On 13 April 2026, I had the pleasure of contributing to the World Cities Culture Forum Leadership Exchange Programme in Warsaw, entitled How to Rethink Commemoration in Urban Spaces. The programme brought together representatives from Amsterdam, Kyiv, London, New York, Warsaw and other cities to exchange perspectives on contemporary approaches to commemoration in urban contexts.

As Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Public and Global Governance at the University of Warsaw, I delivered a lecture entitled Rethinking Commemoration in Urban Space through Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Case of Warsaw during the expert session held at the History Meeting House.

My presentation explored how the perspective of intangible cultural heritage can enrich contemporary approaches to urban memory and commemoration. Drawing on the experience of Warsaw, I discussed how living heritage contributes to the ways cities remember, interpret and negotiate the past, while strengthening community participation and cultural continuity.

The programme, organised by the Culture Office of the City of Warsaw, combined expert lectures, city presentations, site visits and workshops, creating a valuable space for international exchange on the role of culture and heritage in responding to contemporary urban challenges.