CIRCE - InClusive valorIsation model foR Controversial cultural hEritage in the Mediterranean Harbours and beyond

In today’s multicultural societies, Controversial Cultural Heritage (CCH) often sparks debate due to its association with historical conflicts, marginalised communities, and contested narratives. CCH includes monuments, artworks, and intangible heritage depicting racialised, minoritised, gendered, and religious groups. CCH is threatened by mis/underrepresentation, or erasure, also because of a lack of consistent strategies for identifying, interpreting, and managing CCH, particularly in Europe. The CIRCE project tackles this challenge through the elaboration of an interdisciplinary and co-created model aimed at fostering inclusive and participatory approaches to CCH management. While discussions on CCH frequently focus on colonial and totalitarian-era monuments, CIRCE extends the analysis to medieval and early modern heritage, emphasizing Jewish, Muslim, and Black histories in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions. Case studies include contested/neglected CH in Italy, Spain, Croatia, Tunisia, and Kenya. The project recognizes the role of migration and global power dynamics in shaping contemporary heritage debates and stresses the need for collaboration with African partners to decentralize perspectives. CIRCE is structured around 3 research objectives: (1) developing a framework for identifying and interpreting CCH, (2) co-creating tools for its valorisation (including a multilingual glossary and an Atlas of Controversial Cultural Heritage) and (3) implementing training programs for CH and tourism professionals, including a MOOC and guidelines for cultural institutions. By adopting a participatory, decolonial approach, CIRCE aims to transform CCH from a source of division into a shared cultural resource fostering inclusion and dialogue. Through artistic collaboration and community engagement, the project promotes new ways of narrating and visualizing heritage, ensuring its responsible preservation and meaningful reinterpretation in evolving global contexts.