transHERITAGE - Transformative Religious Heritage: Bridging Northern and Southern Europe Approaches

transHERITAGE

What is this iniciative about?

In Portugal, as well as in Norway, at present, the dominant religions (the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church of Norway, respectively) face common challenges, socially, in terms of dwindling communities (e.g., less worshipers and priests), environmentally and economically, due to the reduction of the number of parishes and the territorial change that result from this. This often leads to a low utilization rate or even redundancy of religious buildings.

The “transHERITAGE” initiative aims to establish a first cooperation among Portuguese and Norwegian partners, aimed at knowledge sharing and creating access to innovative solutions using the transformative role of religious heritage: its potential to cause important and enduring changes in the territories of northern and southern Europe.

The initiative focuses on underused religious heritage sites in two largely rural regions in Europe with an Atlantic outlook: Alentejo (southern-hinterland Portugal) and Vestland (western Norway), specifically the municipalities of Alcácer do Sal and Fana.