Who we are?

We are UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Public and Global Governance, based on the Faculty of Political Sciences and International Studies at the University of Warsaw.

What is ICH?

ICH is abbreviation of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, and instruments that communities, groups, and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Unlike tangible cultural heritage, which includes physical artifacts such as monuments, buildings, and artworks, intangible cultural heritage encompasses living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to future generations. This includes oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, social practices, festive events, traditional craftsmanship, knowledge about nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship. Intangible cultural heritage plays a vital role in maintaining cultural diversity, fostering social cohesion, and promoting sustainable development.

For more information, visit https://ich.unesco.org/.

What is UNESCO Chair?

A UNESCO Chair is a prestigious title conferred by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to institutions of higher education around the world. The purpose of establishing UNESCO Chairs is to promote international cooperation in areas that are within UNESCO’s fields of competence, such as education, science, culture, and communication.

UNESCO Chairs serve as focal points for research, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and networking in specific academic disciplines or thematic areas. They contribute to advancing UNESCO’s goals and objectives, including the promotion of peace, sustainable development, intercultural dialogue, and the dissemination of knowledge.

Institutions awarded with a UNESCO Chair designation are expected to engage in activities such as conducting research, organizing conferences and seminars, offering specialized courses, providing policy advice, and collaborating with other UNESCO Chairs and relevant stakeholders. The establishment of a UNESCO Chair reflects the commitment of the host institution to contribute to the advancement of UNESCO’s mission and to address global challenges through education, science, culture, and communication.

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Our Team

prof. Hanna Schreiber

Kierowniczka Katedry UNESCO / UNESCO Chair Holder

hannaschreiber.com

prof. Bartosz Pieliński

prof. Piotr Załęski

dr Justyna Nakonieczna-Bartosiewicz

dr Katarzyna Piotrowska

Landscape architect with over 20 years experience in heritage protection. She started her professional career at the Centre for the Protection of Historic Landscapes in Warsaw, which she continued at the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. Among other duties she was responsible for implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, heading a team and then Centre for World Heritage, and representing Poland in the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee. As head of the Heritage Policy Department in the Institute, she also supervised implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Currently, at the Kraków Municipality, she holds the position of Culture and National Heritage Department’s deputy director. 

dr Monika Stobiecka

dr Julia Krzesicka

UNESCO Chair Research and Organizational Assistant

Katarzyna Kuzko-Zwierz

Emilia Wiśnios

ENG
University of Warsaw graduate with a Master’s in Machine Learning. Specializes in Natural Language Processing (NLP), large language models, and the intersection of NLP with political science.

PL
Absolwentka Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego z tytułem magistra w dziedzinie uczenia maszynowego. Specjalizuje się w przetwarzaniu języka naturalnego (NLP), dużych modelach językowych oraz zastosowaniu NLP w politologii.

Mateusz Zając

ENG
PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences of the University of Warsaw in the discipline of political science and public administration. His PhD project is conducted under the supervision of prof. Hanna Schreiber. His main research interests include cultural diversity governance, cultural security, cultural conflicts, and intercultural dialogue.

PL
Doktorant w Szkole Doktorskiej Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego w dyscyplinie nauki o polityce i administracji. Swój projekt doktorski realizuje pod opieką dr hab. Hanny Schreiber. Jego zainteresowania koncentrują się na zagadnieniach związanych z praktykami zarządzania różnorodnością kulturową, bezpieczeństwem kulturowym, konfliktami kulturowymi oraz dialogiem międzykulturowym.