As part of the Philosophers’ Square program, the roundtable Perast – A Town of Remembrance, Community, and Transformation will open a space for critical reflection on Perast – not only as an architectural and cultural treasure, but as a living environment shaped by community, memory, and the potential for transformation. In dialogue with local participants and regional experts, we will consider pressing questions: How can the spirit of place be preserved amid mass tourism?, How can spaces of togetherness be reactivated?, and How might heritage, science, education, and contemporary creativity be woven into a shared vision for Perast’s future?
Perast – a coastal town that has stood at the entrance to the Verige Strait for nearly ten centuries and, together with Kotor, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site – now faces challenges that threaten its long-term sustainability and cultural legacy. Depopulation, the deterioration of public space due to land- and sea-based mass tourism, and poor heritage management are among the most urgent issues. The roundtable is part of the project Perast: Mobilising Competences, which aims to foster long-term development through participatory planning, capacitybuilding, and the sustainable use of cultural heritage. The initiative also seeks to strengthen Perast’s integration into broader Mediterranean and European
educational, cultural, and scientific networks. The project is a collaboration between the SHARE Foundation, the Municipality of Kotor, and the Don Branko Sbutega Foundation. It is supported by UNESCO through the initiative Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs), funded by the European Union. The broader program promotes dialogue across the
Western Balkans by advancing the cultural and creative sectors to enhance their socio-economic impact.