More than 200 women together for cultural tourism
As part of the „Together for Cultural Tourism project“, workshops were organized in Sremska Mitrovica, Šid and Inđija. Participants had the opportunity to learn how to identify local heritage and integrate it witch contemporary design, assess the market potential of handicrafts in the context of the area's tourism offerings and brand souvenirs and promote them on social media. The aim is to contribude to creating a more favorable environment for the development of local (cultural) tourism. The next three workshops will be held in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The final event planned is an exhibition where the project's final results will be presented, showcasing the work of the participants.
In th first year since the project's inception, it has brought together than 200 women in its educational programs, woekshops, and info-sessions. They were given the opportunity, with the expert support, to design new products, present and promote them in local tourist organizations and art studios, and showcase them at project events.
Workshop speakers included Saša Srećković, a museum advisor at the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade; Dušanka Botunjac, an academic painter and applied artist; Dragana Tar, a collaborator on local idea development and support for small businesses in rural areas; Aleksandra Marković, an ethnologist and collaborator expert and marketing director of the Metropol Palace Hotel in Belgrade.
Recall that in the border region of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the territory of 18 municipalities and cities, the project „Together for Cultural Tourism project“ has been implemented since March 2023 with the aim of socio-economic empowerment of women and the placement of handcrafts as tourist products in the mentioned countries. The project is implemented by NALED in cooperation with the associations Ethno network and Bosnian handicrafts, co-financed by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) through the Cross-Border Cooperations Program Serbia - Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2020. The financing agreement with EU funds was signed with the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia - Sector for contracting and financing of EU funded programs.
„Together for Cultural Tourism project - Cross Border cooperation for enhanced socio - economic development and preservation of traditional crafts aims to rescue olf crafts and techniques of domestic craftsmanship from oblivion, restore their economic and cultural value, and engage younger generations in preserving cultural heritage through participation in creative workshops“.
