This year’s Živa has concluded in Bled, bringing together museums and cultural institutions from across the Slavic world. Over four days, the international gathering welcomed more than 150 participants from 16 countries and featured a conference, presentations by nominees, professional exchanges, a museum marketplace, and opportunities to explore Bled’s heritage.
From 30 September to 3 October, Bled hosted Živa 2026, an international platform organised by the Forum of Slavic Cultures to connect museums, cultural institutions and heritage professionals. This year’s central theme, “Myth and Memory in the Slavic Cultural Space,” explored how myths, stories and collective memory are preserved, transformed and reinterpreted, as well as how museums can bring heritage closer to contemporary society.
From Slavic Myths to the Role of Museums in the 21st Century
The programme opened on 30 September with the inauguration of Živa 2026 in Bled and the presentation of the Heritage in Motion Awards. The main professional programme continued with a conference featuring two keynote speakers: Noah Charney, American writer and art historian, and Michal Stehlík, historian and Director of the Czech Museum of Literature.
Charney explored the world of Slavic mythology and folklore, reflecting on how stories of vampires, werewolves and other mythical beings reflect people’s fears, values and relationship with nature. Stehlík addressed the changing social role of museums in the 21st century and the challenges brought about by digitalisation.
An important part of the programme was the presentation of 43 nominees from 16 countries. Museums and other cultural institutions presented their projects, approaches and methods of interpreting heritage, while sharing experiences and perspectives on the future of museum work with fellow participants.
A Look at the Previous Živa Laureates and a Space for Exchange
The programme also featured presentations by the 2025 Živa Award laureates: the Croatian Natural History Museum, recipient of the award for the Best Slavic Museum, and the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments and Museum – Ohrid from North Macedonia, recipient of the award for the Best Slavic Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. Their presentations offered insights into their work and projects and encouraged further professional exchange.
The museum marketplace also held a special place in the programme, providing participants with an opportunity to present projects, publications and other activities of their institutions, while also creating space for informal networking.
Bled as a Place of Heritage
The Živa programme extended beyond the conference venues. The gathering also offered participants an opportunity to experience Bled as a place where natural and cultural heritage, history, art and contemporary life come together.
The professional gathering concluded on 3 October with a programme dedicated to Bled’s heritage. In addition to the professional sessions, participants had the opportunity to discover the local environment that hosted this year’s Živa.
Živa as a Space for Connection
The four-day gathering brought together 43 nominated institutions and more than 150 representatives of museums and cultural institutions from 16 countries in Bled.
“Živa is not merely an award; above all, it is a network of people and institutions who believe that heritage can also be safeguarded by opening it up to new interpretations and new audiences,” said Dr Andreja Rihter, Director of the Forum of Slavic Cultures, during this year’s gathering.
Hosting Živa 2026 was also an opportunity to present Bled as a place of cultural dialogue, professional exchange and international cooperation. “Živa is a space where different stories, experiences and perspectives on heritage come together,” said Mag. Lea Ferjan, Director of the Bled Culture Institute.
Živa 2026 thus brought together professional discussion, presentations of museum practices, international networking and an exploration of local heritage in Bled. Once again, the gathering highlighted the importance of cooperation and the exchange of experience in safeguarding, researching, interpreting and presenting cultural heritage.
The 13th Živa Award ceremony will take place in October 2027 on the island of Krk, Croatia.
Photos: Boris Pretnar
