Cultural Heritage Across Borders

Workshop Proceedings

Istanbul

February 9^th & 10^th 2007

Co-Sponsors

The NORWEGIAN ROYAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Participants of the BSEC-GHF Workshop, Istanbul, February 9-10th, 2007

Meeting called to order for BSEC-GHF Workshop, Istanbul, February 9-10th, 2007

Background

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The Black Sea region is rich in its cultural diversity and heritage, with each BSEC member state taking understandable pride in the historical legacy left by previous generations. But another, more recent legacy - that of conflict, the Cold War and political divisions – has left much of that rich heritage effectively stranded in often remote and under-developed border areas. 

Increasingly, cultural heritage is not only seen as a national historical or sentimental asset, but as a potentially valuable economic asset that can be of particular importance to impoverished border regions.

In the Barents Sea region, Norway and its neighbors, including Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and the EU have pioneered a concept called “borderology,” or the “cross-border trafficking in culture” as an agent of economic change. The aim is to increase cultural contacts between border regions as a stepping stone to greater economic cooperation, not only in everyday business and commerce, but increasingly in “cooperative tourism.” Cross-border “Heritage Trails” or “Heritage Clusters” are becoming important (and economically lucrative) destinations for international travelers, and can act as a catalyst for broader economic development.

The Black Sea region has perhaps the greatest density and diversity of cultural heritage assets of any region in the world. Its border areas are particularly blessed in this regard, as they represent the key way markers in the ebb and flow of various civilizations and peoples over the centuries. The need is not only to preserve sympathetically this unique legacy in a coherent, coordinated way, but to do so in a way that will bring direct economic and social benefits to current and future generations. 

The BSEC-GHF Cross-Borders Workshop brought together key leaders in cultural heritage, conservation and sustainable development with strong experience in cross-border initiatives, both from within the BSEC region and beyond.

A number of important outcomes were achieved on this first historic meeting bringing of noted cultural, tourism, academic and government officials, particularly those who have direct experience of managing complex cultural heritage assets. Professionals from other fields were also engaged with experience in economic development, business and infrastructure development and tourism.

One of the most important lessons was the power of the workshops’ multi-disciplinary approach which demonstrated the full spectrum of cultural, economic, social, and political dimensions and opportunities that arise from cross-border cultural heritage preservation and development.

1. Realization of the need for a well-developed promotion plan develop the Black Sea as a global destination for cultural tourism for both international and regional visitors. Few of the workshop participants had visited neighboring countries, and many were unaware of the rich heritage and possibilities in the region.

2. Sharing of case studies and presentations to educate and stimulate discussions for cross-border cooperation around cultural heritage, historical waterways, wine routes, living culture and festivals, ancient trading routes and other cross-border themes.

3. Raised awareness within the BSEC region of the economic potential for cultural heritage tourism, which is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global travel industry, itself one of the highest growth sectors internationally.

4. Identified key strategies that have proven most successful for developing economically viable and beneficial cross-border cultural heritage programs, and identified the main issues and problems.     

5. Examined the roles of governments, inter-governmental organizations, multi-lateral institutions, the private sector and NGOs, and identified potential international sources of funding for use in economic-based, cross-border cultural heritage projects. 

6. A number of viable trans-national cross-border cultural heritage programs in the BSEC region we identified including:

• Ancient Wine Routes
• Ancient Waterways
• Ancient Kingdoms
• Natural-Cultural Landscapes

1. Cultural Heritage Conservation & Preservation

• Natural and cultural heritage landscapes
• The Evolution of international cultural heritage Initiatives
• Cross border heritage & programs
• Richness of the Black Sea
• Cross-cultural exchanges in tangible and intangible heritage

2. Cultural Assets & Regional Economic Development

• Cultural & Natural Assets
• Cultural heritage development model
• Regional economic development & integration
• Infrastructure support
• Availability of financial resources
• The economic costs of closed borders
• Political dividends

3. Business Opportunities Involving Cultural Assets

• Regional Cultural & Eco-tourism
• Cross-border trade & commerce
• Private sector investment
• Financial barriers
• Micro & small business development – community engagement

Workshop Proceedings – Presentations and Papers

Mr. Jeff Morgan, Executive Director
Global Heritage Fund (GHF)
Supporting Global Heritage to Ignite Cultural and Economic Development

Ambassador Murat Sungar, 1st Deputy Secretary General
Black Sea Economic Council (BSEC)
Introduction to the Black Sea Economic Council (BSEC)

Mr. Tom de Waal, Author/Head of the Caucasus Program,
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Introduction to the Black Sea

Mr. John Hurd, President of ICOMOS Advisory Committee
Director of Archeological Conservation, GHF
A History of World Heritage Sites, a History of International Co-operation

Dr. Lazar Sumanov, President, ICOMOS
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Role of Experts and National and International NGO’s for Cultural Heritage Protection in Regional Cross-Border Cooperation

Mr. Mahmood Ayub, Resident Representative, Turkey
UNDP- UN Development Programme
Economic Development Aspects of Cultural Heritage Across Borders

Mr. Lawrence Hannah, Lead Economist
World Bank
Case Study: Mostar and Multilateral Funding

Dr. Costas Masmanidis, Secretary General
BSEC Business Council
The Business Dimension of Cultural Exchanges

Mr. Rune Rafaelsen, General Secretary
Norwegian Barents Secretariat
The Barents Cooperation : Region- Building - a Practical Model

Mrs. Berna Bayazit Baran, Program Associate
UNDP, Turkey
Case Study: Cultural Heritage as an Economic Value – Turkey/Çoruh

Mr. Noyan Soyak
Turkish Armenian Business Development Council
Developing a Scheme for Sustainable Projects on Turkish Caucasian Borderlands

Mrs. E. Korka, Director of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities
Greek Ministry of Culture 
Intercultural Encounters within the Framework of Cultural Routes Programs    

Dr. Rasool Vatandoust, Director
Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relics, Tehran, Iran
Central Asia: A Prospect For the Future

Ms. Nurçin Çelik, PhD Restoration
Gazi University, Ankara
Exploration of Concept of Cultural Environment Under Title of Cultural Heritage
          
Dr. Burcu Gültekin, Research Fellow, Center for European Studies,
Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
The Challenge of Tourism Potential on the Turkish-Armenian Border

Mr. Nikola Sobot, Executive Director
Euro-Balkans Foundation
Trans-Balkans perspective on Developing Euro-regions

Mrs. Madelena Grossman, Chief Administrator Creating Cultural Capital Project Council of Europe
Cultural Tourism and Vine Routes

Mr. Lorena Stoica
Carpathian Foundation, Romania
Living Heritage – A Model to Stimulate Community Development

Workshop Participants - February 9-10th, 2007

Contact Information

BSEC – Black Sea Economic Council

Mr. Predrag Gavrilovic
Executive Manager
pgavrilovic@bsec-organization.org

Mr. Konstantinos Zaimis
Project Coordinator
kzaimis-bsec@turk.net

BSEC Permis
Musir Fuad Pasa Yalisi
Eski Tersane
34460 Istinye
Istanbul  Turkey
Tel: +90.212.229.63.30
Fax: +90.212.229.63.36
www.bsec-organization.org

Global Heritage Fund (GHF)

Stefaan Poortman
International Development Manager
spoortman@globalheritagefund.org

Global Heritage Fund
625 Emerson St, Suite 200
Palo Alto, California 94301
Tel: +1.650.325.7520
Fax: +1.650.325.7511
www.globalheritagefund.org