“At the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, we believe that cultural heritage can be an educational tool in upholding our democratic values. Without protecting these values at a local level, peace and stability are impossible”, declared Congress Rapporteur on Cultural Heritage Management, Barbara Toce, (Italy, SOC/G/PD), at the First Annual Forum for History Education “Sites of Memories: Learning spaces for democracy”, in Belgrade, Serbia, on 4 November 2022.

“Local and regional authorities have a key role in contributing to the dynamic potential of history”, stated the Congress spokesperson, emphasising their unique position in proximity to citizens which can be utilised to listen to concerns and lead discussions about how to best manage cultural heritage. “Our democracies are not established once and for all, but we need to strive to uphold them each and every day, continuously, in all parts of Europe and at all levels of government”, she added.

Congress Rapporteur referred to the 2021 Congress report “Culture without borders”, which focuses on cultural heritage management for local and regional development and recognises cultural heritage as a tool to strengthen democratic values amongst the younger generations. The report also highlights the need for partnership and cross-border cooperation. The Congress rapporteur urged local authorities to “think beyond the confines of their territories” when developing cultural heritage strategies, as culture goes beyond borders.

The Forum brought together seventy participants from all over Europe, including public authorities, teachers, curriculum developers and academics, with the aim of developing recommendations for improvement of History Education. It was organised with the joint co-operation of the European Union and the Council of Europe action “Quality education for all”.