JemsThe fifth edition of the international event Night of Fortresses Goes Green was held on May 8 and 9, 2026, across 72 sites in 11 countries, featuring a total of 230 registered programs. This year’s edition once again demonstrated how the Night of Fortresses has evolved from a local and cross-border initiative into a European platform connecting heritage sites, cultural institutions, local communities, and visitors through the shared theme of sustainable and inclusive cultural heritage.
In Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, the event is supported and implemented through the GIFTSnet – Network for Green and Inclusive Fortified Tourism Solutions project, financed under the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme.
Night of Fortresses 2026 took place in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Italy, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Albania. Programs were held at fortresses, old towns, museums, castles, and other heritage sites, which over the course of two days became places of gathering, learning, exchange of experiences, and new discoveries.
The growth of the event is the result of many years of cooperation developed through European projects and partnerships in the field of fortification heritage. Night of Fortresses was launched through the FORTITUDE project, and gained a new development direction through the GIFTSnet – Network for Green and Inclusive Fortified Tourism Solutions project, funded by the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme. Through GIFTSnet, the event is further expanding and developing in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, connecting heritage sites, local communities, and partners through sustainability, inclusiveness, education, and the exchange of experiences.
In this context, Night of Fortresses has grown into Night of Fortresses Goes Green — an event that connects cultural heritage with environmental responsibility, sustainable tourism, and active community involvement. The goal is not only to open the doors of heritage sites to visitors, but to transform them into spaces for learning, participation, and collective reflection on how heritage can be preserved and used responsibly.
All programs were free for visitors, further opening heritage spaces to the wider public. This year’s program included 73 workshops and play sessions, 55 expert-guided tours and visits, 24 lectures, presentations, conferences, panel discussions, and a fashion show, 23 concerts and music performances, 19 exhibitions, 14 environmental clean-up and greening initiatives, and 9 sports events. In addition, the event featured a scientific-professional conference, gastronomic events, multimedia and light projections, films and performances, medieval fairs, knightly games, and open-door days.
The educational and participatory dimension of the event stood out in particular. Numerous programs focused on the active involvement of visitors, knowledge transfer, and a deeper understanding of cultural heritage — through workshops, guided tours, interpretive walks, programs for children, local communities, and diverse visitor groups. In this way, heritage spaces became more than just places to visit during the event: they became spaces for shared learning, dialogue, and cooperation.
Through GIFTSnet, Night of Fortresses is further strengthening its role as a tool for promoting green standards and public awareness of sustainable development. The project is based on cooperation among partners from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, as well as on the exchange of knowledge among cultural, tourism, and local stakeholders. Such cooperation enables experiences and models developed at one site to be transferred further, adapted to different communities, and integrated into a broader network of sustainable cultural tourism.
GIFTSnet – more info
The project began on September 15, 2024, and will run until March 14, 2027. The lead partner is the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik, together with partners: the City of Banja Luka, Municipality of Bar, City of Karlovac, Public Institution Homeland Museum of Herzegovina Trebinje, and Municipality of Ulcinj.
The total value of the project amounts to €2,244,442.80, of which 85 percent is co-financed through the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027 programme.
GIFTSnet focuses on improving the sustainable and inclusive development of cultural tourism within the programme area. The project includes environmentally friendly and sustainable investments at cultural and tourism sites in Šibenik, Karlovac, Banja Luka, Trebinje, Bar, and Ulcinj, the development of socially inclusive tourism offers, and the strengthening of capacities among cross-border stakeholders for the sustainable development of cultural tourism.
An important part of the project relates to education, workshops, and the exchange of experiences among partners and local stakeholders. Through this approach, GIFTSnet not only supports individual investments and activities, but also creates a framework for long-term cooperation, knowledge transfer, and the development of new models for managing heritage sites.
Night of Fortresses 2026 demonstrated precisely this value: when cultural heritage is connected with education, sustainability, community involvement, and international cooperation, it becomes a space for collective action. Year after year, the event continues to grow in the number of sites, countries, and programs, but even more importantly, it expands the network of partners, knowledge, and experiences that remain the foundation for the future development of sustainable cultural tourism.
