Vytautas Magnus University, the Estonian Academy of Art, and Universidade Católica Portuguesa invite students to register for the Erasmus+ BIP programme Regional Workshop “Cultural Responses to War: Shaping Heritage, Building Resilience”.

This intensive workshop takes place from September 28 to October 2, 2026, in Kaunas, Lithuania, at Vytautas Magnus University and the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum.

Workshop Focus and Objectives

The program addresses the impact of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and global geopolitical crises on European culture and heritage. Participants will explore how culture serves as a primary target in war crimes, but also as a powerful tool for resistance against propaganda and the manipulation of historical symbols.

Throughout the week, students will:

• Engage in group-based work focused on specific museum-defined problems related to war.
• Apply problem-solving approaches with support from academic mentors and museum professionals.
• Analyze culture and heritage as “contested arenas of struggle” and instruments of social cohesion.

Key Program Topics
The curriculum includes lectures, site visits, and expert meetings covering:

• Heritage at Risk: Protection, destruction, and looting of cultural assets during wartime.
• The Weaponisation of History: Disinformation and the manipulation of historical narratives.
• Culture as Resistance: Artistic responses to war and grassroots initiatives in occupied regions.
• Museums as Agents of Resilience: Institutional responsibility and crisis communication.
• Post-Colonial Perspectives: Reinterpreting the legacy of occupations and colonialisms.

Registration and Funding
Students interested in participating should follow these steps to secure their spot:

• Contact Your Local Office: Please reach out to your local T4EU office regarding specific participation and available funding options.
• Inquiries: For further questions, contact the event coordinators at Transform4Europe@vdu.lt.

This workshop is co-funded by the European Union.