Project idea database

Rural heritage: methodologies and strategic actions promoting a sustainable development model based on the valorisation of traditional knowledge and expertise

Created

28 May 2010

Last update

28 May 2010

Project idea owner
Institution
Country

Marchese Paola
cardo Scrl
Italy

General aim of the Project

Central Europe is rich in cultural resources such as historic and natural sites, structured landscapes and objects of importance to a culture which have inspired artistic masterpieces: this cultural richness represent an important factor for its attractiveness and play a major role for its identity. In this period of crisis, when the disparities between urban and rural areas are increasing, the project aims at implementing a model of polycentric development capitalising on rural cultural resources through the rediscovery of typical local traditional missing products. This will be done promoting valorisation of traditional knowledge and activities related to cultural heritage fostering a higher level of sustainable development. Sustainability will be implemented following the three traditional criteria: environmental, economic and social. The approach takes advantage of the recent experiences developed in the southern part of the area: it implies the active participation of citizens in territorial planning and valorisation of the local territory. Within this framework, territorial planning and animation activities are built through the mutual support of public and private sectors both contributing, in this way, to foster local sustainable development capacities. An integrated systems of activities, following strategic axes like in the most recent development systems, is jointly built up highlighting the importance of the local culture and environment as primary factors of production of services. This helps in implementing an innovative methodology where the protection of cultural heritage is no more passive; it becomes an active action with environmental and cultural resources representing credentials of quality contributing to the added value and to the promotion of the territory. It also contributes in getting (i) a detailed framework of the territory tradition and knowledge features, (ii) a strong and weak points chart, needed to build up a strategy action plan (iii) the appropriate dimension (overcoming the administrative dimension) to develop a successful strategy action plan on the basis of the tradition, knowledge and culture.

Expected results
(either quantifiable or tangible)

The project develops, tests, implements and settles the rules of an alternative model of polycentric development, capitalising on rural cultural resources aiming at territory valorisation through the rediscovery of typical local traditional missing products and their production methodology. The project identifies the preconditions, the tools to use and the actions to implement to put into practice the development model. The first specific project’s objective is the creation of an operational scheme promoting local rural missing product to be produced again following traditional:  product chain  production methodology. The second specific objective is to capitalise on cultural resources promoting valorisation of traditional activities and knowledge related to cultural heritage: that is the rediscovery and promotion of those competencies, capacities, abilities, practices etc. sorting out from the tradition of a territory, from its features, from the people living there which has been exploiting its products and services for centuries in a sustainable way. These traditional activities and knowledge are a resource of the territory which contributes to its competitive advantage: the valorisation scheme building on it, designs strategies promoting local development and better quality of life. This contributes to attract investments to recover historical and cultural agricultural and production infrastructures which improve the satisfaction and pride of belonging to a culture rooted in a territory. Related objectives are the following:  careful organisation of tourist paths/bicycle routes with interconnections to the historical ways/routes with high environmental value  coordination of the paths/bicycle routes network with rural areas to support rural tourism initiatives  use of rivers for tourist purposes linked to the surrounding rural landscape: organisation of events, performances etc.  information centres and show rooms creation to support and develop events customer oriented (thematic routes, local products paths etc. highlighting the traditional activities and knowledge related to culture heritage. The project also contributes to the development of a (iii) network of promotion and valorisation of traditional rural areas culture heritage developing rural tourism and (iv) a data base supporting the previous network and representing a sort of monitoring system for traditional agricultural missing products.

Estimated total cost
(€ if known)

€ 2.700.000,00

Estimated project duration
(in months)

36 months

Partners involved at this stage

Lead partner is Garlasco Municipality in Lombardia, North of Italy. Several municipalities are also partners as well as the Pavia province, Universities of Pavia, Piemonte Orientale, Aosta, National Centre for Research (CNR-Ceris), Association of farmers (Coldiretti), an international organisation (Cervim), and three PMI. They have been participating in several Interreg funded projects.

Further partners requested

We are still looking for regional partner from Poland, Slovenia, Austria. Are you interested in tangible or intangible cultural heritage and in sustainable economic and social development of your region? Are you involved in policy and decision making processes? Please contact us! Municipalities or Universities or Association of farmers in Polonia, Slovenia and Austria are welcomed.

Partners' benefits

The project contributes in creating an operational scheme promoting local rural missing product to be produced again following traditional product chain and production methodology. This model will be implemented and tested locally in all participating countries. This will develop an exchange of experiences and knowledge promoting traditional rural areas culture heritage and a data base for traditional agricultural missing products.

What is innovative

Several elements of the project are innovative: the two most relevant factors are (i) the broad understanding of tangible and intangible cultural heritage (ii)the linking of cultural heritage with economy

Follow-up project of

no

Other funding Programme

no