On 22 and 23 April 2026, Baia Castle, home to the Archaeological Museum of Campi Flegrei, became a meeting place for international cooperation, professional training and cultural exchange within the European project EMPATHS – EMpowering Landscapes with Participatory Approaches To Heritage Interpretation Skills. The two-day programme brought together the European partners of EMPATHS to review the work carried out so far, plan the next stages of the project and discuss how participatory approaches can contribute to changing the ways cultural heritage is interpreted, managed and shared with communities. An international meeting in the Campi Flegrei: The first day was devoted to the third transnational project meeting, coordinated by Interpret Europe – European Association for Heritage Interpretation. Partners discussed the progress of the project, the development of its methodological framework and training activities, and the next steps towards testing participatory Heritage Interpretation in different European contexts. CNR-IRISS contributed to the scientific activities of the meeting through Giuseppe Pace, working in cooperation with the Archaeological Park of Campi Flegrei within the framework of the scientific partnership established between the two institutions. The working sessions were complemented by visits to sites within the Archaeological Park, allowing the international partners to engage directly with the cultural landscape of the Campi Flegrei and to reflect on the relationship between methodology, heritage places and local contexts. This direct encounter with the territory was particularly significant for EMPATHS, whose approach is based on the idea that Heritage Interpretation should not be developed only through theoretical models, but should be tested and adapted through interaction with real places, institutions and communities.
Presenting EMPATHS to the public: On 23 April, the Conference Hall of the Archaeological Museum hosted the EMPATHS Public Multiplier Event, an open meeting aimed at presenting the project, its objectives and the training programme developed for heritage professionals. The European partners introduced the structure and content of the EMPATHS Training Programme, explaining how it seeks to provide heritage professionals with theoretical and practical tools for developing more participatory approaches to interpretation. At the centre of the discussion was a broader change in the role of heritage professionals: from communicating narratives mainly selected by experts to facilitating dialogue among the different meanings, memories and values that people associate with heritage places. The event also provided the opportunity to officially launch the call for participation in the EMPATHS Training Programme, addressed to cultural heritage professionals, young practitioners, volunteers, researchers and experts interested in developing new skills in participatory Heritage Interpretation.
Heritage interpretation as a shared process: The afternoon continued with an open round table chaired by Valentina Russo, Director of the School of Specialisation in Architectural and Landscape Heritage of the University of Naples Federico II, an associated partner of the EMPATHS project. Participants discussed the role of local communities in the interpretation and care of cultural heritage, as well as the opportunities and challenges involved in moving towards more inclusive forms of heritage practice.
A central theme emerging from the discussion was that participation does not simply mean inviting people to take part in activities designed in advance. It requires creating the conditions for different actors to contribute their knowledge, experiences and perspectives to the construction of heritage meanings. From this perspective, Heritage Interpretation can become a space for dialogue between professional expertise, institutional responsibilities and community knowledge, helping to strengthen both the social relevance of heritage and the capacity of communities to engage with its future.
Research, training and culture at Baia Castle: The two-day initiative concluded with “Sounds from the Mediterranean”, a musical event by Archaion Echos and La Coriòla, followed by an informal gathering for participants and guests.
By combining an international project meeting, professional training, public discussion and cultural activities, the event highlighted the potential of Baia Castle and the Archaeological Park of Campi Flegrei as places of experimentation where heritage, research and community participation can meet. The initiative also marked an important step in the implementation of EMPATHS in Italy, preparing the ground for the training and participatory activities to be developed with heritage professionals and local communities in the Campi Flegrei.