Bridging historical past and future potential through conservation, preservation, and adaptive use of Europe’s contentious and dissonant heritage

The funding opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program, focusing on the topic "HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-08," which addresses challenges related to contested and dissonant cultural heritage in Europe. It is aimed at fostering dialogue between academics, local authorities, and communities to develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. The agenda seeks to enhance historical understanding, cultural dialogue, and reconciliation regarding issues linked to colonial, totalitarian, and authoritarian legacies.

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, cultural organizations, creative industries, local authorities, and possibly other relevant entities, including legal bodies from non-EU/non-associated countries under specific conditions. The funding type is a lump sum grant, specifically structured as a Horizon Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA), with a budget of 3,500,000 EUR, targeting contributions between 2,500,000 and 3,500,000 EUR. The opportunity requires a consortium, emphasizing the need for collaborative, multidisciplinary networks that encompass various fields such as anthropology, history, political science, and education.

The application process is a single-stage open call, now available for submissions since May 15, 2025, with a deadline on September 16, 2025. While the success rate of applications isn't specifically mentioned, generally, only one project can be funded for this topic, and co-funding requirements are not explicitly stated.

The project stage emphasizes developing strategic recommendations with a focus on research, policy-making, and potential pilot programs rather than commercialization. The scope of the initiative is geographically centered on Europe but encourages international cooperation, notably to address the complexities of Europe’s cultural heritage and support sustainable cultural tourism.

Overall, the initiative aims to drive research and innovative practices that confront societal challenges, promote democratic values, and facilitate social inclusivity through a better understanding of Europe's diverse heritage.

This is a description of a funding opportunity related to cultural heritage, democracy, and societal transformations under the Horizon Europe program. The call, titled "Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society - 2025 (HORIZON-CL2-2025-01)", includes various topics for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), as well as Innovation Actions (IA). The general objective is to address challenges related to Europe's rich but often contested heritage, promote democratic values, and foster inclusive societal transformations.

The funding opportunity focuses on several key areas:

1.  Contested and Dissonant Heritage: Projects should explore multiple perspectives on troubled pasts and their impact on cultural heritage, particularly assets connected to colonial, totalitarian, and authoritarian regimes. The goal is to develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the preservation, conservation, transmission, and adaptive reuse of contested heritage, fostering historical understanding, cultural dialogue, and reconciliation.

2.  Democracy: Several topics address various aspects of democracy, including:
 *  The role of social media and digital technologies in shaping political participation and civic engagement.
 *  The impact of disinformation and fake news on democratic processes.
 *  The challenges of political polarization and extremism.
 *  The importance of media literacy and critical thinking skills.
 *  The role of civil society organizations in promoting democratic values and citizen participation.
 *  The impact of populism and nationalism on democratic institutions.
 *  The challenges of ensuring fair and inclusive elections.
 *  The role of education in promoting democratic citizenship.
 *  The impact of economic inequality on democratic stability.
 *  The challenges of governing in diverse and multicultural societies.
 *  The role of trust and social cohesion in maintaining democratic societies.
 *  The impact of external actors on democratic processes.

3.  Societal Transformations: Topics in this area focus on:
 *  The impact of technological change on society and culture.
 *  The challenges of social inclusion and integration.
 *  The role of education and skills development in promoting social mobility.
 *  The impact of migration and demographic change on social cohesion.
 *  The challenges of addressing inequalities and promoting social justice.
 *  The role of culture and creativity in fostering social innovation.
 *  The impact of climate change and environmental degradation on social and cultural life.
 *  The challenges of promoting sustainable development and a green transition.
 *  The role of digital technologies in promoting social inclusion and participation.
 *  The impact of globalization on cultural diversity and identity.
 *  The challenges of addressing social exclusion and marginalization.

The call includes various types of actions:

*  Coordination and Support Actions (CSA): These actions aim to coordinate research efforts, facilitate networking, and disseminate knowledge. They typically involve developing strategic agendas, mapping research landscapes, and organizing workshops and conferences.
*  Research and Innovation Actions (RIA): These actions focus on conducting research and developing innovative solutions to address specific challenges. They typically involve experimental development and demonstration activities.
*  Innovation Actions (IA): These actions aim to scale up and deploy innovative solutions in real-world settings. They typically involve piloting, demonstration, and market uptake activities.

The budget for each topic varies, with contributions ranging from approximately 2,000,000 EUR to 4,000,000 EUR for CSAs and 3,000,000 EUR to 5,000,000 EUR for RIAs and IAs. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, ranging from 1 to 8.

The call is a single-stage process, with the opening date on 15 May 2025 and the deadline on 16 September 2025.

Eligible applicants include legal entities established in EU Member States, associated countries, and, in some cases, non-associated third countries. Proposals should involve collaborative and multidisciplinary networks of professionals, including academics, researchers, practitioners, cultural and creative industries, and local authorities. International cooperation is encouraged.

The general conditions for participation are described in Annex A, B, C, D, E, F, and G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Applicants are encouraged to consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, and the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for detailed guidance on the submission and evaluation processes.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to support research and innovation projects that address critical challenges related to cultural heritage, democracy, and societal transformations in Europe. It encourages collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches, with a focus on developing practical solutions and policy recommendations that can contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and democratic future. The call is structured around various topics, each with its specific objectives and budget, and is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including academics, researchers, cultural and creative industries, and public authorities.

The Horizon Europe program is offering funding for projects that explore and address challenges related to cultural heritage, democracy, and societal transformations. The program recognizes that Europe's heritage, while rich, also includes contested and troubled pasts that need careful consideration for preservation and reconciliation. Similarly, it seeks to strengthen democratic values and institutions in the face of modern challenges like disinformation and political polarization. Finally, it aims to foster inclusive societal transformations that address inequalities and promote sustainable development.

To achieve these goals, the program is structured around different types of actions. Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) are designed to bring together researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to develop strategic agendas and coordinate research efforts. Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) focus on conducting research and developing innovative solutions to specific problems. Innovation Actions (IAs) aim to scale up and deploy these solutions in real-world settings.

The program is open to a wide range of participants, including universities, research institutions, cultural organizations, creative industries, and public authorities. It encourages international collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches, recognizing that the challenges it addresses are complex and require diverse perspectives.

Overall, this funding opportunity represents a significant investment in Europe's future, aiming to promote a more inclusive, sustainable, and democratic society by leveraging its rich cultural heritage and fostering innovation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the call targets a collaborative and multidisciplinary network of professionals. This network should include expertise from fields such as anthropology, history, heritage science, media and intercultural communication, political science, and science education. The integration of cultural and creative industries and local authorities is also encouraged. Therefore, eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, cultural organizations, creative industries, local authorities, and other relevant entities. Legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate as a beneficiary or affiliated entity.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium. Proposals should establish a collaborative and multidisciplinary network of professionals.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on Europe, as the call aims to address challenges related to contested and dissonant heritage across Europe. However, international cooperation is encouraged, and legal entities from non-EU/non-Associated Countries may participate under specific conditions.

Target Sector: The program targets the cultural heritage sector, with a focus on contested and dissonant heritage, cultural and creative industries, education, and sustainable cultural tourism. It also involves aspects of history, anthropology, political science, and heritage science.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on Europe. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries are mentioned as potentially eligible under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on developing a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, providing policy recommendations, and shaping recommendations for educational and cultural tourism purposes. This suggests a focus on research, development, and policy-oriented outcomes, rather than commercialization or scale-up. Pilot programs could be implemented to assess the effectiveness of tools and recommendations.

Funding Amount: The budget for the topic HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-08 is 3,500,000 EUR. The contributions are expected to be in the range of 2,500,000 to 3,500,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants is 1.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call. The submission session is now available as of 15 May 2025, and the deadline for submission is 16 September 2025.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but the granting authority can fund a maximum of one project for this specific topic.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-08, aims to address the challenges related to Europe's contested and dissonant cultural heritage. It seeks to strengthen dialogues between academics, local authorities, and communities by developing a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. The call encourages proposals that explore multiple perspectives on troubled pasts and their impact on cultural heritage, particularly assets connected to colonial, totalitarian, and authoritarian regimes. The goal is to foster historical understanding, cultural dialogue, and reconciliation. The selected project, funded through a lump sum grant, will establish a collaborative and multidisciplinary network to provide policy recommendations, promote sustainable cultural tourism, and engage future generations in tackling complex historical challenges. International cooperation is encouraged, and the call is open for submission with a deadline of September 16, 2025.