The Šibenik Fortress of Culture took part in the congress of the European FORTE CULTURA Network entitled “From Cádiz to Europe: Fortifications and Sustainable Tourism”, held from 21 to 24 April 2026 in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain.
FORTE CULTURA is a European network of fortification sites that brings together fortresses, historic defensive systems, and institutions dedicated to the protection, valorisation, and sustainable management of fortification heritage. The Šibenik Fortress of Culture has been an active member of the network since 2019. The aim of the network is to encourage international cooperation, exchange knowledge, and develop sustainable cultural tourism through joint projects and initiatives.
The congress gathered fortress managers, representatives of public institutions, cultural heritage experts, researchers, and members of international networks who work together on the preservation and sustainable management of fortification heritage. A special emphasis was placed on sharing experiences, examples of good practice, and the development of new models of cooperation among European sites.
Within the framework of the GIFTSnet project, implemented through the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme, the Šibenik Fortress of Culture presented the Night of Fortresses Goes Green event as an example of successfully linking cultural heritage, sustainable tourism, and the active involvement of the local community.
The event was presented by Đurđa Vrljević Šarić, Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Projects at the Šibenik Fortress of Culture, who emphasised the importance of connecting fortification sites and jointly creating programmes that bring cultural heritage closer to people.
During the congress, the fifth edition of the Night of Fortresses event was also announced, to be held on 8 and 9 May 2026. European sites were invited to join this initiative, which promotes sustainable tourism, the preservation of cultural heritage, and active community participation.
The development of the GIFTS network was also presented, focused on knowledge exchange, strengthening cooperation among partners, and developing sustainable models for managing fortification heritage. The network brings together partners from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro with the goal of jointly developing cultural tourism and achieving stronger international networking.
The GIFTSnet project is financed through the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme and has a duration of 30 months. In addition to the Šibenik Fortress of Culture as the lead partner, the project is implemented by the City of Karlovac, the City of Banja Luka, the Museum of Herzegovina Trebinje, the Municipality of Bar, and the Municipality of Ulcinj.
The project is focused on strengthening the sustainable and inclusive development of cultural tourism through improving the management of fortification heritage, exchanging knowledge among partners, and developing joint models of cooperation at the international level. Through GIFTSnet, the international network of fortification sites is further developed, with the aim of long-term integration of cultural heritage, local communities, and sustainable tourism development.
This publication was produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Šibenik Fortress of Culture Public Institution and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
