The third edition of the Conference on the Safeguarding and Interpretation of Croatia’s Maritime Heritage will take place—following previous editions in Rijeka and Betina—in Rovinj-Rovigno from October 2 to 4, 2026. The occasion for holding the conference is a major and significant anniversary: ten years since the inscription of the Batana Ecomuseum in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Cultural Heritage. This anniversary represents an exceptionally important moment for joint reflection on past achievements, as well as for considering future directions for the development and management of maritime heritage in Croatia and beyond.
The conference is organized by the "Kuća o batani-Casa della batana" Institution and Association – Rovinj-Rovigno, the Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral Rijeka, the Croatian Maritime Museum Split, the Museum of Betina Wooden Shipbuilding, and the Coordination of Associations for the Preservation and Revitalization of Maritime, Fishing, and Shipbuilding Heritage of Kvarner and Istria. Across 5 thematic sessions, it will feature presenters from museums, interpretation centers, the academic community, decision-makers, and tradition bearers themselves, with the goal of strengthening the dialogue between conservation practice and policy.
Presenters from Cres, Komiža, Krk, Malinska, Mošćenička Draga, Pula, Rijeka, Rovinj-Rovigno, Savudrija, Split, Tar-Vabriga, Umag, Vrsar, Zadar, and Zagreb will address key questions related to contemporary interpretation models, institutional development, sustainability, and networking, with a special emphasis on involving new generations in heritage preservation processes. This year’s focus goes beyond presenting good practices to include the exchange of experiences, critical reflection, and the encouragement of new forms of cooperation and partnerships. In this context, the conference expands into an international dimension through a round table held in cooperation with the UNESCO Regional Centre in Sofia, enabling the exchange of experiences and fostering dialogue among countries of Southeast Europe and the Mediterranean.
The side program will showcase a portion of Rovinj's maritime heritage through demonstration rowing and sailing aboard traditional Rovinj batana boats, a traditional skills workshop, and a guided group tour of the Rovinj archipelago led by Marino Budicin.
The sponsors of the Conference, which will be held on the ground floor of the "A. Gandusio" Theater, are the City of Rovinj-Rovigno / Città di Rovinj-Rovigno, the Tourist Board of the City of Rovinj / l’Ente per il turismo della città di Rovigno, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, and the Croatian Commission for UNESCO. The event partners are UNESCO Sofia (Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO), the Croatian National Committee of ICOM, the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Rijeka, the Section for Croatian Maritime Heritage of the Scientific Council for Maritime Affairs at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU), and the Forum of Slavic Cultures.