The Sybir Memorial Museum had the honor of showcasing its activities during The Best in Heritage conference, held on 22–24 October 2025 in Barcelona. Invited as the winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize, the Museum participated in the “Projects of Influence” panel, where it presented how it engages the Sybirak community in its educational, cultural, and research initiatives, builds international dialogue, and involves local communities.
The 24th edition of The Best in Heritage gathered representatives of 40 institutions — museums, libraries, and cultural centers — of global significance, all awarded prestigious international prizes in 2024. The participants included winners of the European Museum of the Year Award, the European Heritage Awards, and the European Museum Academy prizes, as well as institutions honored across Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. The Sybir Memorial Museum was the only Polish institution invited to this exceptional event in 2025. Its presence among such distinguished organizations confirmed the international relevance of its mission and demonstrated that the memory of the Sybiraks carries a universal meaning that is both important and accessible to audiences worldwide.
The founder and organizer of the initiative, renowned Croatian museologist Prof. Tomislav Šola, emphasized that The Best in Heritage brings together the “best of the best,” representing the true crème de la crème in cultural heritage protection and promotion. The conference presented a global overview of top practices and innovative approaches in this field. The event took place in some of Barcelona’s leading cultural venues: CaixaForum Barcelona, El Born Museu d’Història de Barcelona, Ateneu Barcelonès, and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.
As the organizers highlighted, The Best in Heritage is not a competition. Instead, it serves as a space for reflection, the exchange of experiences, and the presentation of inspiring methods of protecting and interpreting cultural heritage. Each year, through voting involving moderators, representatives of the previous year’s Projects of Influence laureates, and the audience, two projects are selected. In the 2025 IMAGINES panel — focused on new technologies and multimedia — the highlighted project was In Our Care: The Keepers’ Choice by the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga of Portugal, presented by Adelaide Lopes and João Estrada. The title of “Project of Influence – The Best in Heritage” was awarded to the Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Art in Ukraine, presented by Yuliya Vaganova.
The Best in Heritage remains a space for creative dialogue, where museums and heritage institutions can respond to contemporary challenges without losing authenticity. This year’s edition reaffirmed that best practices in culture and heritage flourish not through competition, but through mutual learning and shared curiosity. The voices of representatives from institutions across continents led to a common conclusion: diverse experiences — whether rooted in local communities or emerging from large-scale digital initiatives — enrich our collective understanding of cultural heritage stewardship.
The meeting in Barcelona served as a reminder that the most influential heritage initiatives combine innovation with integrity, and that professional dialogue remains the most valuable tool in consciously shaping the future.
Photo: TBIH2025
