S.O.S. Heritage: Save Our School Heritage

Abstract

Preserving the Maritime Past: Educating for the Future.The city of Bakar, Croatia, has a rich maritime tradition, excelling in shipbuilding, trade, and seafarer education. Maritime School Bakar, established in 1849, is the oldest naval institution in Croatia. Its library holds 244 rare books (printed before 1850), under special protection by the Republic of Croatia. Maritime School Bakar with the project ''S.O.S. Heritage: Save Our School Heritage'' was one of the participants of The Europe Challenge 2024, an annual program that brings together teams from libraries and communities across Europe to address social isolation, inequality, disinformation, and other local challenges by developing creative solutions with support from the European Cultural Foundation and its partners. This project demonstrates how school libraries can play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage through innovative activities. Students and teachers participated in workshops on storytelling, restoration, and heritage interpretation, learning how to preserve cultural identity through creative methods such as storytelling and gamification. The final exhibition, titled ''The Secrets of the School Library'', showcased the value of our heritage to the community—a legacy we must pass on to future generations. This initiative can serve as a model for other educational institutions facing similar challenges.