Within Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020, Rijeka, one of the largest cities in the country, will proudly take on the title of the European Capital of Culture 2020. In this unique framework, the University of Rijeka has the honor to host and organize a conference entitled "The Role of Cultural Heritage in Socio-Economic Development and Preservation of Democratic Values - HERItage", which is set to take place on March 11-13, 2020. The conference is organized in collaboration with the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education and is financed through Horizon 2020: Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies.

The three-day conference will focus on research and innovation in the field of the social sciences and the humanities, with particular dedication to the domain of cultural heritage, including the role of digitalization and the importance of education. In particular, the conference aims to discuss: a) the role of universities in promoting and preserving cultural heritage: education, research, and social responsibility;
b) the role of scientific research in strengthening the preservation of industrial heritage;
c) challenges and opportunities of digital transformations: the role of digital tools in preserving and developing cultural heritage;

The focus will also include two cross-cutting issues: Public policies: cultural heritage and democratic values and Cooperation and innovation: cultural heritage and social transformation.

The conference will gather not only prominent researchers but also policymakers, regional stakeholders, local authorities, artists and the broad actors revolving around the ECOC activities, as well as interested citizens. Through appropriate discursive forms, it will cultivate reflection and debate about the future of RDI in global and local communities, especially in relation to the interaction of culture and future industries, their implication on future jobs, and the role of Rijeka’s overall heritage as a "port of diversity" on its smart, inclusive and innovative future growth.

It would indeed be an honor to welcome you to Rijeka and Opatija. It will be a stellar opportunity to participate in a high-level conference attended by European Commission representatives, policy-makers, cultural workers and world-class experts in the topics addressed by the conference. To ensure high outreach, all panels and keynote lectures will be web-streamed and available online.

All the information about the conference, including the draft program and keynote speakers, can be found on the official conference website: http://www.heritage.uniri.hr.

Welcome to Croatia and please feel free to distribute the information on the conference among your colleagues.

There is no conference fee but please make sure to register through the official website and book your accommodation on time.

For any additional information, feel free to contact the conference secretariat at heritage@uniri.hr.

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000020.