Abstract

The article presents the guiding principles of the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH) and current reflections within the European Commission's on how to build a lasting legacy beyond 2018. The initiative is underway, with thousands of events and activities taking place across Europe, providing a unique opportunity to experience and enjoy the wealth of memory, ideals, principles and values embedded in Europe's cultural heritage, and thus reflect on our identity of Europeans. The European Year's aim is to be a laboratory «for heritagebased innovation», a wide ranging, shared reflection at policy level on how to implement the new integrated, holistic and participatory approaches that have been agreed upon at EU level. The European Commission is opening the way, engaging national authorities, representatives of civil society and international organizations, and all the European institutions in the governance of the Year. 10 participatory «crossover» European initiatives are also being tested, in cooperation with various Directorates-General and Stakeholders, and the initiatives Four Pillars (Engagement, Sustainability, Protection, Innovation) are recalled.