On Wednesday, May 29. 2025, the Best Practice Bazaar, the main annual event of the project Direction: Cultural Heritage, took place at the KIBLA Multimedia Center in Maribor, connecting non-governmental organizations and cultural institutions active in the field of heritage. The event was designed as a space for meeting, exchanging ideas, and presenting inspiring practices that preserve and develop cultural heritage in Slovenia and beyond through modern, community-based, and creative approaches.
The event offered visitors a multifaceted program that combined short expert lectures, presentations of best practices, networking, and booth presentations of organizations. The focus was on stories and concrete examples of how cultural heritage can be developed as a living, inclusive, and creative space – in museums, in rural areas, in the digital environment, or in inter-generational programs.
Heritage in practice: from revived houses to digital solutions
Among the presented practices were:
- The Museum of Madness, which presented the story of the transformation of the former institution into a space of memory and social warning.
- The Good Way Foundation, with the project "Write down the memories," recipient of the "Best Intergenerational Project 2025" award from the Slovenian Philanthropy.
- UNESCO chair at FHŠ UP with two contributions: on the Mythic Park of Rodik and community research of immovable heritage in the case of Koper.
- The Notranjska Museum in Postojna, which presented pedagogical and museum approaches to interpreting Kras heritage.
- Zavod Sopotniki, with the presentation of the pomagajmo.io platform for organising online fundraising campaigns for non-governmental organisations.
- Institute ID20, which showcased the renovation of the Hiša Giser mining house as an example of sustainable heritage revitalization.
- KID KIBLA, the host of the event, presented itself with digital approaches to interpreting cultural heritage.
- Grossmann's Fantastic Film and Wine Festival, showcasing the cultural heritage of Prlekija through the lens of film and wine.
The event also featured the Museum of Slovenian film actors, which showcased the renovation of a Kras homestead in Divača and the creation of a museum dedicated to film heritage; the House of stories (Methans' House), which presented the local cultural space of four municipalities and the collecting and museum activities of Leopold Methans: the Ethno house at Blanka, with a display of craftsmanship skills, natural construction, and culinary heritage of Prlekija: the Higher Vocational School of Sežana, with a presentation of the stone design program and education in the field of stone heritage; and the SKD Red Star from the neighbouring country, with a presentation of clothing heritage in the book Woman's soul in color and embroidery
Heritage as a shared value
Bazaar was intended for both the professional and general public. Visitors were able to listen to brief presentations, participate in discussions, and meet representatives of participating organizations directly at the stands. During the presentation of best practices, a discussion was held that opened the floor for a conversation about the state of cultural heritage today, cooperation between different sectors, and opportunities for strengthening joint initiatives at the local and national levels.
You can read more about the presented good practices in the future on the Duri web portal, the Slovenia-wide platform for support and development of cultural heritage. You can also follow us by subscribing to our newsletter.
