Description
Description (EN): The current ‘hard’ project initiated by Ruse Municipality (BG) and Giurgiu Municipality (RO) is aimed at providing opportunities for sustainable use of cultural heritage and tourism development in order to create long-term socio-economic benefits for the local communities. It addresses two important common challenges in the programme area, namely the lack of investments in preserving and modernising valuable cultural and historic monuments and sites in the CBC region, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the insufficient number of integrated tourist products, services and policies.
Within the project’s scope two iconic cultural sites on both sides of the Danube River are included - the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes in Ruse and the Giurgiu Fortress. They are both suffering from different negative effects and have been in need of renovation and modernisation for years. Furthermore, they both refer to the common past of Ruse and Giurgiu, which could be considered as a basis for involving them into modern and integrated tourist products and services. The cross-border approach is definitely the most efficient way not only to overcome the problems which affect the rich cultural heritage of Ruse-Giurgiu cross-border region that is less known both at national and international level but also to make use of the huge potential these sites have with a view to tourism development in Ruse-Giurgiu CBC region by means of their joint management and joint promotion.
The objective of the project is to increase the tourism attractiveness of Ruse-Giurgiu CBC region by improving the sustainable use of cultural heritage that will contribute to the economic welfare of the local communities, it will boost the local economy (particularly SMEs) and will lead to higher levels of employment. The expansion of public awareness is of great importance of the region’s iconic cultural and historic sites. Both, the Pantheon in Ruse and the Fortress in Giurgiu, are currently considered to have predominantly local and national significance. Hence, the originality of the current project proposal stems from the fact that it will introduce a new, cross-border dimension and integrate the sites into a tourist offer of European importance.
Тhe desired result is to create integrated cross-border tourism products based upon joint management and coordination which itself represents a policy innovation for the target area. In this way, the capacities of the beneficiary institutions but also of the relevant stakeholders in the field of tourism will be improved with a view to restoring, preserving and promoting cultural and historic assets in a sustainable and attractive way. This involves an unprecedented commitment to bring together the residents of the cross-border area and motivating them to rediscover their common cultural and historic heritage and to disclose it to the broader public, thus attracting visitors from across the world.
The overall project objective will be achieved through the main project activities> which will include inter alia: reconstruction of the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes in Ruse and introduction of multimedia (e.g. 360-degree multimedia presentation); valorisation of the area adjacent to the Giurgiu Fortress and its integration in a tourist circuit by developing and equipping the fortress with modern fittings pointing out the material and spiritual values created by mankind over time as well as the material and spiritual values of the present; elaboration of a joint management plan for common preservation, development and utilization of cultural heritage; elaboration of a joint marketing strategy including joint branding and joint promotion of the integrated cross-border tourism products); elaboration of a catalogue and a website presenting iconic cultural heritage in Ruse-Giurgiu CBC region; development of an integrated tourism route; information and publicity activities providing information about the project progress and achievements to the interested stakeholders; etc.
The project will contribute to the following Programme outputs targeted by this call
I 9 - Number of integrated tourism products/services created: 1 representing 2,33% of Programme Output indicator I9 - Number of integrated tourism products/services created.
I 10 - Number of common strategies, policies or management plans for valorising (including raising awareness) the cultural and natural heritage through its restoration and promotion for sustainable economic uses: 2 representing 8,70% of Programme Output indicator I10 - Number of common strategies, policies or management plans for valorising (including raising awareness) the cultural and natural heritage through its restoration and promotion for sustainable economic uses.
I 12 - Financial indicator: The project indicative budget amounts to 1 500 000 euro (1 000 000 euro for Ruse Municipality and 500 000 euro for Giurgiu Municipality) representing 5,12% of Programme Output indicator I12 – Financial indicator.
Read more Achievements (EN): Project implementation period suspended between the period 28.11.2023 – 28.12.2023 in accordance with Managing Authority Decision no. 216003/29.11.2023, due to the delays registered within the works execution on behalf of Beneficiary 2.The project was included on the list of non-finalized projects, according to the provisions of the Romanian Government Decision no. 36/2023, following the decision of the Monitoring Committee of the Interreg V-A Ro-Bg Programme no. 313/14.11.2023. The new completion date of the project is 31.04.2024.
The LB – Ruse Municipality finalized the works in relation to the Renovation of the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes in Ruse. The Pantheon is functioning and opened for visitors.
B2 – TAU Giurgiu Municipality started the works execution in the Investment objective “Giurgiu Fortress” in the end of May 2021. The works execution has reached 100%, expecting to be performed the final reception of the works executed.
During the project implementation, the construction works within the Giurgiu Fortress were temporary suspended, due to identified need for additional electrical resistivity measurements and electrical tomography measurements, part from the archaeological research authorization.
Within the frame of activity T1 “Implementation of joint tourism mechanisms and elaboration of tender dossiers”, the Lead Beneficiary has receipt from the service provider the elaborated integrated tourism route, trilingual map, containing the identified tourist sites and catalogue in Bulgarian, Romanian and English. Тhe tourism route is aiming to present the historical past of the communities living in the Ruse-Giurgiu region in a systematic, organised and tourist-friendly way and is highlighting the renovated Pantheon and valorised Fortress.
Furthermore, B2 - Giurgiu Municipality developed a trilingual Joint Management Plan for common preservation, development and utilization of cultural heritage, which was further uploaded on the project web site for presenting iconic cultural heritage in Ruse-Giurgiu CB region, which could be accessed on the link: https://cetate-panteonrobg.ro/ .
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Website: https://interregrobg.eu
Expected Results (EN): R2.1 - Number of tourist overnights in the CBC region
Expected Outputs (EN): The valuable cultural and historic sites reconstructed and modernized under the current project will be jointly managed and promoted which will help project partners to improve the recognisability of Ruse-Giurgiu CBC region and to reach a wide range of new tourist audiences, e.g. cruise ship tourists, scientific and congress tourists etc. The project activities will contribute to reinforcement of the CBC tourism sector’s resilience and competitiveness and will stimulate an increase in the tourists overnights in both cities. Taking into account the other forms of tourism offer in Ruse and Giurgiu (festivals, cultural events, religious and natural sites and reserves, gastronomy, entertainment, etc.) the integrated cross-border tourism products and services introduced by the current project have the full potential to ensure longer duration of the stays which could even increase the tourist accommodation occupancy and stimulate the establishment of new accommodation facilities in the region.
The the project will contribute to the result indicator "Number of tourist overnights in the CBC region" with 8000 overnights in the CBC region. The project’s contribution to the result indicator will be included in statistical data of the two countries about the number of overnights in tourist accommodation establishments. All relevant stakeholders such as hotels, tourist agencies, NGOs, etc. will contribute to attractive promotion of joint tourism products.
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Thematic information
Specific Objective:
To improve the sustainable use of natural heritage and resources and cultural heritage
Thematic Objective:
(06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:
Investment Priority:
(06c) Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage
Partners (2)
Lead Partner:
Община Русе / Obshtina Ruse
Department:
Mayor
Address:
Svoboda Square 6, 7000 Ruse, Bulgaria
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.ruse-bg.eu
Total budget:
EUR 928 182.18
ERDF budget:
EUR 788 954.85
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Municipiul Giurgiu
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Name:
Municipiul Giurgiu
Department:
Mayor
Address:
București Street No 49-51, 80047 Giurgiu, Romania
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.primariagiurgiu.ro
Total budget:
EUR 498 577.94
ERDF budget:
EUR 423 791.25
