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INTERNATIONAL
WORKSHOP
Prof. Dr Todor Krestev - Chief co-ordinator of the project I would like to start with a proposal for a working definition of the term "Cultural itineraries": a system of cultural values, object of cultural tourism, related by transport, tourist and information infrastructures. The universal structure of a cultural itinerary includes: lines (relations, communications, historical roads) and points - targets at different levels (monuments, sites, cultural landscapes, historical settlements). The relations among them usually exhibit a definite integrating theme, reflecting common historic, human, cultural, social and other characteristics. In the recent years, the term cultural itineraries gains increasing popularity: 1987 - the Council of Europe proposed the Itinerary Saint-Jacques de Compostele as the first European itinerary, which in 1993 was given the statute World heritage; 1994 - Mr. Luxen together with ICOMOS/Spain organized in Madrid the first experts meeting of ICOMOS dedicated to "The itineraries as a cultural heritage"; 1997 - the European Institute for cultural itineraries by the Council of Europe was founded in Luxembourg; 1998 - the International scientific committee for cultural itineraries of ICOMOS was founded, whose President Mrs. Maria Rosa Suarez-Inclan Ducassi organized a number of successful international meetings on this subject (Tenerife 98, Ibiza 99). What is the reason for this growing interest? In my opinion, the cultural itineraries reflect precisely the evolution in the concept of the cultural heritage in the recent years, explain the new role of the cultural heritage in the information society of the XX century. I would like to draw your attention to the following three aspects. 1. The cultural itineraries reflect the tendency of constant growth of the level of the conservation object: from the monument and its site (the Charter of Venice, 1994) to the historical town, the cultural landscapes and the cultural itineraries at over-national, even over-continental scope. This reflects the tendency to form a global conservation strategy, to cover the surrounding environment of man as an integral value. The image of a new different structure of the cultural heritage of our planet gradually develops: instead of the present disconnected and autonomic local systems - a coherent world macro-structure, reflecting the richness and unity of the universal culture of mankind. 2. The cultural itineraries reflect the new nature of the heritage, considered not only as a message from the past, which should be preserved, but also as a resource, a source of economic development, which should be utilized. From this point of view the cultural tourism and its main infrastructure - the cultural itineraries strongly expressed the ability of the cultural heritage to be a stimulus for a stable regional development, to participate in an "economical game". This thesis was further developed: in 1991 - in the expert research of the Council of Europe: "The heritage - what financing?" headed by Mr. Luxen; in 1996 - at the International conference of the Council of Europe in Helsinki; in 1999 - on the 12th General Assembly of ICOMOS in Mexico dedicated to: "For a better use of the cultural heritage", where the International Charter for cultural tourism was adopted. 3. Finally, the cultural itineraries reflect precisely the growing conviction that the cultural heritage should be considered as an integral common possession of mankind, as object of common concern. Even more, the cultural heritage is considered as one of the necessary terms for achieving democratic stability of Europe (Vienna, 1993), as a field of consent, tolerance and coincidence of interests. This is actually the context of the present Campaign of the Council of Europe "Europe, a common heritage", as well as of the movement European days of the heritage. The integral network of the cultural itineraries emphasizes on the community, it is built over the integrity of interests, mutual understanding, the opening to the Other. On the contrary, the conflicts and the opposition against each other tear this network, close and isolate its separate fragments, thus annulling the network. For us, as conservators, this would mean the formation of a professional community - an idea, which is the basis of ICOMOS and which was the sense and the meaning of our meetings initiated by ICOMOS/Greece concerning the endangered cultural heritage of South-Eastern Europe. That all means that the cultural itineraries would be the future spiritual infrastructure of united Europe, does it not? This was the reason why ICOMOS/BULGARIA promoted in 1999 the Project "Cultural itineraries of South-Eastern Europe" addressing a key European territory, including: Albania, Bosna and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Yugoslavia. South-Eastern Europe possesses exceptional cultural values with a vivid identity and great variety - 47 among them being World heritage. The region has an outstanding cultural integrity, reflecting common cultural roots, inter-relations and influence. As a real cross-road of civilizations it has played throughout the centuries the role of a powerful mediator between East and West, South and North - this explains the rich stratification of its heritage. The present state of the cultural heritage of South-Eastern Europe provokes our concern. Its cultural integrity is disturbed, its common heritage is disintegrated into closed national cultural systems and in most cases it is hardly known to Europe and to the world; effective transport, commercial and investment regional models are lacking; living trans-regional cultural itineraries and regional cultural tourism are lacking; a coordinated regional politics for preservation and development of the heritage is lacking. What is lacking however is a unified concept for this common heritage, shared by all. According to Mr. Ivan Krestev, as a tradition here "the common historical heritage is conceptualized as a threat for the national identity and not as a source of unity", while the regional integration has been considered for a long time "as a risk, not as a possibility". At the same time the economic crises and the old-fashioned legislation of the countries in transition, the armed and ethnic conflicts, the natural disasters directly influence and threaten the vulnerable cultural heritage of the region. We must admit that a common vision for the development of this region is still lacking, as well as a common strategy which could activate all its resources and potentials. These resources and potentials are definitely underestimated, especially in the field of culture. It is not fair though, our region to be regarded mainly "with the terms of security" (Ivan Krestev), and not with those of mankind culture. The aims of the Project "Cultural itineraries of South-Eastern Europe" are related to the idea of helping the overcoming of this state while promoting the new role of the cultural heritage in the region. More precisely: 1. To indicate the conditions for activating the role of the cultural heritage of the region, as a precious and exceptional resource for stable regional development, which could provoke the creation of new working places, infrastructures and services, improve the living standard, attract investments etc. 2. To define for the first time the macro-structure of the heritage of our region, its identification as an integral system, as a community having its infrastructure, nuclei, zones and centers - and not as a mechanic sum total of isolated national systems. On this basis a unified concept for this heritage could be elaborated, for its common values and mutual influence - in order to make possible its popularization and integration in the European culture. 3. To create effective regional cooperation in the frames of voluntary, independent and informal community of experts, their inner motivation being the common professional fate, shared principles and ethics concerning the heritage. I believe that if we achieve these aims, we could help in the elaboration of the lacking at present common vision and strategy for the region, which on its side could open new possibilities to the politicians for its development. I think that these objectives to a great extent coincide to the objectives of the Stability Pact of South-Eastern Europe and could contribute to its efficiency, in case: - The Stability Pact is widely addressing the whole region, including Yugoslavia as well, whose heritage is considered as an integral part of the cultural wealth of the region and could not be isolated; - The Pact to include as an equal component culture as well - for instance, the big transport corridors to be regarded not only as technical infrastructures, evaluated only with technical, economic and geo-political categories, but also as cultural relations having simply a human, spiritual context. Throughout the years I found out that others are sharing these thoughts too. I feel convinced that a number of colleagues of our region are willing to work together in the same field. In 1999, with the financial assistance of the PHARE Program, ICOMOS/BULGARIA elaborated the National scheme of the cultural itineraries in Bulgaria, which gave us the courage to promote the present project (anyway, I would like to point out that Bulgaria has experience in this field ever since 1980, when the cultural itineraries of vast territories in the Rodopi mountains and in South - West Bulgaria were investigated). In May the same year, in Ibiza I had a rather stimulating conversation concerning a possible project with the Presidents of the National committees of Albania (Prof. Shtylla), Greece (Mr. Agriantonis), Macedonia (Dr. Sumanov) and Turkey (Prof. Ilhan). After this conversation I have sent invitations for participation in the project with methodological notes to my colleagues and friends from all countries of South-Eastern Europe: Presidents of the National committees of ICOMOS, university professors, representatives of state institutions. In a permanent relation and communication, gradually a community of about 50 experts of all countries of the region was formed, all accepting the idea to work together in a network. They elaborated and sent us a full set of national modules of cultural itineraries. I would like to express my deep and most sincere gratitude for their exceptional cooperation. Parallel to this, ICOMOS/BULGARIA with the assistance of the computer laboratory of the University for Architecture in Sofia, formed a group for synthesis, comprised of students working with great enthusiasm on the project. Of extreme importance for the final result of our project was the awarding of the PRIX JEP 2000 of the King Baudouin Foundation, whose financial assistance enabled the organization and preparation of the present workshop as well as the development of the electronic data-base and the maps. And finally, with the generous assistance of the "Open Society" Foundation, the Program "East - East", the funds granted by the King Baudouin Foundation and the Bulgarian Ministry of culture we managed to organize the present workshop - our first common meeting with the participation of new partners as well, all welcome to our project. I would like to draw your attention hereby to some methodological aspects of the project. The working definition for the term cultural itineraries proposed at the beginning, emphasizes on two groups of factors, influencing the formation of the cultural itineraries: cultural and territorial (the latter being related mainly to the role of the natural resources, of the transport, tourist and information systems). From this point of view two types of cultural itineraries could be set up: - cultural itineraries with specific subject - including values united by specific integrating topics. Of extreme importance here are the communication links, possessing cultural value as well; - territorial cultural itineraries - relating values in outstanding coherent territories, rich in cultural heritage and possessing a definite cultural integrity. For instance, in the National scheme of the cultural itineraries of Bulgaria seven cultural itineraries with specific subject have been developed (Antiquity, fortifications, religious centers, monasteries, vernacular architecture, the heritage of the XX century and World heritage) and five territorial, integrating all subjects stated. The first methodological problem of the project was the choice of leading subjects organizing the main subject cultural itineraries. After the exchange of ideas in the Network were chosen the subjects, reflecting entire regional cultural phenomena with specific national modifications and being of interest for tourists: archaeological zones from the Antiquity, fortifications, religious centers and monasteries, vernacular architecture and World heritage. Obviously, some of them combine historical and typological criteria. The second methodological problem was related to the criteria for selection of the sites of the cultural heritage, included in the cultural itineraries. According to the context of the proposed definition for cultural itineraries, the criteria for selection should take in account both the cultural importance of the values themselves, as well as their priority in the system of cultural tourism. From this point of view the following groups of criteria are possible to be set up: cultural value, degree of preservation, exhibition and socialization; belonging to the chosen leading subjects; uniqueness at a definite level; degree of attractiveness - impact on the audience (visual, emotional, intellectual); information availability; subject relation with other similar sites, forming a subject network at national, regional and continental levels; availability of transport infrastructure; contact with tourist infrastructure and relation to valuable natural resources. The aim is the expert selection of an optimum representative multitude of the most outstanding representatives of the respective type of cultural heritage which could be of tourist interest. The terms mentioned above were distributed among the experts, together with the requirements for a unified computer language. After an active communication within the Network, the experts elaborated and sent to ICOMOS/BULGARIA the respective national modules of the general map, including the selected sites of the cultural heritage (list and maps), as well as the initial proposals for cultural itineraries. That is how the first stage of the project ended. The second stage was related
to the synthesis of the information received and its computer processing.
The information was integrated in a uniform electronic Data-base of a
Geographic information system (GIS), Program ArcView - ESPI, version 3.2.
(the participation of Dimitar Kaloyanov and Dobrinka Petkova, Anna Karagjozova,
Raliza Nenova, Gueorgui Grudlev, Ljubomir Stanislavov, Evguenia Kukusheva,
Deniza Gospodinova, Petia Dimitrova, Pavlina Pavlova, Magdalina Mihaylova,
is highly appraised). The structure of the Data-base includes the following
data for the sites: territorial code, name, situation, leading subject,
typology, dating, legal status and "info" (additional information). A
uniform graphical language was adopted for the visualization of: The final aim was achieving of optimum legibility of the visual information, while providing easy and convenient links to the Data-base (by choosing the specific site with the mouse or by using of Data-base in text size). The third key methodological stage of our work was related to the elaboration of the integral maps of the cultural itineraries of the region. The most important methodological problem was the related to the criteria for determination of the microstructure of the cultural heritage of the region, considered as an integral system. For that reason was estimated the influence of: priority macro-territorial factors (related to transport corridors, the network of settlement, information nuclei of the big cities, trans-border contact zones, tourist zones, natural resources etc.), priority macro-patrimonial factors (the constellation of the World heritage sites, trans-continental historical roads, national cultural concentrations etc.) and the synthesis between them. On the basis of this the major cultural itineraries were selected, corresponding to the pointed out macro-structure according to the criteria: existence of various subjects, trans-continentality, cultural potential, correspondence to the territorial and patrimonial factors. And so, gradually were set the big "cultural corridors" like: Via Ignatia, the Adriatic road, the diagonal Istanbul - Odrin - Plovdiv - Sofia - Belgrade; the Black sea coastal panoramic road; the road along the Danube river, as well as series of cultural axes in "North-South" direction. This is obviously a system with no borders, historically motivated and integral. Finally there were elaborated
five subject cultural itineraries of the region according to the following
leading subjects: I would like to point out that during the European days of the heritage in Bulgaria (16-17 September), dedicated to "Cultural itineraries", elements of this system will be experimented in practice by series of local, national and trans-border cultural itineraries. And finally, I would like to share my opinion about the further development of the project in the future. 1. The development further of the Map of cultural itineraries of South-Eastern Europe - accepting the first version of the Map with all amendments and additions; - extension of the territory covered by the Project in order to include: Italy, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, Moldova, the remaining part of Turkey and Cypress and inviting of experts of the respective countries to participate in the Network; - further development of the already set up Data-base of the Project with headquarters ICOMOS/BULGARIA, including data for the most valuable cultural heritage of the region, selected by uniform criteria. A special section in the Data-base to be dedicated to most endangered cultural heritage of the region. Regarding this, I would like to set relations with the Data-base of ICOMOS/GREECE, with the active participation of all countries of South-Eastern Europe, concerning the endangered monuments of the region; - entire defining of the network of cultural itineraries in relation to the big European cultural itineraries, to the transport corridors and the valuable natural resources, selection of priority cultural itineraries, requiring first stage measures. 2. The development further of the Network of experts - accepting the community of experts participating in the workshop, as well as all who have worked up-to-now on the Map of cultural itineraries of the region, as a basis for an open Network of experts of the Project; - constitution of Secretariat and Scientific board of the Network; - keeping of permanent active communication in the Network, including INTERNET and annual plain-air workshop meetings; - protection of author's rights of all experts, who have specific contribution to the elaboration of the network of cultural itineraries. 3. The general development of the Project - development of pilot investigations and projects for active cultural zones, aiming at urgent measures at the most endangered monuments and sites, rehabilitation of the cultural heritage and its use, development of the cultural itineraries and the stable cultural tourism, sensibilization of the population, formation of a network of local partners etc.; - development of regional projects for cooperation in the field of cultural itineraries and cultural tourism between neighboring countries of the region; - proposal of measures for integral regional politics of the countries in the field of archeological research work, registration, conservation and territorial planning in the frames of the regional cultural itineraries and active zones, as well as of measures, facilitating the tourist mobility, visa problems etc.; - proposal for investment strategy and identification of investment priorities on a regional scale for preservation and use of the cultural heritage in the frames of the regional cultural itineraries and active cultural zones; - cooperation for improving the national legislation in the field of the cultural heritage, cultural tourism and cultural itineraries; - nomination of cultural itineraries from South-Eastern Europe for the statute "European cultural itinerary" and "World heritage"; - popularizing the heritage of South-Eastern Europe through the developing and publishing of a guide of the cultural heritage of the region; - opening of INTERNET Web side on the Project, through which the participating partners will present and receive current information for the development of the project and the cultural values of the region will be popularized; - common applying and participation in European programs for providing of financial assistance for the Project. Depending on the nature of the European programs and the activities included within, in coordination with the Secretariat, various configurations of partnership under the auspices of the Project to be chosen; - active cooperation with the European Institute for cultural itineraries by the Council of Europe (Luxembourg) and the International scientific committees of ICOMOS on cultural itineraries and cultural tourism; My final proposition will be to unite together to the following: To be developed and accepted the Charter for preservation and use of the cultural heritage of the region, which could contribute to the successful implementation of the project. The Charter to be accompanied by Plan for action concerning the preservation and use of the cultural heritage of the region, financed in the frames of the Stability Pact, including the pointed above future activities on the Project.
Sofia, 2000 |