Living Heritage supports local initiatives related to preserving, utilization and presentation of the cultural heritage as a resource for sustainable community development. It is different from the other programmes dealing with community development, because it encourages work with existing resources - it doesn't focus on deficite or problems. The concept of heritage is quite broad here - encompassing tangible, intangible and natural heritage.
Living Heritage acknowledges the innovative approach to heritage as well as its relation with the local communities.
The programme was initiated by King Baudouin Foundation in 4 countries in South Eastern Europe- Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The programme first started in 2000 in Macedonia. In each of the countries Living Heritage is designed and implemented in cooperation with local partners.
In Bulgaria the programme is funded jointly by KBF and OSF-Sofia and the task for its implementing has been assigned to WCIF.
As a national coordinating partner our organization has the following mission:
“In a long-term perspective, we aim at achieving positive practical change in the lives of communities throughout the whole country by supporting them to use culture and heritage as resources for local development. We aim at strengthening the capacity of communities, local organisations and national institutions to carry out sustainable developmental initiatives based on participation and partnership. We aim at building a critical mass of strong and connected stakeholders that share our values, principles and approaches and that will lay the foundation of “Living Heritage” as a national movement.”
Principles
The Living Heritage programme starts from recognition of the essential diversity of local communities. No two places, no two communities are the same, though they may have much in common, and much to learn from each other's experiences. It is therefore fundamental to the programme that there can be no such thing as a Living Heritage model project. Every initiative will be different. The possibilities, if not quite endless, are very wide and the programme therefore requires a high degree of flexibility to respond to the opportunities and the ideas which may emerge.
Therefore it has adopted an equal flexible approach to definition, developing a series of principles rather than a prescriptive model. The Living Heritage programme will seek to nurture projects which can demonstrate that they fulfil most of the principles set out in this section.
Living Heritage principles
Celebrating local distinctiveness
Demonstrating local benefit
Validating local experience
Recognising local vision and leadership
Making management accessible
Promoting openness and honesty in partnership
Adopting a flexible approach to development
Supporting voluntary commitment
Planning sustainable development
Nurturing good media relations
Elements
1. Grant-making – criteria and process
Due to the broad definition of heritage that was adopted by the programme, almost every community in Bulgaria could qualify for the LH Programme. However, there are some eligibility criteria that are applied.
Communities from small towns (under 20,000 inhabitants) and villages will be accepted to the Programme; they will have to demonstrate potential for local development around distinctive heritage element, commitment to the principles of LH and community development, and existing core operational capacities.
LH Programme will focus geographically on a particular area which will be different every year (WCIF will use the existing 6 Euro-regions). This will allow WCIF to develop deeper knowledge of the region, to assess more precisely local needs and potentials and to identify projects even in less accessible/visible communities.
During the second year WCIF will work in the North Central Region.
2. Capacity building
Living Heritage is about investing in people as much as investing in heritage or cultural resources. The capacity building during the 1st year of LH was in three directions:
to the grantees
to WCIF
to community facilitators
In Bulgaria, the national co-ordinating partner piloted a training of trainers scheme aimed at developing the skills of 17 young professionals. This was a process that lasted from December 2001 to September 2002 .
Apart from the 4 training modules (covering areas such as Living Heritage principles and practices, participatory project planning, NGO management and Living Heritage project evaluation) the facilitators had opportunity to work in the sites selected for the 2nd year of the programme. They also had opportunity to join internships in different NGOs. Out of 17 graduates 9 were chosen and they are now actively participating in the implementation of the programme.
3. Networking/Exchange of experience
It is envisaged for the pilot sites upon completion of their projects.
Pilot Sites
IVANOVO
Name of the Project:
“ In quest of the spring”
Local partner: chitalishte “Hristo botev” – Ivanovo
Coordinator: Tatyana Mladenova
Address: Ivanovo, chitalishte “ Hristo Botev”
Tel: +359 81162253
Start of actions: March 2002
End of actions: March 2003
Grant in LEVA: 16 135
The project aims at regeneration of the memory of the disappeared old village through gathering and systematising of materials and their presentation to the community.
DORKOVO
Name of the project:
Development, Revitalization and Promotion of the International Authentic Folklore Festival - Dorkovo
Local partner: chitalishte “Sv.Sv. Kiril i Metodii”
Coordinator: Todor Macanov
Address: s. Dorkovo “Sv.Sv.Kiril i Metodii”
Tel: +359 3543 205
e-mail: dorkovo_fest@abv.bg
Start of actions: March 2002
End of actions: May 2003
Grant in LEVA: 16 940
The project aims at sustainable development of the existing International Festival for authentic folklore.
GOTSE DELCHEV – REGIONAL PROJECT
In the project participate the villages of Pletena, Dabnica, Koprivlen and Garmen
Title of the project:
Revival of the Old Tradition in the Valley of River Mesta
Local partner: Chitalishte “Iskra”, s. Garmen,
Coordinator: Georgi Garov
Address: district Blagovegrad, s. Garmen, Chitalishte “Iskra”
Tel: +3597523 2060
Fax: + 359 7523 21 73
Start of actions: June 2002
End of actions: April 2003
Grant in LEVA: 51 485
Apart from the gathering and publishing of traditional stories, the project envisages creating of workshops for transmiting and development of spesific local skills: Koprivlen - workshop for traditional costumes; Dabnica - workshop for drums; Garmen - renewing the performances of the old theatre group; Pletena - Pomak folklore.
TRIGRAD
Name of the project:
Eneolithic settlement “Haramiiska cave”
Local partner: Trigrad Foundation
Coordinator: Sevdalin Belilov
Address: Village of Trigrad; Trigrad Foundation
Тел: +359 3040335
e-mail: f_trigrad@abv.bg
Start of actions: July 2002
End of actions: May 2003
Grant in LEVA: 17 115
The project aims at promoting the cave "Haramiiskata dupka", securing the paths around it and interpreting the eneolithic dwelling (putting signs and figures presenting the eneolithic way of life).