EUCULTURE Study Trip to Paris: 13 to 16 April 2026

Our Joint Master in European Cultural Governance (EUCULTURE) students set out for a study trip to the French capital and Versailles to understand the role of cultural governance between conservation and innovation and study the intrinsic connection of cultural heritage, sustainable development and the digital transition.

The study trip started with a visit of the UNESCO Headquarters with a lively dialogue on the "UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the 2005 Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions as Instruments to Strengthen Our Shared Humanity" with Irena Caquet, UNESCO Programme Specialist Europe and North America Unit, World Heritage Centre Culture Sector, and Laurence Mayer-Robitaille, UNESCO Senior Programme Specialist.

At the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, the students had the immense privilege of meeting again with Head Curator Paz Núñez-Regueiro and Research Officer Leandro Varison, who shared their wealth of knowledge about the culture of indigenous peoples - introducing the students to their work as museum curators and the gifts and challenges of acting as a mediator between cultures. With many concrete examples, they introduced the students to legal aspects of indigenous property and new relational ethics concerning conservation and restitution. They discussed how to relink nature and culture by integrating local perspectives into local and global responses to environmental issues.

The day concluded with a meeting at the OECD about "The Role of Culture and Creative Industries at the OECD" with Ekaterina Travkina, Coordinator, Culture and Creative Industries, OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities.

On the second day in Versailles, the students had the rare opportunity to be hosted by the mayor of Versailles, François de Mazières, who offered insights into local governance and heritage management at a high institutional level. There was also a guided tour of the Saint Louis district of Versailles with Bénédicte Lorenzetto.

During a visit to the fantastic exhibition entitled "1725: Native American Allies at the Court of Louis XV" at the Versailles Palace, curator Paz Núñez-Regueiro explained the meanings behind her exhibition. This was followed by a visit of the magnificent Versailles Palace.

On the final day, the students had the opportunity to discover the recently reopened Notre Dame de Paris cathedral as well as the remains of the former Merovingian cathedral with Olivier Lerude, Head of the Architecture and Heritage Spaces Department at the Regional Department of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) of Île de France.

They then visited the Palais de Chaillot where Jessica Dupuis, Production Manager, and Pierre Lungheretti, Associate Director and General Administrator at the Théâtre national de la danse de Chaillot, shared the theatre's forward-thinking strategy and vision of combining AI and technology for the avant-garde of ballet, while respecting the values of diversity and hospitality. They also explored a highly innovative construction site, the renovation of the Grand Hall.

The day concluded with a visit to the DRAC Île-de-France, where they were welcomed by Stéphane Deschamps, Head of the Regional Archaeology Service, who introduced them to the restoration of the cathedral and tackled questions of protection and conservation of national cultural heritage. Anne Delaunay Vernhes, Architect at Bâtiments de France, introduced the students to her work as curator of the heritage site of Palais Chaillot.

We thank all the contributing partners for making this Paris and Versailles trip such a special and enriching experience!