Maribor - Capsule Stories #4

03/12/2018

Darja Viher

Director of Cooperative ArtMiJeMar

-How are you connected to the project NewPilgrimAge?
My role and the role of the Cooperative ArtMiJeMar (The ARTmijeMAR Destination Shop is located in the centre of Maribor with variety of handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces of art and artisanal handicrafts, it also serves as a tourist information centre for Maribor – Pohorje and Slovenia.) in the project NewPilgrimAge I see especially as being an information point for domestic and foreign visitors about existence of the way Via Sancti Martini through the Slovenian territory and to develop joint touristic products, connected to St Martin and his values.

We cooperate with the project because we want to create product with help of all important stakeholders in this area, with aim to design it so good, it will be recognised in Slovenia and abroad. We are interested in all touristic products, offered and produced in our area.

-How do you perceive this project, what new elements does it bring?
Since beginning of the project – I pay more attention to it now, of course – has happened several times, that people stepped in, asking about the way Via Sancti Martini. I think, that based on NewPilgrimAge project, visitors and buyers, who avoid cities otherwise, come to our city Maribor. At present days especially tourists and domestic guests and buyers come to visit our city. This project brings hikers, people with different characteristics.

People coming to Maribor because of the way Via Sancti Martini have different perspective, different view of life and vision. They have different demands and needs, asking about the products, somehow connected to the nature, for example local products and everything, what is natural, bio. This corresponds well with the philosophy of the project. As hikers are ‘on the same page’ with the the ideology of the Via Sancti Martini, that reflects also in their demands while buying artisanal handicrafts. Their philosophy of life is in line with the values of St Martin.

-What does the project mean to you?
Our envisioned outcome is to have designed products, connected to Via Sancti Martini – through his story as well as with products and services, which already exist along this path. Products, interesting for people, who hike on this way, of course. I am convinced, that the initiative will see the light of the day soon; namely the initiative we have discussed on one of the workshops organized by Municipality of Maribor as part of the NewPilgrimAge, and should connect local providers of tourist Wine Routes and local suppliers with us, as a destination shop, where these products can be introduced to the visitors, buyers, guests.

-Very interesting at this project …
… are the principles of people – turning back to the nature, back to the values, which we in Slovenia – at least so I believe – have supressed, neglected. If values – solidarity, cooperation, hospitality and sharing – gain on importance and return among people, I believe it would be better for the society and all of us, too. I find the idea of the project itself appealing, principles as well. I wish and hope, that all stakeholders of the project will add something to the project, so that at the end of the day, we all will profit from it – and I am not talking financially, but foremost from our human perspective.

Darja Viher

Direktorica Zadruge ArtMiJeMar

-Kakšna je vaša vloga v projektu?

Svojo oz. vlogo Zadruge ArtMiJeMar (Destinacijska trgovina ARTmijeMAR se nahaja v centru Maribora in obiskovalcem ponuja izdelke domače in umetnostne obrti, lokalne pridelke, hkrati pa promovira destinacijo Maribor – Pohorje in Slovenijo, kot celoto na svoji info točki kot turistično informacijski center) v projektu NewPilgrimAge vidim predvsem v tem, da osveščamo domače in tuje goste o obstoju poti Via Sancti Martini čez ozemlje Slovenije in da skupaj razvijemo nove turistične produkte, ki bodo povezani s sv. Martinom in njegovimi vrednotami.


Pri projektu NewPilgrimAge sodelujemo, ker želimo čim bolj aktivno sodelovati z vsemi akterji na tem področju, da izdelamo res »na kožo pisan produkt« projektu, ki bo postal prepoznaven po Sloveniji in širše. Zanimajo nas vsi turistični produkti, ki se v destinaciji izvajajo.


-Kako dojemate ta projekt, kaj prinaša novega?

Mislim, da bi lahko na osnovi tega projekta v destinacijo in mesto prišli obiskovalci in kupci, ki se v osnovi mest izogibajo.V tem trenutku so obiskovalci mesta predvsem turisti in domači gostje in kupci.. Ta projekt pa prinaša pohodnike, drugo vrsto ljudi, ki obiskujejo ta naš prostor. Odkar poteka projekt – zdaj sem bolj pozorna, seveda – se je že zgodilo, da prihajajo ljudje in sprašujejo o poti Via Sancti Martini.

Ljudje, ki prihajajo, so ljudje z drugačnim pogledom na življenje, vizijo. Imajo drugačne želje in potrebe. Bolj povprašujejo po izdelkih, ki so povezani z naravo, npr. lokalni izdelki, vse, kar je naravno, biološko. To je nekako tudi filozofija tega projekta in če so ljudje, pohodniki te poti, povezani z ideologijo poti sv. Martina, potem se vidi, tudi iz njihovih želja po spominkih, drobnih pozornostih, da so tako naravnani tudi sicer v življenju – da je njihova filozofija takšna.

-Kaj vam pomeni ta projekt?

Naš cilj je, da oblikujemo produkte, izdelke, ki se navezujejo na pot sv. Martina, ki so vsebinsko povezani tako z njegovo zgodbo kot s storitvami in ponudbo, ki je na tej poti že prisotna. Takšne produkte, ki bi bili za ljudi, ki prehodijo to pot, seveda zanimivi. Verjamem, da bo kmalu uresničena tudi iniciativa, o kateri smo govorili na eni izmed delavnic v okviru projekta NewPilgrimAge v organizaciji Mestne občine Maribor, s katero se bodo povezali ponudniki npr. s turističnih vinskih poti in lokalnih proizvajalcev ter nami, kot prostorom, kjer lahko potem te izdelke gostom, kupcem, obiskovalcem ponudimo.


-Pri tem projektu mi je zanimivo ...

Zanimiva so načela ljudi – obračajo se nazaj k naravi, nazaj k vrednotam, ki smo jih pri nas v Sloveniji, tako vsaj mislim, dokaj zanemarili, potlačili v sebi. Da pridejo vrednote solidarnosti, sodelovanja, gostoljubnosti in delitve nazaj v veljavo, nazaj med ljudi, ker mislim, da bi bilo tako vsem nam bolje, lepše. Ideja kot takšna projekta se mi zdi dobra, tudi načela. Želim si in upam, da bodo vsi akterji projekta pripomogli, da bomo na koncu vsi imeli nekaj od tega – pa ne mislim samo finančno, marveč predvsem s čisto človeške plati.