In September 2018, a replication and co-creation workshop have been hosted by the city of Lisbon (CML and ICS-UL), co-organised by EUROCITIES and URBASOFIA, moderators of two sessions, both dedicated to Learning from and with Lisbon on citizens engagement for cultural heritage in neighbourhoods.
URBASOFIA has facilitated the replication workshop, supporting in the identification of what works, why and how to transfer it to a wider audience of cities (Arezzo, Athens, Bologna, Bristol, Eindhoven, Helsinki, Turin and Vilnius). The replication workshop offered the participants an opportunity to learn from and capitalise on the lessons learned from an innovative approach implemented by Lisbon on citizens engagement and cultural heritage. The objectives of the replication workshop were:
- Learn from the experiences and capitalise on the lessons learned from a city that has piloted an innovative approach that has led to promising results.
- Identify success factors that can help the transferability, scalability or replication of the innovative approach to other urban contexts.
- Discuss challenges and obstacles in the process of implementation and how to overcome them.
The workshop format was interactive, with a strong focus on collaborative learning, where the audience examined in depth the particular case study of the Marvila and Beato Interpretive Centre (presented by Alexandra Anibal, Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Direção Municipal de Cultura). Participants discussed the lessons learned and ideas on how to apply them to other urban contexts, such as in their own cities.
As presented by the city of Lisbon, the case study was focused on the Marvila and Beato Interpretive Centre, including the participatory inventory methodology, which was later discussed and explored through situation-based group work. The Interpretive Centre was created in the Marvila’s Library through a participatory approach in which the local community (residents, local institutions, entities with local intervention) was called to participate actively. Its main objective was to gather knowledge about the cultural, material and immaterial patrimony of the parish, making it available to the public in an appealing, playful and innovative way. Lisbon methodology was based on a bottom-up safeguard strategy, encouraging the direct participation of communities. A participatory/ open inventory was developed, which offers the communities an opportunity to present their own tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Lastly, the workshop aimed at mapping the essential transferability factors to adapt the practice in the other present cities, the audience being guided by the following questions:
- What can we learn from this case study? What is the added value of the innovative approach?
- What worked well and why? (identifying success factors)
- What didn’t work so well and why? (challenges/obstacles met in the process)
- Which elements can be transferred to other urban contexts? (transferability factors)
- Which participating cities would consider transferring (parts of) this innovative approach?
