An important role of creating and maintaining identity of ethnic groups is a cultural heritage. That is an expression of the continuity of cultural, social and political. Contemporary interest of the cultural heritage of Kashubians and their language, stems from the process of creating a nation of Kashubian. System transformation and the associated with this a liberal economy contributed to the recovery of activity of local communities in various fields. It proved that globalization is a destructive force but also, strengthening local communities, that they realize the importance of their cultural heritage, solicit its preservation, on the other hand, treat as a commercial product.

Traditional cuisine is very important for tourism. It influences the attractiveness of particular countries, regions, places; it enables their economic development. The reference to the cultural heritage has many various forms (routes, festivals, competitions, culinary workshops). On the map of Europe there are „old” culinary routes, with their long history; they are recognisable and described in guide books. There are also new ones, a product of the activity of local communities, the implementation of EU programmes etc.

The subject matter is analyzation of the phenomenon of mutual influences between the Czech, Slovak and Polish puppet theatre. This theme is inspired by the significant presence of Czech and Slovak artists on Polish puppet stage. Czech and Slovak puppet theatre have a long and rich tradition. Contrary, Polish puppet theatre has been created freely after the Second World War, without the burden of tradition what became inspiring for Czech and Slovak neighbours. The questions are: is this phenomena conditioned by opening of the borders between the countries, common cultural references to Europe, declining condition of Polish theatre, or is it a result of a constant cultural fluctuation?

This essay illustrates not only an initiative of yielding The European Heritage Label, but also the significance of that enterprise for the objects placed in the territory of Central-Eastern Europe. The cultural European Union project described in the article shows ambitious efforts of that institution in counscious creation of the own heritage. One of the aims of yielding The European Heritage Label is enforcement of effiliation with European Union among European citizens especially young people. In this context the important issue is the question of effectiveness of this enterprise.

The implementation by the Nowosądeckie district of its statutory tasks in the area of culture through concrete action is dependent inter alia on geography, demographic situation, history and traditions, as well as on current social and cultural context. For this reason, the actual information on local government projects of Nowy Sącz district in the sphere of the protection and promotion of cultural heritage is preceded by a historical outline. This part deals with administrative divisions and basis of multiculturalism in the Nowy Sącz region. One of the most important tasks is to aid to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Nowy Sącz region in order to maintain the local identity.

A great culture-creating event “The Carpathian Sheep Graze — Transhumance 2013”, organized with due respect for pastoral tradition, and “Lamb Meat Feast” in Ustroń are examples of restitution and popularization of the cultural heritage of sheep farming and pastoral symbolics. Both events appeal to very deep layers of tradition, which raise reflection on culture-creating aspects of sheep farming (one of the oldest forms of agricultural economy), on the signs of pastoral customs and symbolics, and on culinary traditions. Pastoral elements still seem to be present in modern culture, especially in the religious symbolic imagination. However, most frequently there is no direct presence of sheep and shepherds, which might make them only a “relic” of the past.

Unstable currently communication between generations, migrations and life globalization makes that determining of own identity becomes more difficult.Simultaneously commercialization of cultural heritage along with the development of merket economy may result in a threat to existence of native or regional culture. All the more, regional and cultural education, gaining greater importance, playing the essential role in the „small homelands”, as in the educational environment.Their aim is to restore post-memory, promotion of cultural heritage and using of cultural resources of local communities for the promotion and development of social capital in the region.

The article presents the issue of the fall of the gentry ethos in Poland several years ago and its current return to the tourist trails of Wielkopolska. The author describes services and achievements of some chosen gentry (landowning) families from Wielkopolska Region and their properties, as well as she points out to tourist trails, museums and exhibition rooms and other forms tourism activity (such as quests, theme events and historic reenactments) which were created on their basis.

The article shown the role that contemporary urban markets have in the dissemination of cultural heritage. Author discusses the basic principles of the Convention of 2003, the scope of cultural heritage and the definition of „protection”. Next shows the ideas, goals and the most important events of Jagiellonian Fair, showing the positive aspects and risks associated with the promotion of cultural heritage. Initiatives and venture fairs shows the potential of cultural fairs not only the city but also the entire country and the eastern part of the European Union.

Music has accompanied people for thousands of years. It is sometimes necessary partner at work, at play, at rest. With its help the people most fully and most beautifully able to express their feelings. Is folk music still alive or what was left of the old tradition of music-making can still grab us and amaze? Is it possible to develop creative Polish folk? In recent years, there are clear relapse intotraditional music, you can even talk about the Renaissance.

Currently, development of language and cultural competencies is of fundamental importance. Cultural education (including multiculturalism) enriches and models one’s own culture, prepares for dialogue, creates identity based on the strong sense of national values and roots while respecting and understanding others. The goal of language learning is clear: education should lead to language competence, make cultural intertwining easier and implement the basis for tolerance and openness. Cultural (multicultural) competence is a result of gaining experience (also linguistic experience) which is an ongoing process involving analysis and discovering rules rather than being a skill that one can learn.

The main purpose of the article is to consider the institution of literary award as something, which could consolidate a culture in spite of globalization — understood as a set of processes causing the cultural destabilization. The article is focused on literary texts honored with Angelus Central European Award (from a year 2006 to 2012). The following interpretations are used for exegesis of esthetical and ethical values, which are expected to form a kind of symbolical basis for the socio-cultural space of Central Europe.

The city of Banska Stiavnica and technical monuments in its vicinity were in year 1993 registered in the List of the World Cultural Heritage UNESCO (the mining region). The Salamander Parade in Banska Stiavnica as part of intangible cultural heritage of Slovakia represents specific and unique cultural traditions of miners that had formed during 150 years of existence of the Academy of Mining in Banská Stiavnica, during the following 80 years of active mining, and moreover, during 20 years following its finishing in 1993. The “Ausus” tradition nominated by the mining association Herrengrund is located in the mining settlement of Spania Dolina.

This paper considers the cultural heritage and global / local manifestation in urban spaces. It focuses on cultural monuments, phenomena, events and the image of the city, which form a historical continuum and the part of today's city culture with the overlap between global and local elements, forms and functions. Global and local manifestations enable compliance or conflict that may promote, encourage, even out or damage cultural heritage. Municipal institutions, NGOs, individuals and foreign investors and entrepreneurs enter into this process. The paper is the result of field research in Zvolen located in central Slovakia.

The consequence of transformations induced systemic transformation and restructuring of the economy is the degradation of the Upper Silesian estates patronage. The inversion of the negative changes involves conducting the integrated process of the revitalization. Such a program cannot be directed only to the architectural-spatial sphere. Since not the historic character of the degraded quarters predestinates them to the revitalization but the particular accumulation of the social and economical problems. While the initialization and the realization of the revitalization generally lie with the local authorities, it cannot be fully successful without the support and the participation of the inhabitants.

Transformation of the socio-cultural realm in Central and Eastern Europe countries associated with the processes of globalization, as well as European integration, led to revitalize the debate on the dynamics and directions of changes of identity. Besides the categories associated with, so-called, “postmodern identity”, often questioning the very existence of dentity as such, other issues have appeared which indicate multilevel identity, taking into account relationship between European, national and regional identity. On the margin of this debate another and new subplot emerged, which is related to migration from non-European cultures and the possibility of spreading and therefore shaping a new model of European identity.

More and more people, especially young have problems with indentifying themselves and cultural heritage. The ethnology examines the mechanisms of culture, globalisation processes and cultural heritage. The purpose of this article is describing the relation between culture globalisation and consumerism as well as identity crisis. Efforts have been taken based on the literature and own considerations that propagation of consumer life style in global media culture contributes to the spread of addition, depression and aggression and at the same time forgetting about the cultural heritage and lost of the sense of identity.

The article presents the results of research concerning the Silesian identity in Katowice. The results obtained allowed the point group of residents of the city, whose identity is subject to change strongest today. Spatial analysis of the data also identified areas similar to each other in terms of the perception of the individual elements of the Silesian identity. Distinguished: os. Witosa, Podlesie and Szopienice-Burowiec as neighborhoods where most residents are attached to the region and the regional identity is strongest.