In October, I had the privilege of co-facilitating, co-organizing and co-hosting the 18th Annual Meeting of the South-East European Network of Experts on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Warsaw. This year’s focus was Living Heritage in Urban Contexts. As urbanisation accelerates, safeguarding our intangible cultural heritage becomes essential for sustainable cities and local communities’ well-being.

A big thank you to all the participants from 16 countries who contributed to the vibrant discussions and knowledge-sharing—without your engagement, this event wouldn’t have been as successful!

Key takeaways: Strengthened regional cooperation for safeguarding ICH, also thanks to the inclusion of city practitioners New partnerships and ideas for programmes focused on integrating living heritage into urban policies Inspiring examples from many cities, among others: Tirana, Vienna, Ljubljana, Verona, Vranje, Ioannina, Kayseri – and Warsaw!

Recordings, movies and summaries from our sessions reflecting on these critical discussions, will be posted gradually on UNESCO Chair’s website: ichgovernance.com. Stay tuned!