In April 2023, the Carpathian Foundation - Hungary launched a new project entitled "From the Alps to the Carpathians - Strengthening governance models for sustainable development in mountain areas of Central Europe".
More information:
https://www.karpatokalapitvany.hu/en/fromthealpstothecarpathians
The project partners from the Alps - Italy, Austria - and the Carpathians - Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary - met in the Czech Republic, more precisely in the Krkonose Mountains, which are part of the North-Western Carpathians (the "White Carpathians") in the border region between Slovakia and the Czech Republic, between 20-22 November 2023. We discussed the current status of the project and the tasks ahead. After the working meeting, we had the opportunity to get to know the region and their local projects better, thanks to our host, the local development organisation ARZ, and the local LEADER Action Group. Among these, their work in developing and promoting the regional branding (the Krokosne brand) stands out and has been very instructive for us. This has been based on the exploration of local traditions, such as the making of Christmas decorations and jewellery from glass, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As well as preserving cultural values and traditions, the business based on this provides work and a livelihood for nearly a hundred people. We gained insight into the exploitation of cultural resources at the Ekocentrum DOTEK, where disused historic buildings have been renovated and put to community use. We saw good examples of cooperation between municipalities and entrepreneurs in the municipality of Mala Úpa in Horni, where the local municipality provides premises for small entrepreneurs in its buildings. At the end of the day we also made Christmas tree decorations. While we were in the Czech Republic, we couldn't miss a visit to the local craft brewery and restaurant, where we sampled excellent beers and typical Czech dishes. We saw solutions for cooperation that are worth considering in the development of cross-border functional areas. ⛰️ These solutions strengthen the cooperation of rural small and medium-sized enterprises with producers of regional products. We also visited a sustainable farm where you can buy local products from refrigerated vending machines. We also saw good examples of products from the Krkonose regional brand. 😊 At the end of our visit, we walked along a canopy walkway, which is a good example of the region's use of natural and tourist resources in the Czech mountain areas. We will have another meeting in the Alps in spring 2024, where we will explore Alpine solutions for cooperation and management.
We would like to thank you for a great organisation and an interesting meeting.
The Hungarian partner's participation in the project is co-financed by the Hungarian State.
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