Date: 25-27 September, 2025
Venue: University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria
Participation: tbd.
Conference language: English
The EU Horizon STECCI research project is pleased to announce the 1st STECCI Conference: Preserving Cultural Heritage in Times of Climate Change, to be held from September 25-27, 2025, at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The call for abstracts is now open, and we invite scholars and researchers from across disciplines to submit their work.
About the STECCI Project
Launched in 2023, the STECCI research project is dedicated to developing sustainable and innovative strategies for protecting Europe’s cultural heritage from the increasing threats of climate change. The project focuses on stećci, medieval tombstones found in the Balkans, and explores their preservation within the broader framework of climate change resilience and cultural heritage conservation.
This interdisciplinary conference will present the preliminary findings of the STECCI project while providing a platform for international researchers to contribute their insights. We welcome submissions from diverse fields, including conservation science, environmental sciences, life sciences, tourism, social sciences, natural sciences, and the humanities.
Call for Abstracts
We invite submissions on the following topics:
- Climate change impacts and vulnerability assessment of tangible heritage
- Advanced methodologies and environmentally sustainable solutions in heritage conservation
- Social and economic impact of climate change on cultural heritage
- Digitalization of cultural heritage
Abstracts should be submitted by May 15, 2025. Please refer to the enclosed announcement for submission guidelines and further details.
Information on the STECCI Project
The STECCI project aims to develop pioneering protection strategies to safeguard cultural heritage from climate change, environmental pollution, and anthropogenic threats. With a focus on medieval tombstones (stećci) and other stone monuments, the project employs an interdisciplinary approach to analyze their future under different climate scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) across three time periods: near-term (2021-2040), medium-term (2041-2060), and long-term (2081-2100), as per IPCC projections.
Recognized as UNESCO World Heritage since 2016, stećci are unique medieval tombstones found in Bosnia and Herzegovina (>70,000), Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. These remarkable monuments, adorned with distinctive shapes, intricate carvings, and medieval inscriptions, represent a rich cultural and historical heritage. Despite their significance, no comprehensive assessment has been conducted to ensure their sustainable conservation. The STECCI project aims to fill this gap while extending its research to other limestone monuments in France, Austria, Malta, and Germany.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Heritage Conservation
The project integrates expertise from conservation science, climate and environmental sciences, life sciences, social sciences, creative industries, and economics to tackle the effects of climate change on cultural heritage. Through cutting-edge research and technology, the project will:
- Trace deterioration patterns of cultural monuments under varying climate conditions.
- Develop the first scientifically-backed Preservation Guidelines for limestone monuments under different climate scenarios.
- Create economic models to support optimal decision-making in cultural heritage conservation.
- Implement low-cost digitalization strategies to meet EU policies requiring the 3D digitization of endangered heritage sites.
- Foster community engagement through citizen science, storytelling, and creative placemaking.
- Establish social labs and hands-on training initiatives to empower researchers, conservators, policymakers, and local communities.
The project serves as a testament to collaborative research and heritage conservation across borders, fostering cooperation among nations once divided by conflict. By promoting shared cultural values and sustainable heritage management, STECCI aims to strengthen social cohesion and combat radicalism through education, awareness, and policy advocacy.
Spread the Word!
We encourage scholars, researchers, and professionals in the field of heritage science and climate change adaptation to participate in this significant event. Please share this call for abstracts within your networks and help us advance the field of cultural heritage preservation in the face of climate change.
For more details, visit the website.
Join us in Vienna in September 2025 and contribute to the future of cultural heritage preservation!