The AR&PA – Iberian Biennial of Cultural Heritage, a benchmark event in the sector, is taking place in Angra do Heroísmo from the 12th to the 15th of this month, with the participation of more than half a hundred national and European organizations.
This year’s event, on the theme of “Technology and Heritage,” is being held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the inscription of the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What models can bring heritage management closer to the people? What is the future of Portugal’s 17 World Heritage sites? – are some of the issues being debated at the biennial, promoted by Spira – revitalizing heritage, in partnership with the Regional Government and the Angra municipality.

According to the organization, during the event, “more than 50 Portuguese, Spanish and other European entities will present their work in cultural heritage, in a unique exhibition, bringing together public and private entities, schools and research centers, start-ups and artisans”.
The program also includes “exclusive visits, exhibitions, demonstrations of craft techniques, walks through Terceira’s cultural heritage, concerts, heritage education activities, lectures and round tables for all interested members of the public.”
Among the moments of debate, the organization highlights TalkPatrimonio.pt, on the theme “Decentralization of heritage policies,” on the 13th of this month.
The initiative “brings together Portuguese, British, French, and Spanish experts to discuss examples of cultural heritage policies that are close to communities, seeking to identify their advantages and risks at a time when the sector’s public institutions in Portugal are undergoing a profound reorganization.”

On the same day, the International Heritage Talks, dedicated to “Technology at the Service of Heritage,” is, according to the organization, “an opportunity to learn about national and international projects in which technology plays a central role in management, visitation, and experience and in science applied to the heritage experience.”
The organization also points to the Talk on the 14th on “Intangible Heritage, a Heritage of the Future,” which will debate “the more than 17 world heritage classifications and nine intangible cultural heritage classifications in Portugal, the enhancement of these past practices and their inscription in the future”.
The 2023 edition of AR&PA is also “a privileged stage for public recognition of the excellence of the work carried out in the sector, through the Iberian Heritage Awards, which distinguish good practices in projects, entities, and professionals.”
In the 2nd edition of the Iberian Heritage Awards, projects started and/or carried out between September 2021 and September 2023 will be honored, with 83 applications having been submitted for five categories: Best Mediation Project, Best Communication Strategy, Best Partnership Project, Best Cultural Touring Project and Special 2023: Best Technology Project applied to Heritage.

The prizes, which will be awarded at a public ceremony on October 13, also include the Iberian Heritage Prize category, awarded by choice of the jury to the project, event, or initiative that has distinguished itself by its contribution to the effective enhancement of the cultural heritage of the Iberian Peninsula.
Since 2017, AR&PA has been held in Valladolid, Spain, on even-numbered years and in Portugal on odd-numbered years, “always itinerant and based on the establishment of partnerships with public and private entities that support the various components of the event.”

in Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.

A gentle reminder that October is our annual Crowdfunding event. We have a goal of 22 thousand dollars to assist with the multitude of projects we have going on, from Oral history collection to producing documentation on the Portuguese-American experience in Central California, from our speaker and conference series to Bruma Publications, from the Cagarro Colloquium to the Alfred Lewis Bilingual Reading Series, from this NOVIDADES news platform to FILAMENTOS, arts, and letters in the Azorean Diaspora, from ADAM (Azores Diaspora Media Alliance) to the implementation of a Diaspora Forum. Please donate. With your help, this community-based grassroots fundraiser can reach our goal of 22 thousand dollars by October 31. Thanks so much. Here is the link. If you prefer to donate with a check, please make the checks to Fresno State Foundation and mail them to Diniz Borges, 1418 Clarete Avenue, Tulare-CA 93274.

bit.ly/46fdNIo