26th Annual Cambridge Heritage Symposium

The Role of Heritage in Shaping Ontological Security in the Contemporary World

8-9 May 2025, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research

For any queries, please email chrcsymposum@gmail.com 

Ontological security provides individuals, communities and societies with modes of survival during periods of political, social, economic, and cultural upheaval. Heritage offers reassurance of belonging, identity, and a shared past, which are essential for ensuring a hopeful future. 

We invited contributions for this two-day conference focused on the topic of heritage and ontological security and how it relates to ideas of reconciliation and commemoration. Our emphasis will be on resilience, a sense of belonging to a place and/or community, and well-being as integral components of emotional and physical safety. The topics we invite the participants to focus on are, identity, belongings, shared past reconciliation and commemoration.  

This year the CHRC is joined forces with the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. The symposium (CHS26) was supported by the Sasakawa Foundation, The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, The Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee and the A.G. Leventis Foundation. 

Click here to view the full programme and abstracts from all our speakers