On 22 July 2026, Assistant Professor Vlatko Smiljanić delivered an invited lecture in Pula entitled “Local History in Education as an Instrument for Preserving Cultural Heritage and Identity.” The lecture was held as part of the International Professional Conference for Preschool Teachers, Primary and Secondary School Teachers Belonging to the Croatian National Minority and the Croatian Diaspora, taking place from 21 to 24 July under the title Cultural Heritage and the Identity of the Istrian Region.

The conference programme featured a series of lectures by distinguished university teachers, scholars and experts, as well as panel discussions, workshops and professional visits to cultural and historical sites across Istria. The event brought together approximately 100 participants from 14 countries. It was organised by the Croatian Education and Teacher Training Agency. The lecture was held at the Faculty of Economics and Tourism “Dr Mijo Mirković” of Juraj Dobrila University of Pula.

In the one-hour lecture, local history was presented as extending beyond the mere introduction of pupils to the events and prominent figures associated with a particular place. Particular attention was devoted to its role in connecting historical knowledge, cultural memory, place and a sense of belonging, especially within Croatian national minority and diaspora communities.

The lecture also presented practical models for incorporating local history into educational practice, including research into family archives, the collection of oral testimonies, the analysis of historical photographs and local newspapers, the creation of maps of sites of memory, and cooperation between schools, museums, archives, libraries and local communities. Emphasis was placed on equipping pupils with the skills required to critically evaluate sources and to understand the ways in which the past is remembered, transmitted and selectively shaped.