albania project portfolio

Transcription

1 albania project portfolio

2 table of contents about chwb Who we are / How we work Where we work Project results at a glance Financial profile projects in albania 8 Antigonea Mosaic, Gjirokastra 9 Babameto House I, Gjirokastra 10 Babameto House II, Gjirokastra 11 Building Design Guidelines 12 Community Heritage Engagement 13 Dialogues for Spaç 14 E Ka Kush E Ka children s activity series 15 From the Shepherd to the Artisan 16 Gjirokastra: Where the Change Begins 17 Hammam (Turkish Bath), Kruja 18 Heritage Risk Assessment, Gjirokastra 19 Monument Owners Survey, Gjirokastra 20 St. Nicholas Church, Voskopoja 21 Tell the Story of Gjirokastra 22 Textile Conservation, Gjirokastra 23 Vocational Training category key Inclusive conservation Civic engagement Interpretation and education Cross-border professional learning and exchange regional projects Site Management Plans 100 Roofs Balkan Museum Network Bridges to the Future (Stolac, BiH) Make it Yours! Regional Heritage Seminars Regional Restoration Camps Southeast European Heritage Network 2

3 who we are The foundation Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) is an independent non-governmental organization dedicated to rescuing and preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage affected by conflict, neglect or natural disasters. CHwB is neutral when it comes to conflicting parties because everyone has the right to enjoy cultural heritage. We consider heritage to be a testimony of our humanity, history and cultural identity now and for the future. CHwB promotes and is committed to equality, social justice, non-discrimination, participation, inclusion, intercultural dialogue, accountability and transparency. our vision is that everyone is able to exercise the right to enjoy, have access to and participate in cultural heritage. our mission is to promote cultural heritage as both a right in itself and a resource. how we work CHwB relies on the competence of experienced, passionate and energetic national and international professionals educated in different fields, such as Anthropology, History, Architecture, Conservation, Urban Management and Planning, Economics, Finance, Sustainable Development, Law and Political Science, who form a multidisciplinary team determined to make a difference in the Balkans, and beyond. CHwB works with heritage conservation and interpretation, community empowerment, education and museum development. We design and implement innovative strategies and manage various interventions on the ground, by using cultural heritage as an active force in peace building, promoting human rights and developing a sustainable socio-economic environment. This is achieved with a bottom-up approach, promoting both our partners and beneficiaries sense of ownership, as we believe development is sustainable only if it comes from within communities themselves. Our partners are civil society organizations, cultural and education institutions, international development agencies, private sector organizations and governmental agencies on all levels. We work with all members of society without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political affiliation or physical, mental, emotional or learning ability. 3

4 where we work CHwB Albania has offices in Tirana and Gjirokastra. Most of our projects are centered on or originate in Albania. However, we also have a regional component to our work, which integrates all of the Western Balkans. croatia bosnia & Herzegovina serbia kosovo montenegro albania macedonia 4

5 our collaboration by the numbers project results at a glance CULTURAL HERITAGE AS A PLATFORM FOR EDUCATION REGIONAL RESTORATION CAMPS 20 Regional Restoration Camps held in 4 different countries 566 participants from 25 countries, ~37,720 hours of hand on restoration 77+ small interventions conducted on historic monuments 20+ museum objects conserved E KA KUSH E KA 6 Heritage Ateliers held 170 children and 30 staff participated in Heritage Ateliers 6 highly engaging games and booklets added to the collection AS A PLATFORM FOR STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT RISK ASSESSMENT FOR LISTED MONUMENTS IN GJIROKASTRA 648 monuments surveyed MONUMENT OWNERS SURVEY 253 owners surveyed in 8 historic neighborhoods of Gjirokastra SITE MANAGEMENT PLANS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS 7 site management plans in 7 countries of the WB region 21 workshops held 150 stakeholders from across the region FOR DIALOGUE DIALOGUES FOR SPAÇ 3 workshops held 29 participants 28 concrete steps developed in action plan 5

6 TELL THE STORY OF GJIROKASTRA 23 students from 4 high schools participated in poster competition 11 high school teachers trained on Culture Heritage topics 3 cultural Heritage Experts 4 local professionals involved FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSERVATION WORKS 1 complete restoration to be finalized within monuments saved through pioneering emergency interventions 2 full restorations completed in Gjirokastra 1 archaeological mosaic conserved LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2 business plans and 8 informative sessions with monument owners 3 out of 8 monument owners co-financed repairs on their monuments FROM SHEPHERD TO THE ARTISAN 20+ local craftswomen involved 2 communes involved growth / diversification of our financial profile, The primary donor for CHwB has been the Swedish Government, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). For the past several years, however, CHwB Albania has been diversifying its funding sources, as indicated by the charts below. Year Turn-over (in EUR) From Swedish Government (%) From other donors (%) , , , , , , Turn-over ( ) 700, , , , , , , Year Other donors Swedish Government 6

7 albania / regional project summaries category key Inclusive conservation Civic engagement Interpretation and education Cross-border professional learning and exchange

8 antigonea mosaic, gjirokastra Emergency archaeological conservation June - December 2012 Institute for Monuments of Culture Donor: Germany Embassy in Albania Total funding: gjirokastra conservation and discovery in an ancient city Discovered during archaeological excavations in 1974, the mosaic of Antigonea (5th 6th Century AD) is one of the most important archaeological pieces of art in the Drino Valley touted for its unique iconography. Prior to conservation, the mosaic floor had become unstable, the underpinning mortar had disintegrated, and the loss of the entire mosaic was imminent. To save the mosaic, a team of national and international experts worked in close collaboration to stabilize and partly reconstruct the surrounding walls, level the foundation of the mosaic floor, and replace the component mosaic elements in their original positions. During the conservation, the original staircase to the ancient church was uncovered and reinstated as the main entrance to the site. Today the mosaic stands as a central piece of the Antigonea Archaeological Park, attracting tourists from all over the world. Works conducted: Removal of all panels; removal of the degraded cement on the backside of the panels; creation of a new foundation; elimination of living vegetation; repositioning the panels over a new layer of mortar. The interventions undertaken have once again made the mosaic accessible for researchers and visitors alike. What was formerly an overgrown cluster of stones has been turned into a coherent and recognizable site. While the mosaic is covered during the off-season to prevent weather damage, it may now remain open during the summer months. 8

9 babameto house i, gjirokastra Full restoration of a first category monument April March 2013 Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organization (GCDO) Donors: Swedish Government Packard Humanities Institute Total funding: gjirokastra restoration & revitalization for the future Completely abandoned following the 1997 national financial crisis, the grand Babameto house quickly fell into disrepair, eventually becoming a priority for restoration. In 2004, the state invested in the reconstruction of the roof and other ruined elements; however, the house remained in poor condition until interventions were made by CHwB. The primary aim of this project was the complete restoration of the monument and the eventual conversion of the space into a hostel and public facility (used for seminars and exhibitions). As a main element of the central bazaar, the restoration of the Babameto house has brought renewed vitality to the commercial area of Gjirokastra s old town complementing other important community buildings such as the mosque, amphitheatre and cinema. The building now operates as a tourist hostel and temporary residence for camp participants during CHwB s Regional Restoration Camps (see page 27). Additionally, the surrounding walls of the building are being reconstructed by camp participants, providing practical, hands-on experience for architecture students and young professionals in traditional restoration practices in stonework. Today, the Babameto house stands as a model of sustainable practice in cultural heritage management. Works conducted: Restoration and conservation of remaining elements, training of young specialists in traditional materials and techniques, using heritage to generate income for community. 9

10 babameto house ii, gjirokastra Full restoration of a second category monument April April 2012 Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organization (GCDO) Donors: Swedish Government ( ) Packard Humanities Institute Total funding: gjirokastra restoration & revitalization for the future For many years, the category II Babameto house, once an iconic feature of the local bazaar, was left in complete ruins. By 2011, the roof had collapsed, and most interior and exterior elements, such as stairways, floors, and windows, were damaged. In addition, the ground floor had become a dump site for garbage, as well as a refuge for small saplings and encroaching vines. To prevent the complete destruction of the building, CHwB began interventions to restore this important monument. The dual aims of this restoration project were the preservation of Gjirokastra s built cultural heritage and the stimulation of the local economy. Today the building has been reincorporated as a public space. For a period of nine months Babameto II was used as a storefront and training centre employing local women who made and sold handcrafted purses and other textiles using recycled and repurposed materials such as plastic grocery bags. Future projects under the direction of the Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organization (GCDO) (now Gjirokastra Foundation) will focus on capacity building and providing employment opportunities for local residents. Babameto II continues to stand as a model for using cultural heritage as a social, economic, cultural and environmental resource. 10 Works conducted: Restoration and conservation of remaining elements, training of young specialists in traditional materials and techniques, using heritage to generate income for the community.

11 building design guidelines For Gjirokastra s historic bazaar May 2014 present Regional Dir. of National Culture Gjirokastra Prefecture of Gjirokastra Municipality of Gjirokastra Institute for Monuments of Culture Donors: Swedish Government German World Heritage Foundation gjirokastra Many interventions, not only in buildings, but also in signage and advertisements, technical installations and public spaces, have contributed to a gradual loss of the historical integrity of the city of Gjirokastra. Gjirokastra clearly needs a legal document, which regulates which criteria and standards such interventions should follow in order for the city to maintain and indeed regain its historic character. The purpose of this project is to elaborate such a legal document that will help to bring back the lost integrity of the bazaar area and make sure that interventions will be done in accordance with the principles and standards of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The bazaar and its surrounding area stand out for their special architectural and functional characteristics. As the centre of the historical town and of the commercial area, the bazaar is one of the most visited areas in the city. The Building Design Guidelines project began with detailed documentation of the bazaar, conducted through the collection of all graphic and technical materials from archives; it is continuing with the technical work of a group of specialists assigned by all the relevant institutions. The project will engage all stakeholders, through informative sessions and workshops, and trainings will be organized for the staff of institutions that are going to use this document. 11

12 community heritage engagement Engaging locally with interpretation April 2014 present Donor: Headley Trust Total funding: (GBP) gjirokastra This project builds on the existing CHwB framework of heritage interpretation and community engagement through the Regional Restoration Camps (RRC, see page 27) to facilitate deeper engagement with and from the local community when it comes to sharing, preserving and interpreting their heritage. Specifically, the project has three main objectives: 1. Facilitating/encouraging active engagement from the community in locations where the RRC are held 2. Developing an interpretation resource base for local communities, to include both human resources and interpretation ideas and toolkits 3. Turning this local engagement into heritage interpretation resources (story-led tour routes, children s educational materials, etc.), whose production and delivery, is supported and led by members of the local community. This project supports CHwB s work with heritage interpretation on several levels. It supports the interpretation modules conducted during the RRC, where participants are introduced to both the theory and practice of interpretation. It has also supported the work of local CHwB staff on such projects in Gjirokastra as the survey of monument owners and several activities with high school students, including Tell the Story of Gjirokastra and the high-school-led production of The House of the Mad, a black comedy that highlights the plight of GJirokastra s historic houses. The Headley project also works with interpretation in Kosovo through the Regional Restoration Camp in Mitrovica. Finally, this project partially funds the E Ka Kush E Ka children s activity collection, which aims to bring heritage education to young children in an exciting and accessible way. 12

13 dialogues for spaç Addressing communist-era heritage April present Komuna Orosh Albanian Human Rights Project spaç Donors: International Coalition of Sites of Conscience Swedish Government Total funding: $ (US) sharing stories shaping the future Spaç prison is one of the most symbolic sites of persecution under the Communist regime, as well as perhaps the site that is most present in the collective memory of Albanians. As such, the primary value of Spaç today is as a much-needed place of memory for the crimes of the Communist regime a physical space to locate and address the traumas of that past, both for the former political prisoners who suffered there and for the rest of the Albanian people. Designed as a platform for mutual information, coordination and co-decision, the Dialogues brought together stakeholders from local government, national institutions, local residents, former prisoners and nonprofit organizations to chart out a future for the former prison at Spaç. A series of three workshops focused on (1) understanding the site, its history and its place in the popular conception today; (2) envisioning a mission and set of objectives for a future institution of memory (museum or otherwise) at Spaç; and (3) charting out a concrete set of actions to reach those goals. The rising interest of tourists in Communist-era heritage also has the potential to create much-needed economic opportunity for the local community, which is suffering from chronic poverty and steady emigration. Main results: functional, intergenerational, multidisciplinary working group established, site documentation and analysis conducted, priority actions for the restoration and museification of the site identified. 13

14 e ka kush e ka E KA KUSH E KA Interactive learning about heritage cultural heritage for the grown-ups of tomorrow and the children of yesterday E KA KUSH E KA trashëgimia kulturore për të rriturit e së nesërmes dhe fëmijët e së djeshmes Për fëmijë nga 3 deri në 5 vjeç No. 1 Ky projekt financohet nga Bashkimi Europian E KA KUSH E KA Për fëmijë nga 6 deri në 11 vjeç No. 2 trashëgimia kulturore për të rriturit e së nesërmes dhe fëmijët e së djeshmes present HAMAMI në Gjirokastër Një monument pranë ujit gjirokastra_children_book_shqip_ indd 1 gjirokastra_children_book_3yearsold_shqip_cover.indd 1 12/14/13 7:24 PM 12/14/13 7:26 PM E KA KUSH E KA trashëgimia kulturore për të rriturit e së nesërmes dhe fëmijët e së djeshmes Për fëmijë nga 7 deri në 9 vjeç No. 4 Veshja e lashtë e Të Bukurës së Maleve Për fëmijë nga 3 deri në 6 vjeç Nr. 5 XHUBLETA Veshja e Lashtë e Alpeve Shqiptare E KA KUSH E KA Xhubleta Anthropological Center Co-Plan Inst. for Habitat Development Mozaik Foundation Donors: Swedish Govt.; European Union; Headley Trust Created by Dolly Vu from the Noun Project kruja Tirana gjirokastra Total funding: trashëgimia kulturore për të rriturit e së nesërmes dhe fëmijët e së djeshmes Created by Joe Harrison from the Noun Project cultural heritage for the grown-ups of tomorrow and the children of yesterday The collection is also being used for the Heritage Ateliers. These activities are aimed at children in kindergarten and primary schools. They combine classroom exercises with visits, hands-on and other fun and engaging practical activities both for the children as for their teachers and parents. The collection E Ka Kush e Ka seeks to include children and adults in a series of books and games through which they discover and rediscover cultural heritage as a bridge, linking us to the complexities of the world around us. Cultural heritage is not only about learning facts; it is an ideal educational and entertaining support for learning about and exploring new things, other people and our society. It is an instrument that helps with self-reflection, skills and mental vivacity a path toward citizenship and mutual respect, where the search for meaning is foremost. Main results: 6 highly engaging activities developed (activity booklets, puzzles and 3D models) > 2000 items produced 6 Heritage Ateliers organized in 2014 in several cities in Albania 170 children attending 30 teachers/ educators/ parents involved 14

15 from the shepherd to the artisan Revitalizing wool processing in southern Albania May September ongoing Centre for Int l Migration & Development (CIM) Municipality of Lunxhëri Municipality of Antigone Donors: Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation Australian Direct Aid Program Total funding: gjirokastra setting new standards with traditional textiles artisans used during the training and the production of felt and woven products. This was the first project to revitalize wool processing in Albania. Wool has been one of the most important non-food products in Albania for hundreds of years, but it s processing and use almost ended with the breakdown of communism and urban emigration. Today most of the wool is thrown away while only a limited quantity is saved for household use. The artisans of Gjirokastra were trained in felt techniques, which they then applied for the creation of small animal figures. The artisans in Antigone, on the other hand, were trained in various weaving techniques for producing kilim and other products. The sessions were labor intensive and included lots of experimentation with wool, colors and shapes. During the project, 250 kilograms of wool was acquired from the shepherds of the mountains in the communes of Lunxhëri and Antigone. More than 20 people and artisans were engaged in the collection of the wool, cleaning, carding, hand spinning and dying it with herbs and plants collected in the nearby hills. This material served as the source of raw material that The result was a collection of about 200 products branded under the name of Woolline. At the website customers can view the product catalog and order online. Artisans then produce the products on demand. Because of the quality and uniqueness of the product designs, this project has set a new standard for the handicrafts industry in Albania. 15

16 gjirokastra: where the change begins Emergency interventions and awareness-raising July present Regional Directorate for National Culture Gjirokastra Donor: Prince Claus Fund Total funding: gjirokastra abandoned monuments lost heritage a new approach The story of the Hadëri and Gurgai tower houses is sadly the story of many houses in Gjirokastra. Both these houses located in the historical centre were once monuments of great importance. Through the course of history many changes occurred, resulting in the last inhabitants abandoning the monuments in recent years. Houses need to be lived in to be healthy. As they sat unmaintained, the roofs began to leak. The roof damage in Gurgai monument resulted in the floors and ceilings being ruined. The many interventions over the years and the ongoing deterioration of the inner structure caused the partial collapse of the western facade wall. The Hadëri monument is facing a full collapse of the roof and partial collapse of the walls. Following a fire in April 2012, the partial collapse of the west facade wall in June 2013 and another partial collapse in January 2014, the government Emergency Committee decided to destroy another part of the western facade, arguing that it posed a danger to passers by. Gjirokastra: Where the Change Begins is the first project to deal with ruined monuments in the historic centre of the city of Gjirokasra. This project aims to stop the destruction of these monuments by consolidating and reinforcing them, while using them to raise awareness about the many monuments that need urgent interventions. With this goal, a series of workshops involving local stakeholders will be organized. Works conducted: Cleaning of debris; selecting reusable materials; reinforcing stone walls; reinforcing wooden floors; building temporary roof; reinforcing roof structure. 16

17 hammam (turkish bath), kruja Full restoration of a category I monument October April 2015 Institute for Monuments of Culture The Past for the Future kruja Donor: Swedish Government Total funding: restoration and revitalization for the future FThe public bath has long been an important element of social life in this region. From Roman baths as places for meetings, exercise and exchange to Ottoman-style baths housing a space for chat, intrigue and political discussions, they have both promoted a healthy recipe of cleanliness, relaxation, and socializing. Albania has inherited a number of baths from both the Roman and Ottoman Empires, including the 15th-century Ottoman hammam found in the castle of Kruja. In Kruja, the hammam was for many years a forgotten relic. The restoration of this monument of culture, a key vestige of the local community and potential tourism attraction, is an important step toward developing a larger network of service-based heritage sites across Albania and the Balkans. CHwB Albania s objectives in this restoration and revitalization project included sustainably developing cultural heritage for income generation, by restoring this monument to its original function. This restoration promises renewed financial incentives for members of the community, revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood, increased tourism, and the beginning of a larger initiative focusing on building a national network of functional traditional hammams. Works conducted: Full restoration, development of a business plan for sustainable development of the hammam 17

18 heritage risk assessment Detailed survey of monuments in Gjirokastra October 2014 Regional Directorate of National Culture (DRKK) Gjirokastra Donor: Swedish Government gjirokastra Over the past 20 years, Gjirokastra has faced the deterioration of a large number of monuments. Working in the city since 2009 and walking daily on its cobblestone streets, we could see a lot of ruined, abandoned and unmaintained historic buildings. The preservation of Gjirokastra s cultural heritage is vital to the city s economy. If the monuments continue to deteriorate and turn into ruins, the historic urban landscape of Gjirokastra (one of its outstanding universal values ) is going to be irreversibly changed, and the hope of eco-tourism as a source of economic benefits for its residents would be completely lost. CHwB saw that there was an urgent need to investigate the current condition of the listed monuments, so as to have a full picture of the situation. Information is the key to better management. In any situation, policymakers, specialists and developers need to know the true situation of the town that they are dealing with. Therefore, CHwB, in collaboration with DRKK, has conducted a risk assessment evaluation for 655 listed buildings within the historical core of the city. The results of this survey will be compiled in a statistical report and GIS maps that will illustrate the level of risk of the monuments of Gjirokastra. This report will serve to alert the government about the critical situation facing the built heritage of the city and to assist them in defining conservation strategies according to the level of risk and to build an operational plan for interventions. At the same time, CHwB is running a pilot project on emergency interventions on two monuments in the city. With this project, CHwB is taking a new approach: propping up monuments that are in danger of collapse, in order to prevent their further deterioration until a strategy can be formed and funds for restoration can be found. 18

19 monument owners survey Understanding Gjirokastra owners knowledge and beliefs May June 2014 Peace Corps Albania Donors: Swedish Government Headley Trust gjirokastra understanding owners to change their approach Facing the rapid loss of the authentic values of Gjirokastra s built heritage and knowing that change can be achieved only with inclusive approaches, CHwB decided to start an awareness campaign. The multidimensional approach to understanding the problem began with a survey focused on monument owners and their understanding of the values their buildings have. The survey covered eight neighborhoods in the historical part of Gjirokastra, with a total of 253 monument owners surveyed. The questions addressed owners knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices in relation to cultural heritage and restoration. The survey team was comprised of CHwB staff, a US Peace Corps volunteer and several young volunteers from Gjirokastra. Following a brief training, three teams, composed of one supervisor and two volunteers, were each assigned to different neighborhoods. The results of this survey will help us to conduct community meetings and educational workshops, addressing the problems that the historic zone is facing. The more we understand about the intervention practices of monument owners, the more we will understand about why the authentic value of Gjirokastra s built heritage is deteriorating so quickly. And, therefore, the quicker we will be able to reverse this trend. 19

20 st. nicholas church, voskopoja Emergency intervention July - December 2012 The Past for the Future Donor: Prince Claus Fund Total funding: Voskopoja an ancient community a natural disaster a monument restored During the winter of 2012, the community of Voskopoja experienced record snow fall which caused the partial collapse of the roof of St. Nicholas Church. The church is the best and most complete of the five churches remaining in Voskopoja, and it is one of the best examples of the 18th-century Orthodox ecclesiastical architecture in the country as well as the wider Balkan region. The church s interior is adorned with original frescoes, painted by the famous Albanian painter David Selenicasi. The damage to the church roof left this important cultural artifact vulnerable to concurrent structural impairments including water leakage and ceiling cracks. To address the damage to this important site, CHwB made an emergency intervention to repair the collapsed roof. The primary objectives of the project were threefold: i) improve the structural state of the damaged roof; ii) engage local experts and craftsmen in the works; iii) establish guidelines for further maintenance. Today, St. Nicholas Church serves as the primary church in Voskopoja local people celebrate weekly Sunday worship services, weddings, funerals, and the high festivals of Christmas and Easter. It stands as a beautiful testament to three-hundred years of local history, including the recent period of religious oppression and the people and places that survived it. Works conducted: Partial restoration of east narthex wall; restoration of narthex internal walls & vaults; installing metallic ties for stability; filling cracks on critical parts of exterior. 20

21 tell the story of gjirokastra Involving students in heritage interpretation September December 2014 Peace Corps Albania Regional Directorate of Education & Youth Fato Berberi Cultural Center Donors: USAID; Swedish Govt; Headley Trust Total funding: $ (US) gjirokastra the young generation tells the story of the city Tell the Story of Gjirokastra (TSG) is a cultural heritage interpretation project designed to increase the level of awareness of Gjirokastra s residents about the condition and intrinsic value of their cultural heritage and to encourage their participation in its preservation and conservation. The project aimed to address the worsening problem of the wide and rapid deterioration of Gjirokastra s heritage through greater public awareness and active participation in public dialogue. monuments. Winning posters of the 23 high school students were announced and recognized by a panel of judges at a final award ceremony. They then traveled through exhibitions in different Gjirokastra schools, as well as in the city of Berat, which is another World Heritage city that faces many of the same problems as Gjirokastra. The keystone of this project was a poster competition for high school students which would engage participants in the process of researching and interpreting their cultural heritage through the medium of art. Student submissions were well researched and supported by regular information sessions, meetings with cultural heritage experts, and key community members including teachers and owners of historic 21

22 textile conservation Regional training held in Gjirokastra April 2014 Heritage Without Borders (UK) In partnership with CHwB Donor: The Clothworkers Foundation Total funding: (UK) gjirokastra training conservators saving a neglected collection Heritage Without Borders (UK) collaborated with CHwB to run a 10-day textile conservation training course for regional museum professionals in Gjirokastra, southern Albania, in April Since the fall of the communist regime in Albania in the early 1990s, museums were almost completely abandoned, and many of the collections were lost, damaged or in a poor state of conservation. The same fate followed with the development of professional skills for the people working in museums. This course helped local heritage professionals from the region to conserve and interpret a unique collection of textiles currently housed in the Gjirokastra Ethnographic Museum. During the training, they also provided support for the museum s collection needs. There were 12 regional participants from Albania, Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia. The following primary aims were achieved: - Identified/improved traditional regional textile skills; - Enhanced regional skills in preventative textile conservation and display; - Identified the main risks and approaches for improving storage and display of costume and textiles in the Ethnographic Museum; - Engaged local craftswomen; - Explored possible ways of displaying and interpreting historic costumes and textiles. 22

23 vocational training A certified training and job program for craftspeople Seeking funding Regional Directorate of Public Vocational Training Min. of Social Welfare & Youth Min. of Culture gjirokastra (pending) Traditional crafts are vanishing day after day. Experienced craftspeople find it impossible to enter the restoration market, which is monopolized by the licensed construction companies, while legislation is missing that would acknowledge their skills and permit them to work privately. Young people do not see any future of employment in this field. Furthermore, the lack of documentation on these crafts and techniques is contributing to the loss of this knowledge. This is happening because the market does not consider craftspeople important. Though there is great need for them in historic cities across Albania, there is no formalized means of recognizing them and incorporating them into the market, which results in lack of employment opportunities. This projects aims to develop vocational trainings for traditional crafts. Given the current situation, where traditional crafts are vanishing because they have not been transferred to the younger generation, the necessity of this type of training becomes clear. Certifying experienced masters and young craftspeople will create a group of people who are physically and legally able to conduct restoration works. The aim of this project is to force by law their integration into the restoration construction firms, as well as to enable their self-employment. The amended law would serve as a guarantee for future employment, which would attract younger trainees. Their involvement in these trainings, and their eventual certification and licensing, will lower the unemployment rate. Steps to be taken: Identification of the crafts and craftspeople; Documenting and interpreting the historical crafts; Creating the curricula; Licensing the craftspeople for small restoration works; Creating conditions for continuous employment; Changing the law for construction companies licensed in restoration to hire qualified craftsmen in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth and the Ministry of Culture. 23

24 7 site management plans Heritage management & cross-border cooperation July October 2014 Europa Nostra Serbia Expeditio: Center for Sustainable Spatial Development Co-Plan: Institute for Habitat Development Donor: European Union Total funding: Roman city of Siscia National Library (City Hall), Sarajevo Besac Fortress, Virpazar apollonia, fier Caričin Grad (Iustiniana Prima) Gazi Mehmed Pasha Hammam, Prizren Heraclea Lyncestis, Bitola management plans for sustainable heritage sites in the western balkans region The core of the project was to establish and implement a common methodology, while taking into account all the differences in nature, characteristics and conditions of individual sites, as well as the differences in local and national socio-political, legal, cultural and economic contexts in which the sites are situated. These results are far more important than the completion of the 7 Management Plans for sites in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The project also contributed in strengthening the ties among heritagerelated practices and professionals, thus bringing longdivided communities closer together, while providing a set of pioneering management tools for heritage sites in the Balkans. The project was financed by the European Union through the Regional Cooperation Council Task Force on Culture and Society (RCCTFCS), Montenegro and it serves the program Sustaining the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage in the Western Balkans within the framework of the Ljubljana Process II. Results: 7 Site management plans in 7 countries of the Western Balkans developed, 160 Local and national stakeholders engaged, 21 Learning workshops implemented, 17 National experts engaged 24

25 100 roofs Preventive conservation of vernacular heritage in Serbia present serbia Republic Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture, Belgrade Donors: Swedish Govt.; Serbian Govt. Total funding c The 100 Roofs project started as an initiative to preserve the vernacular monuments of Serbia by providing roof covering as a stabilization measure. After the works were finalized on 7 such monuments, the project was enlarged to include training activities for young professionals, using the sites of ongoing conservation for the training initiatives of the Regional Restoration Camps (see page 27). Using this approach, 13 vernacular monuments were either fully or partially restored, all across Serbia. For the moment the focus of the project is on the wine cellar complexes of Negotin, which are on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage recognition. These wine cellars and the 100 Roofs project is used as a field for training young professionals and engaging the local community, in conjunction with the Regional Restoration Camps being held in Rogljevo, Negotin. It foresees the restoration of another 3 vernacular monuments in the near future, and the ambitious title indicates the plan to restore many more roofs in the years to come. 25

26 balkan museum network A regional learning and development platform present CHwB Bosnia & Herzegovina CHwB Kosovo Donors: Swedish Government Stavros Niarchos Foundation Swedish Institute smarter, stronger, better together The museum network was established in April 2006 by museum directors and key staff from eleven museums in the Western Balkans region, facilitated by CHwB. This project is based on strengthening the contacts and collaboration between museums in the Western Balkans. It aims to enhance cultural understanding, develop staff competence, facilitate exchange of ideas and exhibitions and make the museums more inviting to the public. Several workshops and seminars, including 3 large regional museum conferences called Meet, See, Do, have been organized on a wide variety of topics, such as museum management, strategic planning, exhibitions, communication, conservation and education. A series of major projects around access for disabled people has lead to improvements in museum access. has established a wider platform for collaboration and exchange available to all museums across the Western Balkans. The Network is now open to all museums from region and includes more than 30 member institutions. 30+ member institutions and growing At the same time, it was also determined that a special network for female museum directors was required in order to address the specific needs of this group. Therefore, the Women s International Leadership Development (WILD) programme was launched in 2012 and professional development workshops for women from six Balkan countries are held several times a year. Following the success of the 1+1:Life & Love simultaneous exhibition, the Balkan Museum Network 6 Balkan countries 26

27 bridges to the future Conservation, Science, Technology & Education in Stolac Nov Jan 2014 CHwB Bosnia & Herzegovina Foundation Tecnalia Research & Innovation, Spain Association of Artist Deblokada, Bosnia & Herzegovina Tourist Association Stari Grad, Bosnia & Herzegovina Donors: European Union stolac Total funding community partnership, heritage and new technology for a better future This project worked with a variety of partners and stakeholders to create a shared vision for heritage in Stolac, Bosnia & Herzegovina, a historic city that was mostly destroyed during by war in the 1990s. Together, project partners developed an innovative, digital model in the form of augmented reality application. The model was developed through educational activities carried out during the project and is serving to rehabilitate the image of the historic town of Stolac. Through the project activities, we aimed to increase the professional capacities in conservation/restoration and create a notion of cultural understanding. Different target groups have engaged in mapping, imaging and viewing similar cultural heritage examples in the wider region of Stolac, encouraging participation in utilizing heritage as a potential source of social-economic development. Through educational workshops, primarily the Regional Restoration Camps (see page 27), a network of young professionals from all parts of BiH and the region has been created. The project connected tour operators and local actors in the area and has encouraged new generations to be promoters and guardians of cultural heritage. 27

28 make it yours! Public awareness campaign for heritage present CHwB Kosovo CHwB BiH Donors: Swedish Government; European Union; USAID sarajevo junik Tirana (pending) gjirokastra heritage is for everyone The main goals of Make it Yours! are to increase Albanians awareness of and involvement with their heritage and to advocate for politicians and public interest groups to take heritage into consideration. Launched in Albania in March 2012, the campaign has now been adopted by the CHwB offices in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well. As the Make it yours! campaign continues to expand and develop, future events will include activities with schoolchildren, opportunities for politicians to take a hand in the restoration process, continued engagement with local and national media and awareness-building events to encourage the community to invest in preserving their local heritage. Local heritage is an essential piece of human identity, and a society s active engagement with heritage is one sign of a dynamic and evolving culture. Therefore, Make it yours! encourages everyone, from specialists to media to politicians to everyday people, to take an active role in using, preserving and promoting their heritage. In Albanian, the phrase Bëje tënden! (written Bone tanden! in Kosovo and Učini svojim! in Bosnia and Herzegovina) captures both the idea that people across the spectrum of society should take personal responsibility for their heritage and the idea that they need to do their part to conserve and advocate their heritage, in order to ensure that it remains a source of pride and inspiration for generations to come. 28

29 regional heritage seminars An exchange platform for Balkan heritage professionals Co-Plan Institute for Habitat Development, Albania Mozaik Foundation, Bosnia & Herzegovina jajce Donors: Swedish Government European Union Total funding: prizren gjirokastra professional networking cross-border cooperation inspiring conversation As part of the regional project Western Balkans From Historical Integration to Contemporary Active Participation, the Regional Heritage Seminar series was aimed at using cultural heritage as a platform for professionals, proving conditions for reconciliation as a prerequisite for peace and democracy with respect to human rights, as well as to stimulate local economic growth through cultural heritage. conviction that heritage can make a difference. Main results: more than 150 participants and speakers from the Westerns Balkans and other regions of the world, 1 set of publications in three languages produced, a soonto-be-structured digital network of the Balkan s heritage professionals. The seminars were held in Gjirokastra, Prizren and Jajce, cities that managed to maintain through the ages great values of heritage and cultural diversity. They brought together international and regional experts, projects and individuals from a range of backgrounds. They turned out to be creative, positive and inspiring events that helped explore connections between people and heritage. Common ground was found in the way that stories and emotions unite us all across time and place in the 29

30 regional restoration camps Training & cultural exchange program September present Min. of Culture in Albania, Kosovo and Serbia Multiple cultural directorates and institutes State & private universities in Albania Many other civil society organizations jajce stolac rogljevo mitrovica Donors: Swedish Govt; European Union; Adventures in Preservation prizren Total funding: c per camp gjirokastra The Regional Restoration Camps represent a simple, successful, scalable training model, which has grown since 2007 from a few students in Albania to multiple sessions in four countries, with a diverse array of participants. The Camps form part of a region-wide push to encourage people to value and care for their local heritage. The main objective is to use cultural heritage as a platform for professionals, both men and women, to meet and create conditions for building peace within a democratic society, respecting human rights, and stimulating local economic growth through the development of cultural heritage. Nostra Award in the category of Education, Training and Awareness Raising. As of August 2015, CHwB has held 22 Camps in 6 locations across the Western Balkans. A total of 607 participants, representing 25 countries, have completed more than 83 small conservation and restoration interventions for a total of more than 40,020 hours of hands-on work. Three additional Camps will be conducted in September/October Over the course of each Camp, participants follow a rigorous but fulfilling schedule, combining theory through engaging lectures and presentations with hands-on restoration work on historic monuments and museum collections in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo or Serbia. Each intervention directly helps local residents using traditional materials and techniques to conserve their valuable buildings and artefacts and providing a new means of understanding, enjoying and revitalizing them. Today, CHwB s Regional Restoration Camps have become a keystone for bridging cultural differences throughout the Balkans and have earned the organization a respected reputation in the fields of restoration and cultural heritage. In 2014, the Camps won an EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa 30

31 see heritage network An independent heritage NGO network present CHwB Kosovo CHwB Bosnia & Herzegovina Donors: Swedish Government; Headley Trust; Butrint Foundation; Soros Foundation Total funding c tackling balkan heritage challenges together Cultural Heritage without Borders has initiated and further supported the creation of a regional platform for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) dealing with the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage across South East Europe (SEE). Initially, twelve partner NGOs from the region (including Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) expressed their willingness to meet and to exchange views and experiences with their colleagues. Today, the network numbers 24 NGOs from across SEE (including Romania and Croatia). The SEE Heritage network gathers all those willing to contribute to protecting and promoting South East European heritage as a part of the common heritage of Europe and the world. The vision of the network is: South East Europe (SEE) a region where people cooperate, understand and respect each other on the basis of their cultural differences, believing that cultural, ethnic and religious diversity is a valuable resource. 31

32 albania chwb.org/albania Rr. Ismail Qemali P. 34/I, Kt. III, Zr. 15 Tirana We restore and build relations Cover photo Anduena Dragovi Design, texts, project photos CHwB 2015 Glove icon Dolly Vu; Light bulb icon Joe Harrison from thenounproject.com