Tag Archives: Heritage Interpretation
Heritage Interpretation Workshop
From 13th to 16th October, HERITΛGE delivered an online workshop on Heritage Interpretation, bringing together 22 heritage managers from 17 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Through 22 capacity building cases and 22 case studies, participants explored how interpretation can generate meaningful connections between visitors and heritage.
“This is the first time I have taken a course in heritage interpretation. All topics were relevant and sparked my interest.”
Dounama Biri
The workshop was led by interpretation specialist Valya Stergioti who introduced participants to the core principles of heritage interpretation. Sessions highlighted how interpretation moves beyond facts to reveal meanings, provoke reflection and foster stewardship.
Day 1 focused on the foundations of interpretation. Participants shared stories of memorable guides and discussed the qualities that define good interpretation, from sensory engagement to contextual storytelling. They examined Freeman Tilden’s definition of interpretation and reflected on how interpretation as an educational experience should encourage exploration rather than the delivery of isolated facts. The day concluded with an introduction to the interpretive triangle and a practical group activity on applying the four aces to selected heritage phenomena.
Day 2 explored meanings, values and universal concepts. Through an illustrative exercise on the idea of “home”, participants discussed how words carry different meanings across cultures and contexts. The session introduced the theory of frames and highlighted the importance of language in shaping interpretive outcomes. Participants worked in groups to link phenomena with universal concepts and later developed their own sets of open ended questions. These questions were framed around four types: focus, transfer, process and evaluation, each designed to encourage dialogue, reflection and participation.
Days 3 and 4 centred on interpretive themes, interpretive services and the development of participants’ own projects. Participants created themes for personal heritage objects, aligned them with sustainability goals and collaborated in groups to design exhibition concepts such as A Day in the Life of a Fisherman Across the Globe and Legacy of Ancestors. They also examined the strengths of personal and non personal interpretation through a structured debate and discussed the essential role of local communities.
“I became more confident about the educational methods and universal concepts which will help me to interpret my site.”
Habab Idriss Ahmed
The workshop concluded with presentations of individual projects, ranging from Lamu Old Town in Kenya to the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin, the Paper Trail of Hand Produced Paper in Assam and the Armero Town Ruins in Colombia. Each participant presented a phenomenon, a theme and the interpretive services they would employ.
By the end of the training, participants had strengthened their skills in crafting themes, engaging audiences and building meaningful interpretive experiences.
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The EMPATHS Manifesto: Reimagining Heritage Interpretation Through Participation
HERITΛGE is proud to be a partner in the EMPATHS project, a European initiative funded by the Erasmus+ Programme that seeks to transform how cultural heritage is interpreted, shared, and experienced. As part of this work, the EMPATHS consortium has recently published the EMPATHS Manifesto — a collective call to reimagine heritage interpretation as a participatory, inclusive, and community-driven practice.
The manifesto challenges traditional, top-down approaches to heritage storytelling and invites heritage professionals, institutions, and communities to rethink their roles. At its core is a simple but powerful idea: heritage becomes meaningful when communities are not just audiences, but active partners in interpretation.
A shared vision for participatory heritage interpretation
The manifesto sets out the values and principles that will guide our 30-month European collaboration dedicated to building new competences for heritage professionals. EMPATHS focuses on dialogue, co-creation, and inclusive engagement, responding to the growing need for heritage practices that are democratic, empathetic, and socially relevant. The manifesto is not just a vision statement; it is the conceptual foundation upon which EMPATHS’ training tools, methodologies, and community labs are being built.
As outlined in the project framework, EMPATHS will:
- Develop a replicable training curriculum for participatory heritage interpretation
- Pilot blended learning programmes combining online and in-person activities
- Engage heritage professionals and local communities in testing and shaping new interpretive practices
- Strengthen the capacity of the sector to work across disciplines, communities, and landscapes
The EMPATHS Manifesto speaks directly to contemporary challenges facing heritage and society more broadly — social fragmentation, disconnection from place, and the urgent need for shared responsibility. It responds with a clear and hopeful vision: heritage as a bridge, communities as co-creators, and professionals as facilitators rather than sole authorities.
As articulated in the manifesto’s Vision for the Future of Heritage Interpretation, participatory approaches can help heritage become a space for dialogue, mutual understanding, and sustainable futures — grounded in local contexts but open to multiple voices and perspectives.
Read the manifesto and join the conversation
We invite heritage professionals, practitioners, researchers, and community members to read the EMPATHS Manifesto, explore the project’s work, and join us in shaping a more participatory, empathetic, and sustainable future for heritage interpretation.
Challenges to participation in heritage interpretation: Insights from the First EMPATHS Sessions in Greece
What are the challenges heritage professionals face in developing inclusive and participatory approaches to heritage interpretation? HERITΛGE is a proud partner in EMPATHS, a project co-funded by the European Union to enhance community participation in heritage interpretation and empower heritage professionals.
In the framework of the project, HERITΛGE and the Ethnological Museum of Thrace facilitated two recent co-design sessions held in Alexandroupoli and Rizía, Greece, that explored the realities faced by heritage professionals and cultural organisations in developing inclusive, community-based approaches to heritage interpretation.
In Alexandroupoli, the team worked with Dromeas Thrace, a local group that emphasised the potential of experiential walks that combine local storytelling, well-being, and cultural identity. However, they also highlighted the need for clearer participatory methods, improved internal coordination, and better tools for managing community input.
In Rizía, the local Educational and Cultural Association raised concerns about sustaining volunteer-led initiatives and involving younger generations. Key challenges included a lack of collaboration among local groups, limited access to digital tools, and insufficient training in project design, memory work, and heritage interpretation.
The sessions confirmed the importance of working with existing community strengths while introducing practical tools to ensure sustainable participation. These insights will directly shape the EMPATHS training model, helping to support more inclusive, locally grounded approaches to heritage interpretation across Europe.
The findings of these sessions, as well as a series of others being run by our partners around Europe, are directly informing the EMPATHS training programme scheduled for release in 2026. Find our more on the EMPATHS website.
Understanding the Current State of Participatory Heritage Interpretation
At HERITΛGE we are happy to share the publication of the EMPATHS Baseline Report, the first major milestone of the EMPATHS project (EMpowering landscapes with Participatory Approaches To Heritage interpretation Skills). EMPATHS is funded by the Erasmus+ programme and its foundational report provides a comprehensive overview of the current practices, challenges, and opportunities in the field of participatory heritage interpretation, serving as a critical resource for heritage professionals, community leaders, and cultural organisations.
As the first step in the EMPATHS project, this baseline report lays the groundwork for developing a new methodological framework that empowers heritage professionals to engage more effectively with local communities. It reflects the core philosophy of the EMPATHS initiative – that heritage is a shared, living resource best understood and interpreted through the active participation of the people who interact with it.
The report, authored by Carmen Granito and Caterina De Vivo from project partner The Story Behind (Italy), draws on extensive desk research and case studies from around the world. It examines the state of participatory heritage interpretation across diverse cultural and geographic contexts, highlighting key trends, best practices, and areas for improvement.
Key Findings from the Baseline
The EMPATHS Baseline reveals that while participatory approaches are increasingly being integrated into heritage interpretation, significant challenges remain. Key findings include:
- A gap in structured competences for participatory approaches among heritage professionals.
- The need to move from expert-led, top-down interpretation models to more community-centred, collaborative approaches.
- The importance of training and capacity building to empower local voices in the interpretation process.
- Examples of successful participatory projects, such as those contributed by project partners, including the Heritage Management Organisation (Greece), Interpret Europe (Germany), PaFleg (Italy), and EMT (Greece).
The EMPATHS Baseline sets the stage for the next phase of the project, which will involve developing a comprehensive methodological framework for participatory heritage interpretation. This framework will aim to bridge the gap in skills and knowledge, helping heritage professionals create more inclusive, locally relevant interpretive strategies that reflect the diverse voices of their communities.
About the EMPATHS Consortium
For the EMPATHS project HERITΛGE has partnered with a diverse consortium of leading heritage organisations, including: The Story Behind (Italy) – lead author of the baseline study, providing critical research and analysis, Interpret Europe (Germany) – known for its pioneering work in heritage interpretation training, PaFleg (Italy) – the The Archaeological Park of Campi Flegrei, experts in archaeological and cultural heritage management, The Ethnological Museum of Thrace, (Greece) – focused on integrating education and heritage interpretation to foster community engagement and the Karawanken-Karavanke UNESCO Global Geopark (Austria and Slovenia) – Known for its cross-border heritage and geodiversity, this geopark promotes sustainable development and environmental education through heritage interpretation.
To download the EMPATHS Baseline, visit Project Result page.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
Introducing the principles of quality heritage interpretation for site managers
HERITΛGE kicked off its 2024-2025 Online Workshop program with the Introduction to Heritage Interpretation for Site Managers workshop in early October. 19 participants from 15 different countries (Afghanistan, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Romania, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda) attended the online course which aimed to introduce the principles of quality heritage interpretation and how these can be applied to a range of sites.
The course was led by Valya Stergioti, an interpretive trainer, planner and consultant who has run a multitude of heritage training interpretation workshops all over Europe. Penelope Gkini* delivered the keynote speech where she shared insights on Heritage Interpretation from her project in Armenoi village, Northwest Crete.
Heritage Interpretation provides a well-structured framework for non-formal learning, aimed at creating meaningful and unforgettable experiences for visitors. Over the course of three days, participants were introduced to the concept of heritage interpretation and through a combination of interactive exercises, group work, presentations and discussions, participants learned how to turn phenomena into experiences.
The 3-day intensive workshop was well received and participants were able to develop knowledge of how to provoke resonance in visitors of heritage sites and foster a greater respect for all heritage across a range of sites in different countries.
“I’ve loved everything of this course. Particularly that we were able to take part in all discussions. As a person who wanted to know more about Heritage I was pleasantly surprised on what it entails,” said Miriam Uithaler, from the Jounou Arts and Culture Foundation
“What I liked the most about the course is the opportunity it gave me to learn from other heritage site managers, to see the work that they are doing in their respective countries” said Pontso Masithela, from Sereti sa Makhoarane Heritage and Tourism Network. “It really inspired me and increased my love and appreciation for heritage management. My project is going to benefit greatly because now I have acquired new skills and knowledge on ways to effectively interpret heritage sites or objects. And I am going to share it with my colleagues.”
Heritage Interpretation In Rwanda
49 heritage professionals from Rwanda took part in two recent Introduction to Heritage Interpretation Workshops, led by HERITΛGE’s Valia Stergioti. The participants included officials from educational institutions, heritage sites, tourist businesses, local communities and NGOs.
During the workshop, which was led in person by HERITΛGE’s Valya Stergioti, they were introduced to the skills that allow heritage managers to transform mere phenomena into captivating experiences. They learned how to evoke a deep resonance within visitors at heritage sites of natural and/or cultural significance, guiding them towards profound insights and nurturing an appreciation for all aspects of heritage. Additionally, participants developed the ability to provide and receive constructive feedback to and from their peers.
The first of the two workshops was delivered in cooperation with the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy to 26 heritage and tourism professionals and took place on 24-26 July at the Rwanda Heritage Hub and the Kandt House Museum in Kigali.
“I learned to connect our participants to the site, which will help to increase our visitors satisfaction” said Esther Kakuze, Managing Director of ImuHira Ecotourism Rwanda who took part in the workshops.
“My project and institution will benefit through my professional practice,paying attention to all details related to heritage Management and community engagement,” said Wilhelm Mugiramahoro, Operations Officer for the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy.
The second workshop was delivered in cooperation with Nyanza District to 23 heritage and tourism professionals in the Nyanza District’s Visitor Centre.
“I have gained new skills as the heritage interpretation workshop was a new subject to me. I will use them so my visitors can enjoy our site and be our ambassadors, ” siad Sandrine Uwambayinkindi from the Girampuhwe Visitor Centre.
Both workshops are part of our HerMaP Africa program which is realised with the generous support of the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place program.
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