TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

4. Mapping the profession of heritage interpreter 55 In fact, when heritage interpretation began to be known in Europe, professionals from all fields of the chain became interested in it, trying to become qualified workers by any means available; firstly through specific courses run by public institutions or organisa - tions involved in heritage management and preservation, and by joining associations engaged in promoting technical and professional development in this field, such as those existing in almost a dozen European countries: Croatia, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Switzerland or Germany, or by creating professional networks, such as Sweden’s Interpret Sweden Network . Outline of the professional framework W e do not have specific, geographically wide data documenting the great diversity of people seeking heritage interpretation training for their professional practice. Our sources come from specific localised areas (Fernández & Soto 2009; Falcó, Rodríguez & Vega 2012; Babic 2023, Fredholm 2023; Interpret Europe 2016; ISN 2021; Kaida et al . 2017; Oosterbeek 2023; SEMIP 2022). However, an analysis of such sources has similar outcomes in every European country, as the unawareness of heritage interpretation and the lack of professionals in heritage management and communication, or the shortcom- ings in their training, are shared by all countries to a greater or lesser degree. To illustrate the variety of educational and professional profiles of those who work as interpreters in this context, we have a number of sources that vary in their degree of systematicity but which, taken as a whole, allow us to give a sketch of the people working or intending to work in the field of heritage interpretation. These are the following: XXI Conference of the Asociación para la Interpretación del Patrimonio, AIP. (Association for Heritage Interpre- tation). Seville, Spain 2022. Picture by AIP.