Project Summary:

Cultural Heritage as a Driver for Intercommunity Dialogue and Social Cohesion project aims to build upon the achievements from the earlier intervention and is funded by European Commission’s Instrument Contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP).

It aims to foster a conducive environment, based on trust and mutual understanding, where diversity is acknowledged and respected and communities are engaged towards a more stable society. This objective will be achieved through cultural interventions which promote dialogue, build understanding and foster a shared sense of ownership of cultural heritage among all Kosovo communities.

What we want to achieve:

Output 1. Restoration, rehabilitation and beautification of cultural and religious sites

-          Enhances the visibility of monuments and encourages tourism and therefore contributes to the promotion of cultural heritage of communities.

Output 2: Promotion of intangible cultural heritage as a bond for social cohesion

-          Focuses on the inclusion of women and youth in protection and preservation of intangible cultural heritage, which promotes economic empowerment and counters divisive narratives.

-          Promotes intangible cultural heritage as a driver for cultural diversity and mutual respect while providing economic opportunities for marginalised or disenfranchised groups.

Output 3: Strengthened capacities to protect and preserve cultural heritage through institutional mechanisms

-          Focuses on participatory governance of cultural heritage which involves all interested parties in decision-making, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating cultural heritage policies and programmes. By providing opportunities to engage with central, regional and local level institutions, the project contributes to building trust between the people and public authorities.

Expected Results:

1.       Improved inter-ethnic acceptance through protection of cultural and religious sites:

-          Rehabilitation of 21 cultural and religious sites contributing to preservation of vernacular cultural heritage in 11 municipalities;

-          Active engagement of municipalities and citizens increases respect for shared cultural heritage.

1.       Inclusion of women and young people in intangible cultural heritage activities

-          Improvement of awareness and development of intangible cultural heritage through women and youth engagement:

a)    skills development of women and youth contributing to their improved employability while contributing to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage through traditional arts and crafts;

b)    promotion of social cohesion and cultural heritage through learning and awareness raising sessions;

c)     organisation of the Challenge Prize Competition to engage with young artists;

d)    regular and structured events for youth from all communities;

e)    provision of digital opportunities for innovation and social cohesion.

2.       Strengthened institutional capacities to address protection of cultural needs, leading to improved trust from communities:

-          Supporting and cooperating with IMC to use a community balanced and inter-faith approach as a tool to engage in small scale physical interventions which are considered to have a significant impact on the community, and provide seed-funding for inter-faith type of interventions.

-          Building trust between the community and the Kosovo Police by educating youth on the necessity to protect and learn about cultural and religious heritage through mini-tours and camps;

-          Strengthening municipal capacities to engage in heritage protection through interventions involving meetings to advance selected municipalities’ understanding of spatial planning, budgeting and the potential for economic development through cultural tourism.

Overview

Related Documents

Fact Sheet