1st Transnational Exchange Meeting
25-26 October 2017 | Ljubljana (Slovenia)
The first Transnational Exchange Meeting of NewPilgrimAge project took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia on October 25–26, 2017. The event included an inspirational training and workshop in the field of cultural heritage management in the Central Europe area of St. Martin cultural route.
The NewPilgrimAge Project supported by Interreg Central Europe Programme through European Regional Development Fund, focuses on strengthening cooperation in the field of cultural heritage management. The program brings together 9 partners from five countries (Slovakia, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary). After the presentation oft he partners about the activities of the last 6 months it was obvious that all the partners face different but very similar challanges in how to interpret the heritage of Saint Martin to the language of the present, how to pass on this value to the current generation preserving the spirit of it.
The meeting was open only to project partners, who discussed and detailed the project’s activities and its work plan while agreeing on actions for the next six months. The meeting was organised by ZRC SAZU, the knowledge provider partner from Ljubljana.
As an important part of the reunion, a training combined with a workshop was held in order to deepen the partners‘ knowledge of Saint Martin Heritage, how to understand and valorise the contemporary effect. The interactive workshop also focused on the discussion about innovative solutions for cultural heritage valorisation in the region.
Through presentations and knowledge sharing conversations partners discussed the methods of community involvment. In the project’s life cycle partners are in the stage of getting to know the community members, recognizing the ones who are interested or who can be potentially interested, finding the best methods to raise awareness of the cultural heritage.
After the meeting we had the opportunity to walk around the city center with the guidance of a Ljubljana citizen who introduced the historical culture of the city and presenting a best practice for the community engagement. Via the old Rog Factory’s example partners could learn more about how to manage a community, how to engage volunteers or potential members of the interested ones, what are the challanges and advantages of this mission.
Background
Saint Martin, the symbol of sharing, is one of the most popular saints in central Europe with thousands of monuments and intangible heritage (folk traditions, legends) keeping his memory alive. Partner cities of the NewPilgrimAge project are located along the European Cultural Route of Via Sancti Martini. They join forces to revive this cultural heritage and promote the common European values of solidarity and hospitality linked to St Martin.
Cities and cultural organisations from five countries will mobilise their citizens, most of all young people and small enterprises, to propose and jointly develop new creative initiatives valorising the untapped heritage potentials.
If you are interested in cultural heritage management topic related this project, be member of NewPilgrimAge project’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/newpilgrimage
Photos of the meeting are on NewPilgrimAge Facebook group
PDF version of the press release
