CALL FOR PAPERS
IX International Festival of Public History
Call When You Arrive. Stories on Wheels, Wings and Sails
Lecce, 30 November – 2 December 2026
The IX International Festival of Public History invites scholars, public historians, teachers, students, cultural institutions, associations, and schools of all levels to participate by submitting proposals for individual presentations, panels, workshops, posters, digital projects, and educational activities.
The 2026 edition, entitled “Call When You Arrive. Stories on Wheels, Wings and Sails”, focuses on the themes of movement, travel, connections, and circulation within public history.
Transport, migration, tourism, communication, material and immaterial networks, and social and cultural mobility will be at the centre of the discussion, with particular attention to the ways in which these histories are narrated, shared, interpreted, and constructed in the public sphere.
The Festival aims to explore the relationship between history and mobility in its multiple dimensions, including:
- history of transport and infrastructure;
- travel, exploration, and migration;
- maritime, railway, and aviation history;
- tourism, pilgrimages, and cultural mobility;
- communication, media, and networks;
- social mobility and the circulation of knowledge;
- digital public history and interactive narratives;
- museums, archives, and heritage in motion;
- history education and participatory practices;
- memory, territories, and communities in transit.
Proposals that combine different forms of expression and methodologies are particularly welcome, including academic research, storytelling, theatre, audiovisual productions, podcasts, exhibitions, performances, video games, educational workshops, citizen history projects, and public engagement initiatives.
Types of Proposals
The following types of contributions may be submitted:
- individual papers;
- workshops and practical sessions;
- posters;
- project presentations;
- educational and school-based activities;
- exhibitions and installations;
- digital and multimedia projects.
Who Can Apply
The call is open to:
- scholars and researchers;
- PhD candidates and university students;
- public historians;
- teachers and educators;
- cultural professionals and practitioners;
- museums, archives, and libraries;
- associations and civil society organisations;
- schools of all levels.
Submission Guidelines
Proposals must include:
- title;
- author(s) and institutional affiliation;
- type of proposal;
- abstract (maximum 300 words);
- short biography (maximum 100 words).
Submission deadline: 15 September 2026
Notification of selection: 10 October 2026
Proposals should be submitted to: