A festival of the human spirit "The Best in Heritage"
The excerpt from a text written by an internationally prominent PR and destination expert, Mr. Tony Hodges, from LOCUM Company, UK, - published in their magazine "LOCUM" (Winter 2002)
If the question to be posed of this event were - can the heritage business justify an international showcase for its wares? - then the answer provided, this September in Dubrovnik, was a resounding yes.
If the question were - should this event be repeated each year, in Dubrovnik? - again the answer would be an emphatic yes.
But the real question was begged by the event's name: was this The Best In Heritage? As long as you are not looking for a comprehensive answer or a quibble-free zone, then again, most participants would have voted yes, in spirit above all. But there is more to come, in the years ahead. That much is clear.
WHAT IS IT? This was the first Best In Heritage event ever staged and in this first incarnation it bore little resemblance to conventional awards festivals. In particular, there was less competitiveness, primarily because there were not a lot of awards given. Everyone who made a presentation had already won an award from Europa Nostra, Gulbenkian Foundation, Council of Europe, whoever. The reason for attendance was, primarily, to share best practice.
Twenty-four presentations were made, over three days. Presenters arrived from eighteen different countries but almost everyone presented in English, remarkably, and afterwards mixed in many tongues.
WHO IS BEHIND IT? The founding father is an inspirational, enterprising academic by the name of Professor Tomislav Sola, who holds the chair of Museology at Zagreb University, deserves great credit for making Best In Heritage happen, and is well known to long serving I.C.O.M. members. He it was who inveigled support from I.C.O.M. (the International Council of Museums), U.N.E.S.C.O., Europa Nostra and Croatia's Ministry of Culture. He it was who stood out at the British Embassy's March event in Varazdin, persuaded Julius Bryant to speak and ensured this coverage. A "typical" Croatian combination of dogged northern logic and seductive southern flair and, as such, a remarkable man of vision.
WHAT WAS IN IT FOR PARTICIPANTS? Research amongst those who paid their fees and those who sang for their supper showed an overwhelming positive response, with the usual feedback on practical issues that organisers expect. Even complaints about time management spoke volumes about the overall attitude: most participants wanted more time for discussion, for exchange of views and experiences. Above all, there was enthusiasm for the concept of the event, for the opportunity to meet peers and learn from each other, and for the venues.
WHAT ABOUT THE LOCATION? Everyone raved about Dubrovnik, especially those who were lucky enough to get rooms at the Hotel Excelsior. (There should be more top hotel options in years to come). The airport and local transport connections worked well, as did the town's restaurants. Star billings went to individual venues, however; just by the Rector's Palace, the extraordinary Marin Dr�ić Theatre, in which the presentations took place (named after Dubrovnik's great comic writer of the Renaissance) the nearby island of Lokrum where Richard III was given sustenance, as were participants in The Best In Heritage; the fourteenth century Franciscan monastery, where brother Antun Mrzlecki transported us on lute one evening; the dramatic Museum of Modern Art, overlooking the bay, where one contributor finally did win an award.
WHY "THE BEST IN HERITAGE"? The winner of an award at this event was decorated for his presentation, not just for the heritage project he represented. However, there was rhyme and reason in this particular choice of hero. What this event had demonstrated was how broad the definition of "heritage" has become. Julius Bryant has spoken of his view that heritage has shifted from "nostalgia tourism to social identity". Nicholas Hytner and I debated his description of The Globe's "heritage" approach to Shakespeare, contrasted with the National Theatre's "contemporary" stance, and in the end he accepted that he meant "nostalgic" and that "heritage" was now more about identity than just history. The Best In Heritage embrace can and should be enlarged, to cover more examples of natural heritage and more countries beyond Europe for instance, but already it boasts a variety of heritage expressions - all of an award-winning standard - that represent the best idea of heritage. For what is it that connects Anne Frank House, Amsterdam to the National Palace Museum web site, Taipei? Or Haus der Musik, Vienna to Space City, Toulouse? They all tell the story of man and his identity in relation to place.
