The Cross-Border Heritage Bridge project aims to strengthen the legal protection and professional safeguarding of archaeological heritage in the Western Balkans through structured peer-to-peer exchange, institutional cooperation, and targeted capacity building among archaeologists and heritage professionals from Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Herzegovina Museum in Trebinje as the host organisation and the Macedonian Archaeological Society as the strategic partner, both of which play a key role in mobilizing professional networks and ensuring the sustainability and transferability of knowledge across the sector.
During the summer of 2026 (June – September) we have successfully developed and realised two workshops. We ended July with a workshop in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and started September with the second workshop in Skopje, North Macedonia. Each of these workshops is followed by a handbook tackling topics such as insufficient knowledge of heritage legislation and enforcement procedures, which weaken the protection of archaeological sites in the context of development pressures, illegal excavations, the importance of archaeological documentation and its digital possibilities, as well as illicit trafficking of cultural property.
The project emphasizes capacity building, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and regional networking, engaging both experienced professionals and young archaeologists to ensure sustainable outcomes. By fostering cross-border cooperation, strengthening legal awareness, and building lasting professional networks, the project contributes to a more coordinated and sustainable approach to archaeological heritage protection across the Western Balkans.
‘Cross-Border Heritage Bridge’ is supported by UNESCO, through the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs) project, funded by the European Union. The project is focused on fostering dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact. Over a 48-month period, the CC4WBs project aims to improve the performance of the cultural and creative sectors in order to enhance skills, knowledge, access to financial aid to increase competitiveness and sustain co-production and circulation of goods and services in the Western Balkans.
