The National Workshop, entitled “Dziedzictwo na przyszłość” (Heritage for the Future) brought together a broad heritage community, specifically from Praga, but also from the larger area of Warsaw and from other parts and Poland. The aim was twofold: to present the results of various PragaLAB activities and to discuss the possible future of Praga heritage, including other, similar areas, sites and intangible forms of heritage in other cities.

Five presentations discussed the topics from different angles:

  • Architects Małgorzata Borys and Maciej Kaufman (co-authors of recommendations for the Bakery case) discussed their experience of participatory workshops leading to the recommendations.
  • Małgorzata Herman, from New Craft NÓW Association presented the dilemma of modern craftspeople, fragile links to the past of craft, but strong will to create new traditions and new values, based on the heritage of manual and creative work.
  • Katarzyna Rysiak and Paulina Mirowska, two craftswomen from Praga (participants of the Living Memory Exhibition PRACA PRAGA) discussed the impact of heritage itself, as well as that of the cooperation with the project on their own perception of work as heritage.
  • Maciej Czeredys, from PragaLAB, presented findings of the OpenHeritage project regarding responsible investing with community participation.
  • Michał Krasucki (Director of the Warsaw Conservatory Office) told about his involvement in protection of Ukrainian heritage during the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, role of international laws and practical cooperation.

Participants represented various cities and various stakeholder groups, among them: architects, heritage specialists and public administration.

The workshop took place in ZODIAK Warsaw Pavilion of Architecture, which serves as a hub for all interested in urban planning, architecture and urban studies. the event was organised with support of City of Warsaw. The pavilion itself represents the heritage of late modernism in Warsaw; it had been vacant for many years and was reconstructed and adapted for new use by the municipality in cooperation with OW SARP a few few years ago.