The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Lithuania-Poland

Date of latest update: 2026-01-26

Description

Description (EN):

The project “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” should be considered as being of strategical value, as in February 2021, the local government officials from Lithuania and Poland signed the document titled “Agreement on the Creation of a Touristic Cross-Border Functional Area (TCBFA) ‘Yotvingia - the Land of the Yotvingian Tribe’ on the Polish-Lithuanian border”. Final report of „Identification of key elements for creating the touristic crossborder functional area at the Lithuanian – Polish border“, written by Kreatus Ltd., Bielsko-Biała, Poland, in 2021, states that "The concept of “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” has the largest potential for the development of cross-border tourist products". The development of tourism will improve territorial and socio-economic coherence of the peripheral, sparsely populated and troubled but rich of cultural, historical and natural hertitage Polish-Lithuanian borderland, so project's importance cannot be overestimated. The objective of this project is to improve territorial and socio-economic coherence and well-being of the Polish-Lithuanian borderland via promotion of the concept of “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” of the TCBFA. The measurable result of the project will be the creation of a modern cross-border tourism attraction route with distinctive regional brand that combines historical and cultural elements as a basis for active development of "slow" tourism approach in the region. The project will produce 3 main outputs, benefitial to all inhabitants of crossborder and incoming tourists: 1.1. Yotvingian cultural and tourism sites supported by the project: 20 Route's sites will be supported via different activities (repair, construction, updating expositions, furniture, arranging events, marking with route brand and QR code) aiming at increasing of the tourist attractiveness Route's “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” sites' infrastructure on the both sides of the border: *Archaeological museum in Alytus; *Alytus Mound; *Mirgrausėlė Spring in Alytus; *Yotvingian cultural center in Alytus District; *14 Yotvingian mounds in Alytus District; *Yotvingian Archaeological Centre in Szwajcaria; *Regional Museum in Suwałki. 1. 2. Organisations cooperating across borders: 4 organisations will cooperate during project implementation: Alytus City Municipality and Alytus District Municipality Administrations, Alytus Ethnographic Museum and Regional Museum in Suwałki. 1.3. Jointly developed solutions: 2 joint solutions will be developed: 1. A joint strategy for the development of the tourist route "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" will be developed. The strategy will include visual branding of the route with implementation of digital communication solution (QR code). 2. A joint tourist route "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" will be developed with 20 marked with Route's branding sites prepared for touristic visits. The joint approach of the project is a united response, developed by the project partners, to the common cross-border challenges (peripheral, sparsely populated and economically troubled region facing tourism crisis related to pandemic and Russian agression) is the creation of a new tourism product - cross-border tourism route - has the potential to bring educational, economic and cultural benefits to both the local community and visitors, helping to protect and promote this valuable heritage and it should encourage other actors of the cross-border (local authoritries, cultural entities, NGO's, businesses) to join with new projects and activities in the future. The project seeks to mitigate common cross-border challenges by employing common Yotvingian heritage. We plan to create the route "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" applying "slow tourism" approach, that is quite new for our region. Slow tourism is a part of the sustainable tourism family, different from mainstream mass tourism and emphasizing the tourist's greater personal awareness. It is characterized by reducing mobility and by taking time to explore local history and culture, while supporting the environment and aiming for relaxation, self-reflection, escape, novelty seeking, engagement, and discovery. The infrastructure created by the project in the beautiful natural surrroundings and unique Yotvingian history based events arranged within the project will provide a perfect assumptions to experience these feelings. 2 museums participating in the project will make their best to employ the modern interactive technologies while renovating/creating their permanent expositions, creating educations, etc. During preparation of the Route's strategy a digital communication solution (QR code) will be created. The project will apply modern communication means within Multimedia campaign, aimed at tv, radio, internet, fb, Instagram, bloggers, brand ambassadors, tourism experts, journalists from the both sides of the border.

Expected Achievements (EN):

Created tourism route “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” for incoming and local tourists and inhabitants on the both sides of Lithuania-Poland cross-border. It will be achieved through project activities: prepared route's strategy with visual brand, improved infrastructure of the points of visit and arranged public events related to the Yotvingian tribe heritage.

Project outputs: Yotvingian cultural and tourism sites supported by the project(EN)
Organisations cooperating across borders(EN)

Thematic information

Cultural heritage and arts Tourism Community integration and common identity

Priority: (VI-A_Lt-Pl_2) Promoting physical, emotional and cultural wellbeing

Priority specific objective: RSO4.6. Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 166 Protection, development and promotion of cultural heritage and cultural services

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Alytaus miesto savivaldybės administracija

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 188706935

Address: Rotušės sq. , 62504 Alytus, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.alytus.lt

Total budget: EUR 505 805.95

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 404 644.76

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 101 161.19

Contractors:

Name: UAB "Kautra"
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT321389515

Muzeum Okręgowe w Suwałkach

Name: Muzeum Okręgowe w Suwałkach

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 8441065955

Address: Kościuszki, 16-400 Suwałki, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Infrastructure and (public) service provider

Website: https://muzeum.suwalki.pl/

Total budget: EUR 559 999.12

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 447 999.29

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 111 999.83

Alytaus kraštotyros muziejus

Name: Alytaus kraštotyros muziejus

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 191058256

Address: Savanorių, 62142 Alytus, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.alytausmuziejus.lt

Total budget: EUR 365 289.75

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 292 231.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 73 057.95

Alytaus rajono savivaldybės administracija

Name: Alytaus rajono savivaldybės administracija

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 188718528

Address: Pulko, LT-62135 Alytus, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website (not verified): http://www.arsa.lt

Total budget: EUR 567 955.61

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 454 364.48

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 113 591.13

Contractors:

Name: Senovės baltų k d Jotvos sūnūs
VAT registration or tax identification number: 302888517
Name: UAB „Gaudera“
VAT registration or tax identification number: LT345697610

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Regional Museum in Suwałki

The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Partners and Projects info

Alytus Ethnographic Museum

The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Partners and Projects info

Alytus district municipality administration

The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Partners and Projects info

Alytus City Municipality Administration

The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Project acronym: Yotvingian Project

Project ID: LTPL00455

Project start date: 2025-07-01

Project end date: 2027-06-30

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

LTPL00009 „The cross-border road to memories infinity” (EN) | The goal of the project is to promote the cultural well-being of border tourists by creating joint services and developing the Alytus-Lazdijai-Suwalki border region as a direction of active tourism. During the project, joint activities of all three partners will be organized: a fashion week in the city of Suwalki, a wedding of a dzuk and a Polish woman in Lazdijai, a singing poetry evening and a final conference in Alytus. During the project, all three partners will search for answers while preparing a marketing strategy - how to become even more interesting for local and visiting tourists? What new spaces should be used when creating exhibitions? Can new educational and cultural events become an object of even greater attraction for border tourists? The partners will create a traveling exhibition called "Border Women" and "Border Men", which will visit all three border towns. (EN), LT-PL-3R-205 "Heritage you leave behind" (EN) | The project increased the role of sustainable cultural heritage for tourism in the border area. The cities of Alytus and Suwalki are characterized by a rich material and non-material cultural heritage, which has great potential to be used more widely for the benefit of both the local community and tourists visiting the region. The regions are connected by a similar historical and ethnographic heritage and long-term cooperation of various levels of local government and cultural institutions. Main tasks: creation of a new ethnographic exhibition in Alytus, acquisition and installation of audio guides to existing archeology exhibitions in Alytus and Suwalki in three languages: English, Lithuanian and Polish, general multilingualism a folder with a map and a route for motorized tourists to the cultural heritage attractions of both regions, the implementation of outdoor workshops with the presentation of old crafts, additional attractions on the occasion of the museum night, the preparation of new educational programs and the promotion of issues related to the project in the media. (EN), OECD project "Buiding more resilient Crossborder Regions; Multi-level Governance and Co-developed Strategic Regional Development" (EN) | The project supports five pilot cross-border regions improving crossborder multi-level governance through reinforced multi-level governance arrangements and co-development of cross-border co-operation initiatives. In particular, the project looks into the co-creation and implementation of public policies and services (e.g. healthcare, transport, education) in functional border areas. The project, which is implemented with the financial support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), focuses on the following three governance aspects:
1. Actors: Which public and non-governmental actors are involved in crossborder co-operation; how do they engage with each other; what are barriers to the effective design and delivery of cross-border policies, plans and services; and how can these be overcome?
2. Policy objectives: How to develop and implement integrated territorial strategies for functional border areas that strengthen spatial planning, boost the delivery different public services, and improve cross-border tax policy and labour mobility?
3. Means: What funding and financing mechanisms are being used and can be explored further to support cross-border public service delivery and improve physical infrastructure.
The Polish-Lithuanian border area was included in this project as one of five European pilot regions.
The project will be implemented until the end of 2024. The results of the project, the lessons learnt and the knowledge gained on strategic planning, engaging different stakeholders to achieve set goals, developing cross-border services, will be used in the implementation of the project "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe". (EN), LT-PL-2S-128 “Cultural and natural heritage as motor for development active tourism in the Pisz and Alytus areas” (EN) | The joint efforts of the partners aimed at promoting the interest of local communities in the region, its natural and cultural heritage, where it is interesting and pleasant to spend free time. (EN), LT-PL-5R-350 "Lithuanian-Polish functional area - new tourism development possibilities" (EN) | The project promoted a common border identity, new thematic tourism routes, created a joint film, a photo album, organized educational workshops, and presented a functional border area at international exhibitions. This joint project was the first initiative in order to lay a solid foundation for further joint projects on the topic of the Yotvingian route for the new EU programming period 2021-2027. Target group of the project: tourists, members of border communities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, socio-economic partners. (EN), EC b-solutions project. Identification of key elements for creating the touristic crossborder functional area at the Lithuanian – Polish border. Final report (EN) | This project served to assess whether it is possible to establish on the Polish-Lithuanian borderlands a tourist cross-border functional area (TCBF), dynamizing the cooperation of local governments, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders, as well as local communities. The studies conducted (desk research, interviews, questionnaires, workshops, and research walks) have confirmed that this peripheral, sparsely populated and troubled region has sufficient resources to ensure the development of tourism through better coordination of cross-border cooperation. The research also enabled the delimitation of TCBF borders on the Polish and Lithuanian side. The result is a model for coordination of cooperation, which helps commit to joint action in the field of tourism. The added value of this model is assuring conditions for the development of intersectoral cooperation and networking, which is a pre-condition for the development of crossborder tourism. The effective use of the model entails the need to implement cross-border projects, ensuring the development of a coherent tourist offer on both sides of the border. The tangible result of cooperation within the TCBF will be the creation of a cross-border tourist destination, combining the elements of history and culture as a basis for developing active tourism, thereby establishing a recognized brand of this region.
As a result of the assessment of the tourist potential, four leading concepts for the development of tourism within the TCBFA were identified. The concept of “The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe” was identified as having the largest potential for the development of cross-border tourist products. (EN), LT-Pl/116 Learning the customs and daily life in ancient Yotvingian land through understanding the cultural remains and sources of yotvingian population and presentation of archeological exhibitions (EN) | Created 2 conceptions for Yotvingian archeological expositions, prepared traveling exhibitions, organised conferences, organised expositions in European museums, printed maps with descriptions of most interesting archeological sites in Alytus and Suwalki regions and
improved cooperation with partners for better understanding and achievement of better project results.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 999 050.43

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 599 240.33

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 599 240.33. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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Deliverables:

Strategy for the development of the tourist route "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe"
Creation of visual branding of the route and preparation of brandbook
Multimedia campaign (PP2)
Project opening conference "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" (PP3)
Yotvingian tribe presentation during Baltic Unity Day near Alytus Mound and Mirgrausėlė Spring (PP3)
Yotvingian Archaeological Festival - Tastes of Prehistory (PP4)
Yotvingian Archaeological Festival - Tastes of Yotvingia (PP4)
Educational camp for Youth (12-29 years) for 40 persons (PP2)
Yotvingian fair & festival. Re-enactment of history at the foot of the Kaukai-Obelytė mound (PP2)
The closure event - final conference with test tour (PP4)
Use of electric minibus for excursion, educational
Promotional gadgets for participants (PP3)
Advertising posters (PP3)
Renovated Archaeological museum in Alytus (LP1)
Repaired infrastructure of Alytus Mound (LP1)
Artistically upgraded Mirgrausėlė Spring in Alytus (LP1)
Created Yotvingian cultural center in Alytus district (PP2)
Improved accessibility of Kaukai mound in Alytus district (PP2)
Improved Yotvingian Archaeological Centre in Szwajcaria (PP4)
20 Yotvingian route objects marked with boards with QR codes (LP1, PP2, PP3, PP4)
Interactive map (PP3)
Info terminal (PP3)
Created 3 educations with needed equipment in Archaeological museum in Alytus (PP3)
Equipped conference hall (PP3)
Improved accessibility of Pupasodis, Žilvia mound in Alytus district (PP2)
Improved accessibility of Rumbonys mound in Alytus district (PP2)
Improved accessibility of Dirmiškiai mound in Alytus district (PP2)
Improved accessibility of Dirmiškiai burial mound in Alytus district (PP2)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyBalticSeaRegion The project corresponds policy areas (PA) "Tourism" and "Culture" of the overall objective "To Increase Prosperity" of the EUSBSR - and their actions:
PA Tourism’s actions include facilitating networking and clustering of tourism stakeholders, strengthening their tourism-related project initiatives and activities:
1. Transnational tourism development in remote and rural areas (our project will be implemented in 2 countries, including remote and rural areas).
2. Investing in people, skills and technology in the tourism industry (project participants will gain new knowledge and experience, modern technologies digital including will be used to make objects of the Yotvingian route more attractive).
3. Protection and sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage and natural resources in tourism destinations (during project implementation cultural/historical heritage objects will be renewed and adapted for visiting. Most of the objects are located in the natural surroundings, perfect for "slow" sustainable tourism).
PA Culture focuses on promoting culture and creative industries in the Baltic Sea Region, on preserving and showcasing its cultural heritage and on improving and facilitating cultural cooperation.
1. Promoting the Baltic Sea Region cultural and creative industries, encouraging creative entrepreneurship (Project will stimulate local entrepreneurship and innovation through the development of new culture products, services and attractions).
2. Promoting Baltic Sea Region culture, cultural diversity and European values, promoting culture as a driver for sustainable development (the axis of this project is the history and culture of the extinct old European Baltic tribe - the Yotvingians - and its transformation into an object of touristic/cultural interest).
3: Preserving the Baltic Sea Region cultural heritage, strengthening regional identity (project will promote cultural heritage of the Yotvingians as an integral part of the history of the LT-PL region).
Other New European Agenda for Culture adopted in 2018. Social strategic Area.
Project contributes to protect and promote Europe's cultural heritage as a shared resource, to raise awareness of our common history and values and reinforce a sense of common European identity by preserving the Yotvingian historical- culture heritage of the Lithuanian-Polish borderland, promoting it and transforming it into creative entrepreneurship conducive to economic growth and job retention.
Other 2022-2030 Alytus Region Development Plan.
Project contributes to Aim 3.1. Ensure even development and diversity of economic, cultural and tourism infrastructure and services (cultural/historical heritage objects will be renewed and will offer new services, so will be adapted for visiting and promote possibility for new businesses creation).
Other The goals and activities of the project are in line with the recommendations of the document "Strategic diagnosis for the needs of marketing communication of Poland in tourism until 2030" developed by the Polish Tourist Organization in 2023. The project is in line with the following recommendations: Emphasizing the product diversity of Polish tourism, as well as adapting it to needs of their recipients, Encouraging regions and cities to create and promote supra-regional tourist products, Popularization of trail tourism.
Other ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism (2022):
Reinforcing cultural heritage protection and community resilience through responsible and sustainable tourism management.
The strategy of the tourist product "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" will be developed and implemented in accordance with the Objectives of the Charter:
Objective 1 - To place the protection of cultural heritage and community rights at the heart of cultural heritage tourism policy and
projects, by providing principles that will inform responsible tourism planning and management for cultural heritage protection, community resilience and adaptation;
Objective 2 - To promote stakeholder collaboration and participatory governance in the stewardship of cultural heritage and management of tourism, applying a people-centered and rights-based approach, emphasizing access, education and enjoyment;
Objective 3 - To guide cultural heritage and tourism management in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action policy.
and in accordance with the Principles of the Charter:
Principle 1: Place cultural heritage protection and conservation at the centre of responsible cultural tourism planning and management;
Principle 3: Enhance public awareness and visitor experience through sensitive interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage;
Principle 4: Recognize and reinforce the rights of communities, Indigenous Peoples and traditional owners by including access and engagement in participatory governance of the cultural and natural heritage commons used in tourism;
Principle 5: Raise awareness and reinforce cooperation for cultural heritage conservation among all stakeholders involved in tourism;
Principle 7: Integrate climate action and sustainability measures in the management of cultural tourism and cultural heritage.
Other A cross-border cooperation project on Yotvingian heritage can make a significant contribution to the objectives of the New European Bauhaus by promoting sustainable development, combining traditional and modern aesthetics and fostering social inclusivity. This approach supports the transformation of the built environment while preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the region. In this way, the project becomes a model for integrating sustainability, aesthetics and community engagement into tourism practice. The project's objectives and activities are in line with the New European Bauhaus.
The project will create bridges between different communities, transcending and building on participation at all levels through the development of a cross-border cooperation network in the cultural and tourism sectors.
The route "The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe" will be developed according to the three intrinsic values promoted by the Bauhaus sustainability, from climate goals to closed loop, zero pollution and biodiversity, aesthetics, quality of experience and style over functionality, inclusion, from valuing diversity to ensuring accessibility and affordability.
Other The 2020 European Tourism Convention and European Commission communication’s Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism.
The European Union has demonstrated commitment to preserving and promoting Europe’s cultural heritage as well as encouraging the development of a more sustainable tourism through programmes or initiatives such as the 2020 European Tourism Convention and European Commission communication’s Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism establishing priority actions for the sector. The 2020 Convention launched a dialogue on the strategic orientations for the tourism of tomorrow, including sustainability and digitalization. However, as policymaking in this area is primarily the responsibility of Member States or regional and local authorities, the EU can only assist and complement the actions of Member States in the implementation of sustainable cultural tourism. This is where European funding opportunities and especially Interreg funding, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), come into play.
Our project is in line with mentioned above EU documents because it will contribute to:
1) Protection and use of fragile cultural heritage resources for the development of cultural tourism,
2) improving the recognition and tourist accessibility through digitalization and promotion.
Other During project implementation the cultural/historical Yotvingian heritage objects will be renewed and will offer new services - will be adapted for visiting of local and foreign tourists and promote possibilities for new businesses creation, so goals and activities of the project correspond the State Progress Strategy "Lithuanian Progress Strategy "Lithuania 2030":
Task 1.9. Increase the potential of cultural and creative industries and promote the development of new products and services based on creative content;
Task 1.12. Increase the competitiveness of Lithuanian tourism;
Task 4.1 Encourage residents to participate in cultural activities and contribute to the development of culture;
Task 4.2. Improve conditions for creators in Lithuania and to increase the dissemination of Lithuanian culture abroad;
Task 4.5. Strengthen the actualization of historical memory in society;
Task 4.6. Revive significant cultural and national heritage for society and increase its use for society's needs.
Other The project meets tasks of "Alytus City Municipality Strategic Development Plan until 2030", because its tourism infrastructure will be updated and modernized and will offer new cultural services both for incoming tourists and inhabitants:
1.2.2. task. Modernize and develop the infrastructure of public service provision
2.1.1. task. To develop the diversity and availability of cultural services.
2.3.3. task. Increase the city's awareness and tourist attractiveness.

Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:

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Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 077 - Number of cultural and tourism sites supported, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 077 - Visitors of cultural and tourism sites supported, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSBSR

EUSBSR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSBSR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Lithuania-Poland

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2026-01-26

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

100 / 100 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

250 / 250 (100%)

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The Mysterious Land of the Yotvingian Tribe

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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