Date: 28 September – 2 October, 2026

Location: Vytautas Magnus University and Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum, Kaunas, Lithuania

Organisers: Vytautas Magnus University, Estonian Academy of Art, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Application deadline: 15 August 2026

Funding: Students should contact the International Office at their home university for information about Erasmus+ funding opportunities.

Apply HERE.

More information HERE.

Overview of the event:

Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and multiple geopolitical crisis worldwide have sparked widespread debate about the impact of war and hybrid threats on Europe, as well as the importance of culture and heritage in the face of such threats. Culture and heritage are at the centre of these discussions because they have become primary targets of war crimes. However, this argument also highlights how culture can encourage resistance to propaganda and the manipulation of historical symbols. Furthermore, it emphasizes that different interpretations of heritage help to foster resilience and diverse identity narratives. Culture is also seen as a geopolitical tool, and European cultural policy acts as a ‘soft power’ that promotes dialogue and cooperation but also refuses to cooperate with aggressive states. This workshop examines the impact of war on culture, heritage, and collective memory in the context of both current and historical wars, with particular attention to how cultural responses help societies resist manipulation, foster critical thinking, and shape identity and resilience. Drawing on examples ranging from the destruction of heritage sites and the experience of occupation to contemporary challenges such as disinformation and the manipulation of historical narratives, the workshop brings together historians, art researchers, and museum professionals to discuss culture and heritage as contested arenas of struggle. In doing so, it highlights their potential not only as targets of conflict but also as powerful instruments of resistance, social cohesion, and resilience in times of war. The workshop takes place at the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum, one of the largest memorial sites commemorating Nazi victims and an institution dedicated to preserving the memory of multiple war-related traumas. It will involve group-based student work centred on a museum-defined problem related to cultural responses to war.

Students will apply a problem-solving approach, supported by mentors and through consultations with academic staff and museum professionals. Lectures, meetings with experts, and site visits will cover topics such as:

1. Heritage at Risk: Protecting Cultural Assets in Wartime: Destruction, looting, and displacement of cultural objects.
2. Narratives and Propaganda, The Weaponisation of History: Disinformation and historical manipulation.
3. Culture as Resistance and Survival: Artistic responses to war. Grassroots cultural initiatives in occupied regions.
4. Museums and Cultural Institutions as Agents of Resilience: Crisis communication and institutional responsibility during war.
5. The War on Memory and Post-Colonial Perspective: The role of cultural heritage in a postcolonial context. Reinterpreting the legacy of occupations and colonialisms.