Transform4Europe

UNITS and DISU Leading WP7 “Common European Heritage” within the T4EU Project

UNITS, together with the Department of Humanities (DISU), is leading Work Package 7 (WP7) on "Common European Heritage" within the Transform4Europe (T4EU) project. This initiative aims to explore and define a shared European heritage through interdisciplinary collaboration and collective actions in education, research, and public engagement.
The idea of a Common European Heritage emerged after World War II, aiming to foster a shared sense of belonging and identity among European citizens. Over the decades, ensuring its sustainability for future generations has become an imperative. At its core, this concept recognizes a common background amid national differences, requiring an inclusive yet critical definition that integrates both foundational and contemporary memories—even controversial and conflicting ones. It acknowledges historical, social, and civil rights, embraces multiculturalism, and respects diverse beliefs while upholding secularism.
Despite the differences among the universities within the partnership, collective actions seek to build a common understanding of this phenomenon. The shared conviction is that dialogue, exchange, and discussion on heritage are central to shaping a truly European university.

Experts involved in WP7 Coordination

Roberta Altin
Tullia Catalan
Alessandro Carrieri
Giuseppe Grimaldi
Paolo Sorzio
Piergiorgio Trevisan

Activities - upcoming events

T4EU Call - First round of T4EU Sustainable Heritage Student Competitions

Date: 7-11 July 2025
Audience: BA, MA, PhD Students
Location: Trieste, Italy
Topic: Heritage, Sustainability and Generations
Format: Blended Intensive Program (BIP)
Application deadline: 10th April 2025 (for submission to home university); 30th April (final list of participants)

All students from the Transform4Europe Alliance are invited to participate in the First Edition of the T4EU Sustainable Heritage Student Competition. The event will take place in Trieste, from 7th to 11th July 2025, and will focus on the expertise of one of our esteemed stakeholders, the Bora Museum (Museo della Bora), which has a longstanding commitment to environmental awareness, in collaboration with ICL (Innovators Community Lab - UNITS). This initiative will be organised in a BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) format, designed to engage students from T4EU partner institutions

For further details see annexes:

First round of Sustainable Heritage Student Competitions - download file
First round of Sustainable Heritage Student Competition Call - download file

1st Festival of European Culture and Languages

Tourism and Heritage from the Border
Date: 7-11 July 2025
Audience: BA and MA students
Location: Trieste, Italy
Topic: Tourism and Heritage in Border Regions
Format: Blended Intensive Program (BIP)
Application deadline: 30 April 2025

Tourism plays a crucial role in Europe’s cultural and economic landscape but also raises concerns about over-tourism, structural challenges, and the simplification of urban narratives. Cities with complex histories often undergo reification, reducing their diverse identities to marketable stories. This issue is particularly pronounced in border regions, where historical and political intricacies are often overshadowed by stereotypical narratives.
This festival critically explores these themes, using Trieste—a city shaped by its “border identity”—as a case study. Participants will navigate the city as "cruisers," uncovering hidden and contested narratives through guided explorations and discussions. Designed as a Blended Intensive Program (BIP), the event fosters immersive, interdisciplinary, and performative engagement, challenging traditional heritage representations.

For further details see annexes:

Festival programme - download file

Activities - past events

T4EU Common European Heritage WEEK
24-28 February 2025 – Trieste/Gorizia, University of Trieste

The T4EU Common European Heritage WEEK organized by University of Trieste, offers an immersive exploration of European heritage, with a particular emphasis on border dynamics and shared cultural legacies. This engaging week begins on February 24 with an inauguration and an EKA workshop focused on transformative heritage.
Key highlights include the Transborder Heritage Conference, taking place from February 25 to 27. This conference will feature multidisciplinary sessions in anthropology, history, architecture, and literature, addressing the complexities of heritage in border regions. Additionally, there will be field visits in Trieste and Gorizia, providing practical insights into the challenges of heritage management.
Students from T4EU are also invited to join a Blended Intensive Programme that includes collaborative workshops and student presentations.

For further information:

https://transform4europe.eu/common-european-heritage-week-in-trieste/
Week programme - download file

"The Garden of the (In)visible" travelling exhibition is coming to Trieste

20-26 May 2024, University of Trieste

The exhibition is part of anthropological research on the theme of migration carried out by the University of Primorska Koper and the University of Trieste, as part of the activities of T4EU – Transform4EuropeAlliance. Working collaboratively across borders, lecturers and students travelled between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy where they found and collected objects left by migrants in the woods or at the edges of towns.

For further information: