2.3. Increasing networking for development of sustainable tourism through cross-border cooperation initiatives

The project aims to increase the potential of an attractive form of tourism related to religion through cooperation between institutions, travel agencies, NGOs and local authorities for the presentation of unknown or undeveloped forms of tourism. The group of initiatives will contain new opportunities to promote desired and hitherto unknown destinations related to the historical heritage in the field of religion, religious traditions and customs.
The project activities include a survey and analysis of the attitudes and interest of the people of Bulgaria and Turkey to the main religions, objects of cultural and historical heritage related to religions and their transformation into tourist attractions; elaboration of a brochure "Cultural Heritage of Religions; creation of a network for public awareness activities on religious heritage; conducting public awareness initiatives in Bulgaria and Turkey, promoting sustainable use of tourist resources; holding a joint international conference; developing a trilingual website of the project.
As a result of the project implementation, a network will be created and a series of public initiatives will be implemented to promote the sustainable use of the cultural and historical heritage related to the religions of the two nationalities, representing historical sites, customs and traditions. The implementation of the project will have a great impact on the target groups, on which the promotion of the sustainable use of tourism, historical and cultural resources related to religions, religious traditions and customs depends. This will create additional organizational capacity for project partners, institutions, organizations, local authorities and travel agencies.

The overall goal of the project is to increase the potential for sustainable development of tourism of the two cultural institutions by preserving, developing and promoting the cultural and historical heritage. The specific objectives are to promote the preservation of cultural and historical heritage for future generations, to attract future generations to participate in project activities, to stimulate the application of modern trends in museology for tourism development, to increase the capacity of employees of both cultural institutions, to organize and conduct initiatives for development of sustainable tourism.
The project will restore and preserve authentic flags from the time of the Ottoman Empire and will supply shop windows and equipment for museums in Sozopol and Edirne. There will be two events for the exchange of experience "Modern trends in museology" and "Skillful and useful".  An exhibition will be organized in Edirne and "Sozopol Delight Festival" in Sozopol.
As a result of the project activities, historical and cultural heritage will be restored and preserved, training for the preservation of local arts and crafts will be conducted, joint networking events will be organized in the cross-border region and awareness-raising initiatives for tourism development through sustainable use of natural, historical and cultural heritage.

Project status: Finished

The project is the joint work of two cultural institutions: Municipal Institute of Culture “Museum centre” – Sozopol and the Edirne Directorate of Museum – two cultural institutions, set an overall objective - united by the common goal to preserve, develope and promote the cultural and historical heritage for the sustainable development of tourism.

Europe's cultural heritage consists of the resources inherited from the past in all forms and aspects - tangible, intangible and digital, which originates from the interaction between people and places through time and is constantly evolving. These resources are of great value to society from a cultural, environmental, social and economic point of view and thus their sustainable management constitutes a strategic choice for the partners.

The realization of the project enabled the restoration of 9 authentic Ottoman sanjaks, valuable exhibits that preserve the history. Trainings in 4 traditional crafts were organized in the town of Sozopol (jewellery, weaving, embroidery and knitting – including fish net knitting), stimulating the preservation of the vanishing cultural heritage. Inspired by these crafts, sample gifts were designed and elaborated for newlywed couples that incorporated the tradition, the culture and the spirit of the wedding rituals, together with a catalogue of embroideries of symbols that were typical for the wedding and holiday traditional clothes in the region of Sozopol. Moreover, networking event – exchange of experience was organized in Sozopol and Edirne between the partnering institutions aimed at the new trends in museology. It was an opportunity for the museum workers to increase their capacity in attracting the next generation to the activities of museums and creating more interesting and innovative museum expositions. Festival "Sozopol delight " was conducted in the premises of the Municipal Institute of Culture in Sozopol which aimed at promoting the hospitality of the town through presentation of unique sweets and green fig jam.

Catalog “The big world of the small symbols” can be found HERE.

Photose of Sanjaks can be found HERE.