Lectures and Academic Collaboration

During the first days of the summer school, students attended a series of lectures delivered by professors from both partner universities:

• Daniele Sferra (UNIVE) – Project manager at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Vice-President of the EFFORTS network  
  • Fortified Heritage Business Ecosystem: A Cultural Tourism Perspective – The Best Practice of Forte Marghera
• Khalid W. A. Shomali, Ph.D. (UNIVE) - Researcher at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site Label and Sustainable Tourism in Europe: A User-Generated Content Analysisž
• Full professor Kristina Afrić Rakitovac (UNIPU), Ph.D. 
  • Sustainable Valorisation of Fortified Heritage
• Associate professor. Nataša Urošević (UNIPU), Ph.D.  
  • Participatory Governance of Adriatic Coastal Fortifications – Case Study Pula

Students also had the opportunity to hear from Rosana Nenadić, conservator at the Conservation Department in Pula, who presented St. Michael’s Fortress – the central project location on the Croatian side of the FORTIC initiative.

Activities

The summer school included two key project-based activities:

• Green Outdoor Incubator – an activity that included lectures about St. Michael’s Fortress, as well as a visit and guided tour of the site, during which students learned about its history, importance, and surroundings, in order to later develop ideas for its creative and sustainable reuse.
• Cross-border workshop – a one-day collaborative activity in which mixed teams of students from Croatia and Italy worked on developing a concept for a sustainable tourism brand based on fortified heritage in the cross-border area.

Visits and Cultural Programme

As part of the summer school, a study visit was organised to the Morosini-Grimani Castle in Svetvinčenat, a best-practice example of fortified heritage valorisation. Through guided tours and the interactive game Escape the Castle, students explored the site in a fun and engaging way, gaining insight into the potential for adaptive reuse of similar locations.

Students and professors also had the opportunity to explore the historic centre of Pula through a guided walking tour, with a special focus on key heritage landmarks such as the Amphitheatre (Arena), Forum, Temple of Augustus, and other important sites.

As part of the programme, participants attended the Night of Fortresses event, organised by the City of Pula as one of the FORTIC project activities, in celebration of Europe Day. Before the guided tour of the fortifications included in the event, the group was welcomed by Mayor of Pula Filip Zoričić and Head of the EU Projects Office, Maša Mihelić.

Heritage as a Platform for Collaboration

The summer school provided an excellent opportunity for knowledge and experience exchange between students and professors from both countries, while also raising awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary and participatory approaches to the preservation of cultural heritage.

St. Michael’s Fortress, as the central project location on the Croatian side, served as a real-world setting for collaborative work, exploration, and the development of ideas for its potential future role within the local community.

You can view the photo gallery at the following link:

• https://photos.app.goo.gl/TdtraunSsGDi7Cp3A

Project description:

Project title: FORTIC - From remains Of the war to the aRchiTecture of peace in cross-border area of Italy-Croatia

Funded by: Interreg Italy–Croatia Programme 2021-2027