CREW
Policy objective: PO4 - A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights
Specific objective: SO 6 - enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
Typology: Standard project
The project aims to strengthen the tourist attractiveness of the crossborder area of Gorizia, Šempeter-Vrtojba and neighboring areas through integrated initiatives in the field of culture and urban and territorial planning, with particular reference to sustainable mobility, maximizing the positive impact in terms of social inclusion, liveability and employability. Also in order to optimize resources, the project will exploit synergies with the initiatives linked to the European Capital of Culture 2025 Nova Gorica – Gorizia.
The cross-border areas of Gorizia and Šempeter-Vrtojba were chosen as the heart of the project as they are the greatest example of the so-called frontier economy, an economy that characterized the market of the area until the 2000s, taking its strength from the very existence of the border. These spaces, with their strong symbolic meaning and cultural value, will therefore be put back to serve the territory as a meeting place of local cross-border communities, characterized by strong accessibility; the new value of these areas will be outlined in the replanning and revitalization strategy developed, through a participatory planning process with the territory, by the University Institute of Architecture of Venice and the Faculty of Architecture of Ljubljana.
The project will act on three critical macro-issues:
- the underuse and partial degradation of cross-border areas, seeking measures to reverse the downward spiral generated by the collapse of the border economy;
- the lack of integration between tourist services for the promotion of the territory and the cross-border peri-urban areas of Gorizia and Šempeter-Vrtojba, with the consequent need to develop a cross-border tourist offer integrated with local communities, ethical and eco-sustainable;
- the persistence of linguistic and cultural barriers that hinder the integration of local communities and minorities, which in the project will be overcome by artistic and cultural initiatives having the concept of border as their common thread.
- The activities of the partners were organized in a synergistic manner in order to enhance the experience and skills of each one to encourage the creation of a cross-border cultural ecosystem, promoting a multicultural environment and meeting points, sponsoring cross-border cultural, food and wine tourism and giving new life to border areas.
the output of this process will be a strategic masterplan, which will also identify action plans for the relaunch of the border territory through the valorisation of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage, with particular attention to respect for the environment and accessibility, according to the vision of the New European Bauhaus; from the identified scenario, pilot actions of a tourist and cultural nature will come to life within the project; as regards the first aspect, thanks also to a structural redevelopment intervention, the project will allow for the opening of a multifunctional centre, to support tourists in the area, with particular attention to eco-sustainability by encouraging the use of public transport shared with zero impact, the adoption of eco-friendly and digital solutions. In reference to the second aspect, the project will develop a new artistic and cultural vision of the cross-border area by enhancing the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the area in favor of the integration of cultures, also in terms of digitalisation and accessibility (cross-border sculpture park, graffiti, exhibitions, cultural and educational meetings, ...).
The multi-thematic nature of the project also generates a wide audience of target groups who will be reached, thanks to the communication plan implemented, and will be able to benefit from the outputs and results of the project: citizens of the area for the solutions to reduce urban congestion, tourists for tourist services, municipalities for the action plans and solutions proposed in terms of sustainable mobility and recovery of degraded urban areas, schools and students for the training activities.
