FORTE CULTURA Network

FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026, La Línea de la Concepción (ES)
2026-04-21 00:00 - 2026-04-24 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) | La Línea de la Concepción, La Línea de la Concepción, Spain
“From Cádiz to Europe: Fortifications and Sustainable Tourism”

FORTE CULTURA General Assembly 2026

FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 “From Cádiz to Europe: Fortifications and Sustainable Tourism”

Excursions to La Línea de la Concepción, Cádiz, Tarifa and probably Gibraltar

Exchange and get together

Context and Motivation

European fortified heritage is increasingly recognised not only as a testimony of shared history, but also as a strategic resource for sustainable territorial development. In border regions in particular, fortifications embody layered identities, military histories, and longstanding interactions between communities, states, and cultures. La Línea de la Concepción, located at the southern gateway of Europe and in direct dialogue with Gibraltar, Morocco and the wider Mediterranean context, offers a highly relevant setting to reflect on the contemporary role of fortifications. Its defensive systems illustrate how military architecture has shaped landscapes, urban development, and cross-border relations. Today, these assets raise key questions related to governance, cooperation, inclusion, and sustainable tourism development.

The FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 builds on the outcomes of previous editions and positions itself within a broader European perspective. It aims to explore how fortified heritage can function as a platform for networking and cooperation across regions and borders, while reinforcing the role of communities and interpretation in shaping meaningful, sustainable visitor experiences.

Fortifications, Networks, and European Cultural Routes

Networking and critical mass are strategic priorities for FORTE CULTURA. Isolated sites, regardless of their individual value, struggle to address contemporary challenges alone. Networks, clusters, and European frameworks offer a scalable and resilient model. In this context, the Congress will highlight the relevance of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe as an operational framework for cooperation, knowledge exchange, and visibility. Fortified heritage, by its very nature transnational, is particularly suited to crossborder narratives and shared thematic approaches. Regional networks and cross-border clusters will be discussed as tools to:

articulate shared values linked to democracy, peace, and cultural diversity.

strengthen institutional cooperation,

improve access to European funding,

develop coherent tourism products, and

articulate shared values linked to democracy, peace, and cultural diversity.

Congress Objectives

The FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 aims to:

Share methodologies and practices related to creative tourism and participatoryapproaches in fortified sites.

Reinforce the strategic role of networks and clusters in the sustainable developmentof fortified heritage.

Explore community involvement and inclusion as prerequisites for sustainabletourism strategies.

Position heritage interpretation as a key driver for education, awareness, and longtermvalue creation.

Key Themes and Sessions

The Congress will address the following interconnected themes:

Networks, Clusters, and Governance ModelsInstitutional frameworks and governance structures that enable cooperation at local, regional, and European levels.

Fortifications and Sustainable Cultural TourismDevelopment of tourism models that respect carrying capacity, authenticity, and local identity.

Heritage Interpretation as a Strategic ToolInterpretation as a bridge between heritage, communities, and visitors, with a focus on education, awareness, and innovative teaching methods.

Community Involvement and InclusionParticipatory approaches that empower local communities, schools, associations, and creative actors in shaping tourism narratives.

Creative Tourism and Experiential ModelsFrom passive visitation to active engagement, fostering meaningful encounters with heritage through creativity and co-creation.

Expected Outcomes

The Congress is expected to deliver:

A shared understanding of heritage interpretation as a cornerstone of sustainable tourism in fortified sites.

Concrete examples of cross-border and regional cooperation applicable across Europe.

Strategic inputs supporting FORTE CULTURA’s long-term objectives, including European certification processes and project development.

Strengthened links between FORTE CULTURA members, Cultural Routes, and partner institutions.

Focus on Education, Awareness, and Participatory Approaches

A dedicated focus will be placed on education-oriented practices, including:

innovative teaching methods linked to fortified heritage,

collaboration with schools, universities, and training institutions,

interpretation tools addressing diverse audiences and inclusive narratives.

This approach reinforces the idea of fortified sites as living cultural infrastructures rather than static monuments.

Participants and Stakeholders

The Congress will bring together:

Community organisations, creatives, and civil society actors.

Managers and professionals of fortified heritage sites,

Local and regional authorities,

Cultural Routes and European networks,

Researchers, educators, and interpreters,

Community organisations, creatives, and civil society actors.

Conclusion

The FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026 in La Línea de la Concepción aims to connect local realities with a broader European vision. By focusing on networks, cross-border cooperation, and heritage interpretation, the Congress will reaffirm fortified heritage as a strategic asset for sustainable tourism, community engagement, and European cohesion. From La Línea to Europe, fortifications become not only witnesses of the past, but active contributors to a more inclusive, informed, and sustainable future.

Preliminary Programme

Tuesday, 21 April

Venue: Congress Center & Hotel “Ohtels Campo de Gibraltar”, Av. Príncipe de Asturias, 11300 La Línea de la Concepción

09.30 FORTE CUTURA General Assembly 2025 (for members and invited guests)

14.00 Lunch

16.00 Site visits in La Línea de la Concepción

16.00 Workshop FORTE CULTURA Fortress Routes Andalusia (for regional stakeholder)

20.00 Dinner

Wednesday, 22 April

Venue: Congress Center & Hotel “Ohtels Campo de Gibraltar”, Av. Príncipe de Asturias, 11300 La Línea de la Concepción

09.00 FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026

14.00 Lunch

16.00 FORTE CULTURA Congress 2026

20.00 Official Dinner

Thursday, 23 April

Excursions

08.30 Bus Transfer to Cádiz

10.00 Castillo de San Sebastian, Cádiz

12.30 Lunch

14.00 Castillo de Santa Catalina, Cádiz

15.30 Bus Transfer to Tarifa

17.00 Isla de Tarifa (or Castillo de Guzman el Bueno)

19.30 Dinner in Tarifa

22.00 Bus Transfer to La Línea de la Concepción

Friday, 24 April

Excursions (not yet determined, probably Gibraltar, alternatively Campo de Gibraltar)

Conference fee

Registration

Attendant InformationFirst name *Name *Email Address *CityCountryAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrance, MetropolitanFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench South TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island And Mcdonald IslandHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJohnston IslandJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn IslandsPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunion IslandRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Pierre & MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and South SandwichSpainSri LankaStateless PersonsSudanSudan, SouthSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwan, Republic of ChinaTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks And Caicos IslandsTuvaluUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited States of America (USA)UruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis And Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweAttendee Type *multiple selectionMemberGuestSpeakerProfessional InformationOrganization/CompanyJob TitleProfessional WebsiteEvent SelectionEvent OptionsSelect the event components you would like to participate in.21 April, 9 a.m.: General Assembly21 April, 2 p.m.: Lunch21 April, 4 p.m.: Guided Tour La Línea de la Concepción21 April, 8 p.m.: Dinner22 April, 9 a.m.: FORTE CULTURA Congress22 April, 8 p.m.: official dinner23 April, 8.30-22.30: Excursion day Cádiz and Tarifa including dinner in Tarifa24 April, 8.30-15.30: Excursion day (not yet determinded)Miscellaneous: Please inform us of any intolerances, dietary requirements or other restrictions.Travel datesWe will check the possibility of airport transfers from Malaga to La Línea de la Concepción. To do this, we need your exact travel dates (arrival/departure). Alternatively, you can travel via Gibraltar Airport, which is only a 5-minute walk from the congress centre and hotel once you have crossed the border. Please note that Gibraltar is not part of the EU and that appropriate travel documents are required.CheckboxI would like to use the Malaga airport shuttle.I will travel to La Línea independently.Your exact travel dates (arrival/departure, flight numbers)Consent *The event will be recorded in image, sound and video and streamed online. By registering, you give your consent for the resulting image, sound and video material to be used by FORTE CULTURA and its partners in the context of the event content.
Furthermore, you consent to the storage and processing of your data (e.g. registration data) in accordance with our data protection conditions. RegisterSave as DraftPlease do not fill in this field.

FORTE CULTURA Malta Symposium 2026, Valletta (MT)
2026-10-14 00:00 - 2026-10-17 23:59 | Fort St. Elmo, Valetta, Valetta, Malta
The Department of Tourism Management of the University of Malta is pleased to announce that it will host the FORTE CULTURA Malta Symposium 2026.

Are you a manager or a curator of a fortified heritage site?

Were you involved in a conservation project of a castle or fort?

Were you involved in discussions on the appropriate adaptive reuse of a heritage site?

Have you considered a tourism or leisure use for the fortified heritage site in which you are involved?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, the FORTE CULTURA Malta Symposium 2026 is of interest to you. The University of Malta invites you to the Symposium. Attendance to the Symposium is free. This includes the organised visits to fortified heritage sites.

The purposes of the Symposium are;

to share knowledge and experience on the management of fortified heritage sites.

to explore ways how conservation can be funded

to discuss options for adaptive reuse with a focus on tourism and leisure uses

to promote the valorisation of fortified heritage

The Symposium will be an excellent opportunity for you to network and share your thoughts and ideas with like-minded people. You will also have the opportunity to be part of organised visits to several fortified historical sites in Valletta and at other places in Malta. Each site is a case study that offers lessons in relation to management, funding and/or conservation.

Dates: 14 to 17 October 2026. Venue: Fort St. Elmo, Valletta, Malta

Programme:

Day 1 – Wednesday 14 October 2026

Morning: Presentations by international and local delegates Afternoon: Visits to Fort St. Elmo and other Valletta sites Evening: Welcome Reception and Networking

Day 2 – Thursday 15 October: Day Tour of Malta Fortifications

Day 3 – Friday 16 October

Morning: Presentations by international and local delegates Afternoon: Walk tour of Valletta

Day 4 – Saturday 17 October

Morning: Visits to other fortified heritage sites in Valletta

A detailed programme is available here (pdf file). The file also includes summary information about the various sites that will be visited during the four days of the Symposium.

Registration (google form)

A limited number of places are available. Early registration is recommended.

You are advised not to make any flight or accommodation bookings until the Symposium organisers confirm acceptance of your registration.

Invitation to give a presentation

Two half days of the Symposium will be dedicated to parallel sessions (the mornings of 14th and 16th October). You are invited to give a 15 to 20 minute presentation at the Symposium. This is an opportunity for you to share your work experience on fortified heritage and receive feedback. Your presentation can be about management, conservation, funding, adaptive reuse, tourism, architecture, landscape or any other aspect relating to fortified heritage.

You can show your intention to present by replying to the final questions on the registration form. If you have any questions about any aspect of the Symposium write to office@forte-cultura.eu or mireille.stubbings@um.edu.mt.

FINAL NOTE: You may wish to apply for funding under the Culture Moves Europe programme of the European Commission (deadline: 30 April 2026). A successful application may result in a grant that covers most of your travel and accommodation cost for the Symposium. https://culture.ec.europa.eu/culture-moves-europe/call-for-individual-mobility-2025-2026.
