CRAFTS - NETWORK for joint initiatives for their protection, promotion and turning them into tourist attractions

The project aims at creating interest in the cultural and historical heritage of Bulgaria and Turkey through joint initiatives. A network will be established to revive and transform crafts and their products into tourist attractions.
Planned project activities varied and include questionnaires and analysis, elaboration of an information brochure named “The crafts and their products - historical heritage and tourist attraction in the cross-border region Bulgaria - Turkey”, trainings, exchange visits and event for networking and collaboration in the field of protection, development and promotion of public cultural and heritage in the field of crafts. The project envisages an organization of one international conference as well as creation of a web-site for finding more information on promoting and supporting the development of tourism trough crafts.
Providing funds for the maintenance and development of crafts will contribute to economic sustainability, social cohesion and the preservation of traditions in the cross-border region.

Project status: Finished

This project implemented an impact on large groups of people through initiatives for mutual learning and formation of a common interest towards the cultural heritage of the two nations, separated by the border, turning the crafts and their products into tourist attractions. The crafts and their products have been developing for many years on both sides of the border in various socio-economic conditions, and therefore they have a lot in common, but also they are very different and they offer uniqueness in products and services. This intrigued the citizens and tourists from both countries, as they see the crafts and their products form another point of view- as tourist attractions, as source of information, new knowledge for the nation that live on the other side of the border. Local crafts are important elements of culture, and people travel to see and experience other cultures, traditions and ways of living. Crafts products form an important element of the purchases made by tourists, providing an important economic input to the local economy. Tourism also supports the crafts development themselves, ensuring the continuation of crafts production and strengthing local cultures. This partnership between culture, local crafts and tourism has been recognised by the projecy as providing an important source of economic development and new sources of employment in the future. The project explored the common craft heritage and its specificity in the cross-border region by incorporating attractive, authentic and popular handicraft products and services in tourist destinations and joint events which led to cohesion and build respect between people on both sides of the border, towards their neighbors, t