Between 8 and 11 October 2025, the Forum of Slavic Cultures (FSK) celebrated the 11th edition of the Živa Award with an international conference and the announcement of the winners in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The event was held under the auspices of Nikola Selaković, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and President of the FSK Board, who contributed a special monetary prize for the Best Slavic Heritage Site winner. The Živa Award and conference were hosted by the Municipality of Trebinje, represented by Mayor Mirko Ćurić, who provided substantial support alongside the director of the Museum of Herzegovina in Trebinje, Ivana Grujić, and several other organisers, including Sarita Vujković, director of the renowned Museum of Contemporary Art in Banja Luka and a member of the Živa Award Jury.
Živa Award Recipients
Croatian Natural History Museum
Zagreb, Croatia
Jury justification:
The ŽIVA Award Jury has decided to honour the Croatian Natural History Museum with the 2025 Best Slavic Museum Award in recognition of its long-term and continuous efforts in researching and interpreting Croatia’s natural heritage. The jury also recognised how the museum coped with the aftermath of a natural disaster, continuing its long-standing activities while fully developing its programme, exhibitions, and approach to visitors. The jury applauds the museum’s tireless efforts to document and recount the natural history of our climate and world. Its exhibitions, workshops, scientific research and extensive natural history collection have established the museum as a leading institution in this field.
NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum Ohrid
Ohrid, North Macedonia
Jury justification:
The ŽIVA Award Jury has decided to honour the NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum – Ohrid with the 2025 Best Slavic Heritage Site Award in recognition of its efforts to protect and interpret the vast cultural landscape around the lake, which presents a unique example of the interplay between nature and human activity. The Institute has breathed new life into the site’s heritage and continuously enhances it with new archaeological research and national and international initiatives, leading to surprising discoveries. The combination of high-level conservation work, scientific research and museum practice makes the Institute an exemplar of sustainable heritage protection.
Jury justification:
The new Živa Award Best in Preserving Slavic Heritage Worldwide aims to highlight and promote ethnic communities from cross border regions and emigrant communities of Slavic origin around the world, preserving their Slavic cultural heritage and identities. Even in its first year, this award has attracted four institutions from different regions that have been acknowledged by the Živa Award Jury for their uniqueness and accomplishments. The Živa Award Jury has thus decided to honour each of them with a Diploma for Preserving Slavic Heritage Worldwide.
Fisheries Museum of the Trieste Littoral
Santa Croce di Trieste (Križ pri Trstu) / Italy
Official website
The Fisheries Museum in Santa Croce receives the recognition for its contribution to disseminating knowledge and for highlighting the significance of Slovenian sea fishing and maritime history at the cross-border Trieste region between Slovenia and Italy, as well as for building the museum in Santa Croce.
Museum of the People of the Resia Valley
Stolvizza (Solbica) / Italy
Official website
Kanizsai Dorottya Museum
Mohács / Hungary
Official website
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
Cedar Rapids, Iowa / United States of America
Official website
