The theme of communicating dissonant heritages is one of the central themes of the ARCHETHICS project and of the others projects and initiatives that deal with working on the valorisation of these controversial heritages in European cities.
Among these, the project “Developing Inclusive Process for Communicating Dissonant Heritage” funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the EU and coordinated by the Buzludzha Project Foundation toghether with EUROM. European Observatory on Memories, University of Barcelona, the Department of Architecture, University of Bologna has exactly the goal of creating a usable methodology for communicating dissonant heritage.
The Buzludzha monument is one of the most iconic and significant buildings of post-war modernism in Bulgaria and in Europe. It was built in 1981 and abandoned in the 90's as it represented the previous communist regime. The monument located within the city of Kazanalak, partner of the ARCHETHICS project, represents one of the most interesting dissonant heritages to start this reasoning.
The Buzludzha Project Foundation with the others partners of the CERV project and supported by Dissonant Heritage Action Group part of the Urban Agenda for the EU, has organized the “Heritage Agora: Communicating Dissonance on-line event” on 28th of May.
The Heritage Agora involved over 100 experts from over 15 countries as a platform for mutual learning, exchange of ideas and best practices on communicating and interpreting dissonant heritage.
How do we communicate a dissonant heritage site?
How do we keep its controversy and multiple layers, while attracting supporters with different views?
How do we involve the public and why is this crucial in the field of dissonance?
How can we bring to the light and collect personal stories and make them a common heritage?
These were the key questions that were addressed within the thematic sessions of the Agora wich focused on European Partnership for Dissonant Heritage Communication to learn about experiences and plans and shares differente perspectives and the Dissonant Heritage Action Group focused on the emerging activities and projects on Dissonant Heriatge witrhin the context of the Dissonant Heritage Action Group part of the Urban Agenda for the EU.
The Agora then opened an Market place to facilitate networking and the exchange of good practices between cities, universities and researchers who together try to build urban practices to enhance the dissonant heritage in Europe with a critical and integrated approaches.
Within the Agora, Ileana Toscano, Lead Expert of ARCHETHICS presented the firs results of the project focusing on the integrated approach proposed trough the 4 dimensions of architecture, people, history and ethics.
In particular, the theme of ethics means also putting communication back at the center as a tool for building narratives and storytelling that can make this heritage a place of meeting and democratic co-existence.
ARCHETHICS opened to the audience the possibility to share insights on future themes to follow-up. Participants suggested to approach the “green dimension for Dissonant Heritage” focusing on: Slow Tourism, sustainable architectural restoration and long term views. Moreover, it was also asked to concentrate the attention on possibilities for the adaptive reuse of dissonant heritage as well as opportunities of engaging young people and activists in the process.
