Maribor - Capsule Stories #3
28/11/2018
Dušan Vrban
Manager of the European Cemetery Route
-What is your connection to the project?
As manager of the European Cemetery Route, which is one of the cultural ways in Europe, I sense the interest of both routes in Maribor, to connect and over-cross the activities and hence achieve better promotional and project results. From the perspective of the Institute of European Cemetery Route there is always an initiative active, to interconnect the routes. One reason for that is, that we share common European values; the second, also important, is that visitors of certain destination have specific expectations, what to see, what to visit, what to experience in, let's say, Maribor – so for example visiting both routes as they are both part of the cultural heritage in our city.
I am very keen in seeing, what goes on on other routes, as only through co-operation we can discover specific ideas, which we can implement or join. We have lots of experiences in working with younger generations; namely we prepare so called days of culture for primary and secondary schools, as well as for faculties. On these days of culture young people visit cemeteries and with help of an app independently discover and create additional contents, topics. We educate youth on one hand, and on the other hand we inspire them to deeper discover the beauties of cultural heritage. These experiences can be easily implemented into the project »NewPilgrimAge«. Furthermore; with the Via Sancti Martini and the NPA project we are connected with historical people – therefor we can create new common stories and new adventures while exploring cultural heritage, interesting for youth.
The possibility of finding common ground with the project Symbols is one other point of interest for me. The project Symbols interprets symbols at the cemeteries and I am pretty sure that on other ways and paths in Maribor similar, if not identical, symbols can be found. Through co-operation we can achieve interactions and learn as visitors and natives something new – not necessarily about the path they currently walk on/visit, but I always take a look at the broader picture and work for common good.
-Why do you feel drawn to the project?
Because I am able to see, what other cultural paths in our area have been doing and where possible future synergies are. In order to multiply our achievements and enhance achievements of others. To enrich our activities.
-At the project I like the most …
… the focus of the project NPA on young generations from its core. We really need to do more for and with youth. Culture and cultural institutions (with exception of musical, which aim to broader spectrum) are oriented towards other audiences, not towards youth. Several cultural institutions work only for their own purposes, for own perspectives. Only seldom one can observe cultural institutions to open up with wish to connect.
Here, at NPA project, I like the openness, transparency and orientation of the project towards many different publics. Each public can find something interesting for it selves, although at first sight the cultural heritage of St Martin seems a narrow field.
-What has changed or will change for you, being part of NPA project?
Lots will change. We will find new ideas, cases, how to interconnect our routes everywhere, where our Association is active, not only in Maribor. Our route connects 23 countries in Europe. The experiences, gained within NPA project, will be introduced to other countries – and vice versa; our experiences will be presented and have been introduced already to the “NewPilgrimAge” project. Furthermore: throughout the Via Sancti Martini we will surely find common grounds, similarities and possible touch points in other countries next to Maribor, Slovenia, as well. This will add another international dimension – and support the value sharing, which was so important to St Martin.
Dušan Vrban, vodja Poti evropskih pokopališč
-Kako si povezan s projektom?
Kot vodja poti evropskih pokopalšč, ki je tudi ena od kulturnih poti Evrope zaznavam na lokalni ravni interes obeh poti, da jih povezujemo in križamo; da povezujemo aktivnosti in s tem dosežemo več promocijskih in projektnih ciljev. Z vidika Inštituta poti evropskih pokopališč vedno prihaja pobuda, da se poti medsebojno povezujejo, predvsem zato, ker imajo podobne – evropske – vrednote, hkrati pa tudi zato, ker ima obiskovalec določene destinacije, npr. Maribora, interes obiskati in eno in drugo pot, torej nekaj, kar je izpostavljeno kot kulturna dediščina.
Zelo me zanima videti, kaj se dogaja na drugih poteh, saj le tako zaznamo določene ideje, ki jih lahko izvedemo in se jim želimo pridružiti. Precej izkušenj imamo pri delu z mladimi, ker organiziramo kulturne dneve za osnovne in srednje šole, pa tudi za fakultete, v okviru katerih obiščejo pokopališča in s pomočjo mobilne aplikacije samostojno raziskujejo in ustvarjajo dodatne vsebine. Po eni strani mlade tako izobražujemo, po drugi pa navdušujemo nad kulturno dediščino. Izkušnje, ki jih imamo, so zagotovo prenosljive tudi na projekt »NewPilgrimAge«. Nenazadnje pa se s potjo sv. Martina in projektom NPA povezujemo tudi prek ljudi iz zgodovine – lahko ustvarjamo skupne zgodbe oz. nove dogodivščine pri odkrivanju kulturne dediščine, ki bi bile zanimive za mlade.
Ob tem se mi zdi zanimiva še možna povezava tudi pri projektu Symbols, kjer gre za interpretacijo simbolov na pokopališčih; zagotovo so podobni simboli tudi na drugih poteh in drugih lokacijah v Mariboru. S sodelovanjem bi lahko prišli do interakcij; nenazadnje tudi zato, da bi se tako domačini kot turisti naučil nekaj novega – pa ni nujno, da izhaja iz poti, na kateri se v tem trenutku nahaja – vedno gledam širšo sliko, v širše dobro.
-Kaj te je k projektu pritegnilo?
Da vidim, kaj delajo druge kulturne poti na našem področju in kje so možne nadaljnje sinergije. Da multipliciramo naše dosežke in spodbudimo dosežke tudi pri drugih. Da lahko obogatimo naše aktivnosti.
-Najbolj všeč mi je pri projektu ...
Najbolj mi je všeč, da je že v idejni zasnovi projekt usmerjen na mlade. Dejansko je treba delati oz. veliko narediti prav z mladimi. Kultura oz. kulturne institucije (z izjemo glasbe, ki ima širok spekter) so usmerjena na druge ciljne skupine, ne na mlade. Številne kulturne institucije delujejo za svoj namen, za svojo perspektivo. Redko vidiš odpiranje navzven, željo po povezovanju.
Tukaj, pri projektu »NewPilgrimAge«, pa mi je všeč prav to, da je projekt odprt širšemu krogu ljudi in zasnovan transparentno, za vse različne ciljne javnosti, da lahko najdejo nekaj zase, čeprav se morda zdi kulturna dediščina sv. Martina na prvi pogled ozko področje.
-Kaj se je zate spremenilo oz. se bo, ker v njem sodeluješ?
Ja, se bo spremenilo. Našli bomo prakse in ideje, kako povezovati naše poti povsod, kjer deluje naša zveza, ne le v Mariboru. Gre namreč za vseevropsko pot, prisotni smo v 23 državah. Izkušnje, ki jih bomo tukaj pridobili, bomo lahko prenesli drugam – in obratno; naše izkušnje bomo in že prenašamo v projekt»NewPilgrimAge«. In še več: ob poti sv. Martina bomo zagotovo našli stične točke tudi v drugih državah, ne le v Mariboru. S tem bomo projektu dodali še eno mednarodno dimenzijo – in podprli vrednoto delitve (sharing), ki je bila za sv. Martina tako pomembna.
