Heritage belongs in every climate conversation: Reflections from the ‘Withstanding Change’ exhibition

A new blog from ‘Withstanding Change’ Programme Manager, Charlotte Thomas.

Earlier this month, INTO welcomed partners and colleagues for the launch of our ‘Withstanding Change’ exhibition, ‘Heritage belongs in every climate conversation’.

After three years of work across six countries, it was a chance to bring partners, colleagues, peers and funders together, share what the programme has achieved, and reflect on why cultural heritage must play a bigger role in how we talk about climate change. 

INTO hosted the event not only as a showcase, but as a space for partners to share how their communities care for heritage and, in doing so, shape their futures. Through these conversations, it became clear how much heritage offers: knowledge, continuity, confidence, and a sense of place that supports people as they navigate a changing climate. 

This exhibition gave us a chance to share the work of the programme from the last three years. Although the display could only scratch the surface of what has been achieved, we were able to fill the room with objects, stories, films and voices from Ethiopia, Uganda, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Zanzibar.  

The panels made the case simply: heritage is not only something at risk – it is part of the solution. It holds ecological knowledge, building techniques, planting traditions and cultural practices that help communities adapt, while offering spaces where people can meet, celebrate identity and plan for the future.

Across all six countries, restored sites have become social spaces as much as conservation projects, where children learn, elders share traditions, women’s groups build livelihoods, crafts are revived, and climate discussions feel grounded rather than abstract.  

On the night we were lucky to be joined by a panel of excellent and relevant speakers; from our funders, Robert Specterman-Green from the DCMS and Stephanie Grant from the Cultural Protection Fund.

And, speaking on behalf of INTO as INTO Chair, HRH Princess Dana Firas noted that now cultural heritage is recognised under the Global Goal on Adaptation, it is vital to show how heritage contributes to climate resilience in real and practical ways. From elevating community knowledge to protecting places at risk, the ‘Withstanding Change’ programme does just this and demonstrates heritage’s core role in strengthening adaptive capacity.  

Guests were also able to see a preview of our new short film on the Ghassania Theatre in Homs, restored through the programme. The theatre was not featured in our last ‘Withstanding change’ film, so this gave us an opportunity to highlight the voices of people who have taken part in workshops, heritage walks and ‘Go Green’ activities that connect cultural identity with climate awareness.

Seeing community cohesion return to a space once damaged by war felt deeply moving, and sharing that moment with the people in the room was something quite special. We’re looking forward to finalising the film and releasing it more widely in the new year. 

The evening was also an opportunity to reconnect with friends, peers and colleagues who have shaped the journey of ‘Withstanding Change’. The strength of partnership across the programme’s twinning projects was clear. Shared challenges have sparked shared solutions, and what began as technical collaboration has grown into long-lasting friendships.

Seeing UK site teams reunited with their international counterparts was a reminder that these relationships will continue well beyond the end of the project. 

The exhibition will be shared more widely next year, starting with the Blickling Estate in Norfolk in February 2026 and hopefully moving to other locations both nationally and internationally. More venues will be announced soon, and we welcome interest from organisations who would like to host it.  

Resources from the programme, including the final version of the Ghassania Theatre film, will be available on our resource hub, where people can explore the full breadth of the project.

Although ‘Withstanding Change’ is coming to and end, INTO will continue to focus on the intersection of cultural heritage and climate adaptation. There are exciting opportunities ahead in 2026, and we look forward to continuing these conversations.

The evening celebrated the many people behind the programme: our partners, INTO colleagues, community leaders, heritage professionals, craftspeople, researchers, young volunteers, funders and peers across the National Trust family. Their work over the past three years has created something meaningful and lasting. To everyone who joined us on the night, and to those who could not, thank you for being part of this journey. 

As we look ahead to 2026 and to continued global climate discussions, including COP31, we hope this exhibition helps strengthen the case for why heritage belongs in every climate conversation.