On 17–18 June 2025, the city of Venice (Italy) welcomed the AQUATIK-EU International Conference at the historic Cotonificio complex of Università IUAV. Held under the title “Water Heritage and Communities: Enhancing the Cultural and Social Value of Water”, the two-day event gathered project partners, academics, practitioners, and institutional representatives to explore the vital role of water in shaping both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
The conference was organised by ALDA – the European Association for Local Democracy, in collaboration with the Global Network of Water Museums (WAMU-NET), within the framework of AQUATIK-EU, a European project funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme of the European Union.
Exploring the Cultural and Social Value of Water
ALDA inaugurated the conference, setting the stage for a rich exchange of ideas. This was followed by a keynote by Eriberto Eulisse (WAMU-NET) titled “Towards an inclusive definition of ‘museum’: The Global Network of Water Museums and the UNESCO-IHP Resolution on the World Inventory of Water Museums”.
The morning continued with Matteo D’Agostino from Delft University of Technology, who delved into “Capturing water, culture, and heritage through mapping”, offering valuable insights into interdisciplinary research methods.
The afternoon featured practical and digital innovations:
- Lucio Bonato (WAMU-NET) presented the Izi Travel app as a tool for promoting water heritage through digital tours.
- Eriberto Eulisse returned with a session on the potential of digital museums to enhance accessibility and awareness.
A hands-on workshop led by Vladimiro Boselli and Irene Leonardelli explored the cultural and social value of water, encouraging participants to reflect and co-create. The day concluded with a public conference featuring international reflections, followed by a networking aperitif.
Broadening the Dialogue: Day Two
The second day of the conference brought new international perspectives.
- Lucrezia Gigante (University of Glasgow) and Yixin Cao (University of Strasbourg) shared research exploring emotional and experiential connections between people and waterscapes.
- Edo Bricchetti offered a powerful online intervention on the centrality of community participation in eco-museums, highlighting inclusive heritage models.
The event wrapped up with a cultural itinerary through Venice, following the Izi Travel route and ending in the workshop of a traditional artisan (Le forcole di Saverio Pastor), offering participants a direct encounter with the city’s living heritage.
In a time marked by climate crises and social disconnection, the AQUATIK-EU project serves as a timely reminder: water is more than a resource — it is a carrier of identity, memory, and community. The conference reinforced the idea that inclusive, community-driven governance is essential to preserve this heritage and ensure its transmission to future generations.
