Argument
Connecting transnational communities through cultural heritage strengthens social cohesion, reinforces shared identities and creates new opportunities for sustainable local development. By mobilising diasporas, cross-border cultural networks and communities linked by common histories, traditions or mobility patterns, heritage initiatives can foster cooperation that transcends national boundaries. Whether through the reconstruction of historic routes, the preservation of collective memory or the development of cultural itineraries, these approaches connect local communities with wider transnational audiences, encouraging active participation in heritage stewardship. Digital tools, collaborative research, and community-led tourism further support these efforts, enabling dispersed communities to engage with their shared heritage while promoting intercultural dialogue, visibility and recognition of often underrepresented cultural traditions.
Practical applications
In Albania’s Upper Vjosa Valley, the Centre for the Research and Promotion of Historical-Archaeological Albanian Landscapes (CeRPHAAL) is working to raise awareness of and secure recognition for the tangible and intangible heritage of the Vlach minority, whose traditional transhumance practices once connected vast areas of the Balkans. The initiative seeks to reconstruct these historic routes through the collection of oral histories, the enhancement of rural and landscape heritage, and the engagement of younger generations with this often-overlooked cultural legacy. By developing walking routes and heritage experiences, the project promotes a bottom-up approach that actively involves local residents, authorities, universities, and visitors, while placing the Vlach community at the centre of the process. Collaboration with partner initiatives in Greece further strengthens transnational connections and fosters shared stewardship of this common heritage.
The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), building on the experience of the ROMHERITAGE project, has developed a common methodology for creating national itineraries of Roma cultural heritage as building blocks of a future European Route of Roma Cultural Heritage. By mapping and promoting Roma cultural sites, traditions, and institutions, the initiative highlights the contribution of Roma communities – the largest transnational minority in Europe – to national and European cultural landscapes. The methodology supports Roma cultural organizations and other stakeholders in developing local, regional, and national heritage routes, fostering cross-border connections and the preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to create a Europe-wide network of Roma cultural itineraries that transcends national, linguistic, and religious boundaries while advancing recognition within the framework of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes programme.
In Ireland, the Historic Graves project, led by the independent archaeological research company EACHTRA, is mobilizing local communities and the global Irish diaspora around the preservation and promotion of historic cemeteries. Through collaborative digital technologies, communities on both sides of the border between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom are participating in the documentation, conservation, and interpretation of more than 3,000 historic burial sites, while contributing to the storytelling of shared histories and collective memory. Extending beyond its cross-border dimension, the initiative engages descendants of Irish emigrants across the world, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa. The project's online platform functions as a digital commons, connecting local heritage custodians with diaspora communities and enabling broad participation in heritage stewardship. Supported by a financing model that combines crowdfunding with revenues from genealogical tourism, the initiative promotes sustainable and inclusive local development while strengthening transnational ties. By linking digital engagement with place-based heritage experiences, including a national discovery route through Ireland’s rural cemetery landscapes, the project demonstrates an innovative approach to connecting communities across borders through shared heritage.
