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Theme

European Heritage Days (EHD) 2026 is taking place all throughout October and will focus on this year’s theme: Preserving our Past to Build Our Future.

At a time of rapid environmental, social, and technological change, our shared cultural and natural heritage faces unprecedented challenges. This year’s theme invites us to reflect on the risks threatening the places, traditions, knowledge, and stories that have shaped our communities, while inspiring collective action to protect them for future generations.

Heritage is more than the monuments we admire and the sites we visit. It lives in traditional skills, oral histories, local customs, languages, crafts, and cultural expressions passed down through generations. These connections to our past help strengthen resilience, foster belonging, and shape a more inclusive future.

European Heritage Days 2026 also highlights the importance of intergenerational knowledge and ensuring that all voices—including those that have historically been underrepresented—are recognised as part of our shared cultural story.

A limestone outcrop with carved chambers overlooking the sea and cliffs in Gozo.
Coastal sites are increaslingly exposed to erosion and other types of deterioration.

How You Can Get Involved

Scaffolding bars set against the facade of a church.
Restoration and continuous maintenance of cultural heritage assets prolong their longevity.

European Heritage Days 2026 invites everyone to take part in protecting and sharing our heritage:

  • Explore Local Heritage: Visit sites, research local history, and share stories with others.
  • Engage with Intangible Heritage: Attend cultural events, learn traditional skills, or support local dialects.
  • Support Sustainable Preservation: Advocate for responsible development and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings.
  • Participate in Awareness Campaigns: Share knowledge, join events, contact representatives, or volunteer with conservation organizations.
  • Tell Your Story: Share your personal or community connection to a heritage tradition or site—storytelling keeps heritage alive.

“Preserving Our Past to Build Our Future” reminds us that our heritage is not static. By protecting it today, we ensure that future generations continue to be inspired, informed, and connected through the stories of the past.

Together, let us celebrate and protect our heritage—not just as relics, but as guiding stories for our future.

Posters

Event Registration

The form below aims to collect data related to events hosted for European Heritage Days. Kindly view our data protection policy at the following link: https://schmalta.mt/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/01-SUPERINTENDENCE-OF-CULTURAL-HERITAGE-LC-Data-Protection-Policy-Final-Format.pdf

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