A few weeks ago, the GloCo team gathered an incredible group of international experts to reflect on the GloCo Glossary — our collaborative digital space for conservation knowledge. The workshop was an opportunity to ask big questions, test ideas, and imagine together what a decolonial, participatory glossary could do.

Participants

The workshop brought together the GloCo team — Noémie Étienne, Mutanu Kyany’a, Manon Fougère, Alisa Santikarn, Ruby Satele Asiata, Renée Riedler, Cécile Mendy, Maeva D. Pimo, and Franziska Wasserberg — along with external experts Eiloghosa Obobaifo and Kokunre Agobontaen-Eghafona (Digital Benin), Taputukura Raea (Digital Pasifik), and Carissa Chew (Cultural Heritage Terminology Network) creating a rich international exchange of ideas.

Translation, Networks, and Connections

One key insight was that some realities do not have direct translations. As Noémie Etienne put it:

"There are realities that I don’t have words for as a French person. But it can relate to other realities and we can see connections."

This idea lies at the heart of the glossary: even when exact translation is impossible, connections can still be built. Tags, cross-references, and networked entries allow users to discover links between terms, meanings, and practices across cultures — respecting differences while highlighting similarities.

Technical and Design Questions

During the workshop, several technical and design challenges were raised:

Flexible search: How can we ensure terms with special characters or alternative spellings are easily found? Can the search suggest similar words when exact spelling is unknown?
Consistency in terminology: Should we standardize the use of “glossary” versus “digital dictionary” throughout the site?
Interactive design: How can we make the glossary visually accessible while avoiding stereotypes or reductive representations of different regions?

These discussions reflect the complexity of building a digital heritage platform that is inclusive, ethical, and user-friendly.

Guiding Contributions

Another major topic was how to invite contributions. The glossary is intended to be open to everyone, but it’s important to communicate that there is no single definition of conservation.

Participants emphasized framing the submission process around questions like:

"What comes to mind when you think about conservation and heritage? What is conservation to you?"

This approach ensures that personal, cultural, and professional perspectives all have a place, and that the glossary remains diverse and participatory.

Reflections on Conservation

The workshop reminded us that conservation is not a universal concept. It is:

Multicultural and evolving
Shaped by communities and their lived experiences
Embedded in practices, memory, and relationships, not just objects

The discussions also highlighted the importance of critical reflection on knowledge production: ensuring that words, images, and sounds circulate ethically and collaboratively, without repeating extractive practices of the past.

Looking Ahead

The GloCo Glossary is a living, evolving platform, and this workshop was a crucial step in shaping its next stage. We can’t wait for everyone to contribute and share their perspectives when the platform launches. The glossary will continue to grow and be updated in the years to come — and we warmly welcome critical feedback along the way.

📅 Mark your calendars: the glossary launches 25 September!

Workshop Reflections: Shaping the GloCo Glossary