Project title: WB CulTours – Cultural tours in Western Balkans
Timespan: 01/06/2020 – 01/06/2021
Donor: Western Balkans Fund
Applicant: Balkan Network for Local Democracy (BNLD)
Partners: Local Democracy Agency Mostar (Mostar / Bosnia and Herzegovina); Local Democracy Agency Niksic (Niksic / Montenegro); Local Democracy Agency Knjazevac (Knjazevac / Serbia); Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo (Peja / Kosovo);
Overall objective: to contribute to regional cooperation and regional cohesion in WB6 through cultural cooperation and activities for sustainable growth.
Specific objective(s):
1) promote shared cultural heritage in Western Balkan countries related to common history through creation of youth friendly tool
2) support local sustainable development of micro-localities though income generating activities and tourism
3) reinforce the cooperation and networking among different stakeholders on local and regional level
Description:
The project idea was developed as follow-up of the on-going project titled “Monumental 9” financed by the Regional Cooperation Council’s Programme: “Support to the implementation of the RCC Triple-P Tourism in SEE”. The project “Monumental 9” supports creation of online platform to present and promote the narrative of nine monuments from World War 2 in Western Balkans. The project develops pilot youth intercultural exchange programme including exploration, storytelling, digitalisation of the new cultural tourism product as well as capacity building programme for young vloggers and greeters. “Monumental 9” is helping to increase attractiveness for tourist development and income generating activities and micro-localities.
Against this backdrop, the proposed Action will build upon the outcomes in the “Monumental 9”, notably the vast information created during the project and presented on the online platform, contributing thus to sustainability and added value of the social intervention as well as to the multiplication of the outcomes.
This project will contribute to the promotion of the touristic potentials of the region of Western Balkans through the perspective of the common cultural heritage and shared history notably through involvement of youth. The project will promote networking at the local level of various stakeholders with an aim of increasing touristic potentials and opportunities for youth employment, better understanding and reconciliation in Western Balkans.
In this specific context of economic and social crises, it is even more important to tackle the question of tourism, support the sector and contribute to the local economic development of the local communities.
Main activities:
1) Creation of mobile application for promotion of shared cultural heritage: 1.1. research and work with local stakeholders; 1.2. development of tool for promotion of cultural heritage,
2) Local activities for touristic development 2.1. Identification of local economic stakeholders related to the touristic development; 2.2. promotion of touristic tool to local touristic promoters; 2.3. Webinars for exchange of ideas on tourism and local economic development.
3) Regional Networking activities: 3.1. Online partner meetings; 3.2. Regional networking event; 3.3. Regional online webinars.
Expected results:
1) Mobile application created to promote shared cultural heritage related to monuments from World War 2 in Western Balkan Countries
2) Touristic products developed in cooperation with local stakeholders in order to promote sustainable economic growth
3) Reinforced Balkan Network for local democracy to implement thematic project that include civil society organizations, local authorities and other economic and cultural stakeholders.
Target groups: Local democracy agencies in Western Balkans, local authorities, Local CSOs, CSO thematic network, young greeters and vloggers, local/national public authorities’/government bodies, media.
Final beneficiaries: Educational/cultural institutions, tourist associations, SMEs, 5 local communities, population in the communities involved
Implemented activities: