A new mandate will begin in 2026, and will last until the end of 2029. Prof. Dr. Irena Lazar will remain the chairholder remains, while the co-holder of the Chair in the new mandate is Assist. Prof. Dr. Neža Čebron Lipovec.

The UNESCO Chair, which is based at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Primorska, participates in the faculty’s pedagogical process in 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle study programs, and is also involved in numerous national and international projects. We will be particularly involved in the implementation of the faculty’s study programs in English (Cultural Heritage, Anthropology, and, from 2026 onwards, Mediterranean Archaeological Heritage and Heritage Tourism). The members of the Chair are also actively involved in Transform4Europe alliance, especially in WP7 and WP4, where they lead the Transformation Lab on Critical Heritage.

Each year, the Chair organizes traditional International Summer school in museology and heritage, attracting students and young professionals from around the world. The chairholder represents all Slovenian UNESCO Chairs within the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, and the Chair currently serves as their coordinator.

In the new mandate, the UNESCO Chair will continue to deliver its well-established programmes and activities, while further expanding its network through collaboration with other UNESCO Chairs, networks and centres worldwide, as well as with the UNESCO Office in Venice, our traditional partner. At the beginning of 2026, the Chair will once again host all five Slovenian UNESCO Chairs at a professional meeting. In addition to our ongoing projects and the Heritage research program, we will continue to be involved in research within the framework of E.RIHS.si and the SloveNile research group.