The Naval Port of Karlskrona and the Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland are hosting the Nordic World Heritage Conference. The two days cover heritage, sustainable development, preparedness, digitalisation and local participation. Prince Carl Philip opens the event in Karlskrona on 15 September, with day two taking place on southern Öland.
What happened?
Representatives of Nordic World Heritage sites, public authorities, academia and business will discuss how heritage can contribute to future society. Day one in Karlskrona includes talks and panels on the period after Agenda 2030 and examples from Karlskrona, Öland and other Nordic places. Nordic flags will be raised in Stortorget and Prince Carl Philip will give the opening address at Konserthusteatern.
A paper figure created by pupils at Skansenskolan will be presented during the visit as a symbol of international cooperation and young people's involvement.
Location
Karlskrona, Blekinge län, Mörbylånga, Kalmar län
Impact and significance
Day two moves to Öland. Participants will visit the Great Alvar and Norrgården in Ventlinge to see how a living agricultural landscape is both used and conserved. The programme also includes local produce, the southern tip of Öland and Eketorp fortress.
This links heritage management to tourism, agriculture and the local economy. It is a professional cooperation conference; the municipal article does not state that the full programme is open to the public or provide a measurable tourism impact.
Background
The Nordic World Heritage Association was founded at Þingvellir National Park in Iceland in 2016 and is marking its tenth anniversary. Organisers say the network includes more than 40 Nordic World Heritage sites. The conference involves municipalities, county boards, the National Heritage Board, museums, universities, regions and the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO, among others.
The two hosts represent different kinds of heritage: Karlskrona's naval city and Öland's living agricultural landscape.
Latest update
The conference takes place on 15 and 16 September 2026. The programme is centred on Karlskrona on 15 September and southern Öland on 16 September. Practical details and any programme changes should be checked with the organisers and linked press material. The article provides no general ticket or public registration link, so readers should not assume every session is open without checking first.
Sources
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Reviewed: 2026-09-11. Independent editorial content. WUA Sverige is not affiliated with any political party.