums and other cultural institutions.

The main theme also provides an opportunity to show the diversity of intangible cultural heritage, including phenomena included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. First of all, masters of crafts and handicrafts, passing on skills to the next generations, whom we can meet on numerous trails, such as: The Land of Weft and Warp, the Opoczyński Craft Trail, and the Małopolska Craft Trail.

In the entry Routes. Networks. Connections. digital culture and digital databases will also find their place, which already offer visitors thematic tours including routes around monuments or virtual exploration of trails and facilities. Examples of digital databases that allow users to create their own trails and networks include: National Institute of Cultural Heritage portal zabytek.pl.

European Heritage Days 2024 will take place in September, with particular emphasis on September 7-8 and September 14-15.

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