The second day of the Contact Zones in Practice Conference (2–3 December 2025) focused on setting the tone for the contact zone approach of the TCZ Erasmus+ project.
During the first panel, “Contextualizing Contact Zones – Why Now, and Why They Matter,” each institution involved in the TCZ project shared examples of how dialogue, memory work, and cultural mediation can help societies address difficult histories and current tensions:
- civic memorial activism and democratic dialogue (András Sárközi, Humán Platform, Budapest)
- museum-based dialogue and post-colonial reflection (Frans Damman, Herengracht401, Amsterdam)
- mediation and memory in contexts of political violence (Roberto Gómez de la Iglesia, Conexiones improbables, Vitoria-Gasteiz)
- critical reflection on colonial narratives and heritage (Carina Moutinho, PELE, Porto)
- intercultural dialogue and reconciliation through heritage (Konstantin Fischer, Συναγωγή Ετς Χαγίμ / Synagogue Etz Hayyim, Chania)
- the role of culture in democracy and European policymaking (Lars Ebert, Culture Action Europe)
Across these diverse contexts, one idea stood out:
Contact zones are spaces where difficult conversations can happen — and where listening, empathy, and dialogue help societies move forward.
