Cartaditalia: Special Issue on the 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage

Marking the launch of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels has published a special edition of its Cartaditalia journal. The publication is available in English, Italian, French and German. This special issue contains 25 articles written by a wide range of specialists in the field of heritage. Among the themes addressed are the role of international institutions, the links between heritage and European identities, diversity, peace and conflict, climate change, community participation and economic development, as well as specific areas and institutions in the field of heritage, including museums, archives and World Heritage Sites, among others. In the introductory text, Tibor Navracsis, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, writes that "2018 will be a unique occasion to celebrate the beauty and richness of Europe's cultural heritage, as well as its contribution to our societies and communities." Furthermore, he suggests that "because cultural heritage is about the future as much as it is about the past", particular effort will be made to engage young Europeans. Also introducing the publication is Silvia Costa, the former Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education, who highlights the aim of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 to make citizens "aware of the universal value of cultural heritage, material and immaterial, and recognise that it is the fourth pillar of sustainable development". She also highlights that the special issue of Cartaditalia contributes to the European Parliament's aim of promoting "culture and cultural heritage as a strategic resource for the role of Europe in the world". Finally, Paolo Grossi, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels, argues that, although great consensus apparently exists in the field of culture, many tensions lie deep within it. Because of this, Cartaditalia saw the European Year of Cultural Heritage as a good opportunity to 'take stock' of the situation as regards the political and scientific debate on heritage. The special edition of Cartaditalia has been curated by Pier Luigi Sacco, Professor of Cultural Economics at IULM University in Milan, Senior Researcher at metaLAB and visiting scholar at Harvard University. The publication is available as a free download, in two volumes, at http://www.iicbruxelles.esteri.it/iic_bruxelles/nl/gli_eventi/cartaditalia/cartaditalia-edizione-speciale.html