The project begins with a press conference held at the headquarters of the coordinating GAL in Nagyernye. Representatives of the two partners involved in the project and the persons responsible for the project will take part in the event. Representatives of the AFIR/OJFIR, as well as representatives of the written and electronic media of Maros County and of the micro-region will be invited. A press release is prepared and published, the purpose of which is to inform the public and especially the population of the two Local Action Groups (LAG) about the topic, objectives, proposed measures and expected results of the project. A press kit is being prepared.

The purpose of the activity is to carry out a scientific survey, in order to take an inventory of the local cultural heritage in the area of the coordinating LAG and partly in the area of the partner LAG, in the Nyárád Valley, in order to describe the current situation. Modernization, globalization and the digital transformation of society have an impact on the development of national cultural heritage, therefore it is necessary to prepare a study (as envisaged and recommended by the document “Cultural and National Heritage Strategy for the period 2016-2022” approved by the Ministry of Culture), which must be applied in the mentioned area.

The aim of the research is therefore to meet the increasingly complex requirements of a sustainable transfer to future generations. The results should be disseminated, shared and discussed as much as possible, they should become part of the process that ensures sustainability. The actual research is carried out by the scientific researchers of the area (e.g. domains of archaeology, history, art history, ethnography, ethnology, anthropology, conservation and restoration) with professional competence and lasts for 3 months after the start of the project, serving as a knowledge and information base to the other activities of the project (workshop / training / production of audio-video materials, etc.).

The activity, which takes place in the area of the Maros Partnership LAG, and for the organization of which the coordinating partner is directly responsible, envisages the organization of a workshop aimed at all actors of the two micro-regions, i.e. actors and stakeholders interested in the field of cultural heritage in the areas of the two LAGs. They primarily involve actors who carry out various cultural activities or manage heritage objects (at the level of local authorities, mayors, cultural referents, cultural NGOs, teachers, representatives of churches, etc.), or are directly or indirectly involved in the development of the tourism economy, and cultural heritage is used as a resource for tourism. The purpose of the activity is to discuss the current situation and utilization of cultural heritage in the affected areas.

This proposed activity for cultural actors serves the following objectives: development of local cultural heritage management capacity in the two areas of the LAGs in order to diversify cultural services and complementary tourism services, high-quality preservation, protection and development of cultural heritage, as well as in the interest of contribution to local development. The activity will take place on the site of the partner LAG and will be organized jointly, with the involvement of 27 actors from the two micro-regions.

The training is organized by the members of the LAG implementation group, and each service is outsourced in order to ensure the professional quality of the work. Separate service contracts are concluded in order to ensure all the necessary conditions for training services: course support insurance, promotional materials (bag, pen, pencil, notepad), participant costs (accommodation and catering), instructors, room rental, purchase of IT equipment necessary for the activity (laptop, video projector, projection screen, magnetic board).

The duration of the training is 5 days (plus 1 day on-site visit for good practice) and the following topics will be presented

– Modernization, industrialization, globalization and cultural heritage;

– Protection of local/national cultural heritage;

– “Cultural export” – presentation of cultural heritage abroad;

– Alternative channels for the distribution of cultural products;

– Legislation on cultural heritage;

– Heritage, local development and tourism;

– Cultural management (local museums, public collections, cultural institutions);

– Organization of lectures;

– Registration and management of cultural assets;

– Cultural marketing;

– Cultural promotion and dialogue with the public;

– Communication and culture;

– Craftsmen – entrepreneurial spirit.

The on-site visit presents examples of best practices applied in the field of protection, preservation and/or appreciation of local cultural heritage, focusing on rural, national or transnational innovative projects, on projects using endogenous potential, projects implemented in partnership or cooperation within the region or with other regions.

The activity is aimed at children between the ages of 10 and 16 with the aim of passing on the local cultural heritage, introducing children to traditional activities that are losing their intensity due to modernization and globalization, thereby educating children and boosting the increase in cultural consumption among children. At the same time, the activity supports the minority groups living in the area in order to popularize folk culture (dances, customs). The activity takes the form of a 5-day camp that introduces children to traditional customs and handicrafts and offers daily programs for children in different areas:

– traditional folk dances and folk songs from the area of the two LAGs: dances from Vajdaszentivány, Marossárpatak, Nyárádmagyarós and Jobbágytelke,

– crafts: wood carving and painting, straw weaving, embroidery,

– traditional folk games.

The authentic cultural heritage, traditions and characteristics of the communities must be respected, and their preservation and development must be promoted. Tourism is a sector that uses cultural heritage and contributes to its preservation and promotion.

The innovation lies in promoting this with the help of QR codes scanned on the phone and audio-video materials, a method not used in the field until now. The digitization of heritage is also highlighted by the European Council, noting the importance and urgency of the digitization and online accessibility of cultural materials, as well as their preservation by digital methods. This process enables access to culture and knowledge for all in the digital age, while promoting the richness and diversity of European and local cultural heritage. The activity contributes to this aspect, to the promotion of the heritage through a website created for this purpose, where multimedia materials are used: texts (descriptions), photographs (digital and digitized), audio-video materials (promotional and documentaries), which aim at the traditions and customs, presentation of local museums and collections as well as historic buildings, presentation of traditional crafts, presentation of culinary-gastronomic customs, etc.

Web development (with QR code) to present and promote cultural heritage online. To popularize the goals of the project and to promote local cultural heritage in tourism, a website will be created, connected to the website of the LAGs, with links between the two LAGs’ websites. At the same time, QR codes are placed on some elements of cultural heritage (especially buildings, monuments, museums, etc., through small sticker boards) that can be scanned by phone/tablet/other compatible devices, which are also linked to the website, and they will provide a description, a detailed presentation to visitors who scan the code when they visit the area, and an interactive map will also be included .

Documentary films/short films, short films/documentary films/sports films are also being produced: the purpose of this activity is to digitize the heritage elements (customs, traditions, handicrafts, attractive places and heritage buildings), which are the main factors in the tourism development of the micro-region, with the aid of audio-video documentaries.

Documentaries, short films, promotional films (sports type), virtual tours, etc. will be produced by a specialized company, on the recommendation of cultural heritage specialists (ethnographers and/or historians).

The promotional films will be short films of 3-10 minutes, at least in full HD quality, with subtitles if applicable. The activity begins with the initiation of procedures for the purchase of services and continues throughout the implementation of the project. Other content (images, short texts, etc.) contributing to the online promotion of cultural heritage/cultural tourism attractions will be published through social media channels.

The aim of this activity is to promote and evaluate certain elements of the local cultural heritage in the field of “slow tourism”, where sustainability is of particular importance. This approach includes the idea of touring heritage attractions on a smart bike, while also contributing to environmental sustainability through an eco-friendly form of transportation. The activity therefore contributes to sustainable transport and integrates environmental aspects. Each partner LAG purchases bicycles, which are placed in a selected center in each area, and which tourists and visitors can use free of charge for micro-region tours or inter-regional tours.

As part of this activity, 13 events are organized in the partners’ territory, at several locations. Two of these events will be organized in the area of Maros LAG, and the other 11 events in Nyárádmente LAG, in the case of the latter, according to the plans, promotional events will be organized in the town of Nyárádszereda and the civil parishes of Nyárádremete, Nyárádmagyarós, Székelybere, Hódos, Nyárádgálfalva, Ákosfalva, Dózsa György, Nyárádkarácson, Koronka and Jedd. The events are organized approx. once a month, so the 8 activities last for 13 months. Within the activity, the exact locations of the events are determined depending on their availability, so they may undergo minor changes. These events will last 1-3 days, depending on the availability of the venue and the programs prepared for the audience/participants. The LAG hosting the event bears the costs of running the event with public utilities (energy) from its own resources.

At these events, the traditional dances and folk music performers of the partner galas are presented, and depending on the possibilities of each settlement, local costumes and folk dances of schoolchildren are also presented at the events.

The events will play an important role in the promotion of the micro-region, through these events we will be able to address a large number of audiences / participants from the micro-region, as well as neighboring towns and villages, such as Marosvásárhely, Szászrégen, Szováta, etc. With the help of the events, we will increase the level of communication with the media, entrepreneurs of the micro-region, including the direct audience of the events.

The activity will be permanent and includes the activities of the implementation group (3 main coordinating LAGs, 3 main partner LAGs) along the way: implementation of planned activities, organization of events, execution of purchases, interim and final reports, monitoring, etc.