UNESCO

Chair on Heritage Futures

We will survive

2026-04-07

Last weekend, I visited the exhibition We Will Survive: The Prepper Movement and Design at Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft in Göteborg. It explores how people prepare for an uncertain future and the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) – from preppers who collect various things to secure their survival to civil contingency planning (governmental prepping) in the face of war and natural disasters.

What is the role of culture and heritage in such collections for the future? In the Röhsska exhibition, there are few cultural things recognised for their survival value. These include devotional religious offerings and family photographs providing comfort.

It is a shame that there are no cultural objects inspiring us to act collaboratively, caring and in solidarity with any human or non-human creatures in need. It is well known that a crisis can bring out the best in people. It is also an opportunity for people to create a better future world, together with others. Indeed, culture can prevent crises – which the exhibition recognised in one of its texts:

Travelling to the year 2062

2022-03-23

“Det är onsdag eftermiddag i mars 2062, på teamet Vård & Välmående på företaget HemFrisk i Kalmarsunds kommun. Veckans team samlas för gemensam genomgång av veckan som kommer. Egentligen är det inget konstigt, så gör de varje vecka. Men denna vecka är det också något nytt på gång, … “

This is the situation to which almost 20 participants travelled this afternoon, to experience a lively discussion about the introduction of a digital Doctor, steered by artifical intelligence. The participants were mostly from the elderly care sector on southern Öland. All enjoyed the role play and found it very educational as the scenario became very real and the complexity of the issues very apparent.

The event was an outcome of the future time travel concept originally initiated by our Chair on Heritage Futures in collaboration with Kalmar County Museum, and a current co-project by the museum and the University’s eHealth institute.