Aims

The final aim of CHORD - Cultural Heritage: exploiting Opportunities for Rural Development - is to develop and experiment a common strategy to govern and implement innovative cultural services and promote initiatives based on the cultural attractiveness and heritage of the MED area. Many Med regions, particularly inland areas, have significant cultural heritage and territorial resources that could be exploited for specific sectors of the tourism market, thereby benefiting the economic growth of these areas. In many cases, local communities are not aware of the economic potential of their cultural heritage and this has led to migratory phenomena and a loss in Mediterranean identity. However, their cultural territorial heritage can be a successful engine for growth if harnessed and incorporated into a strategic system, as witnessed by the Cultural Heritage Industrial Cluster in PACA. Initiatives like festival promotion, wellness, thematic events, health tourism, could be ideal examples to be encouraged. However, for the model to be successful in the Mediterranean, the right services must be provided and information and access guaranteed. This requires a holistic view integrating planning and management, addressing shortcomings and constraints and exploiting local heritage and local strengths. The partners in the Project are all regional or local authorities & public organisations representing the business community.

The main activities are:

• a collaborative network to analyse potential service poles based on local heritage and landscape enhancing and market analysis
• capacity building on informing local stakeholders on optimisation and integrated management for cultural hubs
• exchange of best practice between partners to identify transferable sustainability models & marketing plans for cultural heritage hubs
• develop common strategies to foster innovative services promoting landscape and heritage in rural MED areas
• creation of cultural partnerships and twinnings for international promotion and experimentation of pilot promotional initiatives