Cultural heritage as a key to civic participation. CHOICE project in Ukraine

ALDA, The European Association for Local Democracy

Within the activities of the EU-funded CHOICE, Ihor Savcha, Centre for Cultural Management, visited Albertyna Buchynska and Roman Tarnavsky, Coordinators of the activities in Boryslav (Ukraine).

 The short interview highlights the key achievements of the action, and the strong link between cultural heritage and local civic participation.

 What kind of activities have you implemented by now?

 We have held a joint meeting with the municipality of the Boryslav town where we have presented the project and discussed possible ways of partnership in order to make the best use of the activities planned for the development of local community. 

 The archive, print and historical sources about the monuments in Boryslav and Skhidnytsya were analysed by scientific experts of the Project. The objects for the catalogue were separated and the materials about them were collected.

 The 85 separated objects were included in the catalogue of historical and cultural monuments of Boryslav and Skhidnytsya. The catalogue is published on the web page. The filling of e-catalogue lasts and will be complete in November 2016.

 Database of important historical and cultural heritage objects has been compiled – the database with 85 items is accessible at the website of the project. Informative plates for the heritage objects will be installed soon.    

 How many citizens have you involved?

 Some 50 inhabitants of the town have participated in the activities within the project already – municipality officers, local entrepreneurs, historians, museum professionals, civil society activists. 

 What is your main success?

The project attracted the attention of local authorities, and Ihor Yavorsky, Mayor of Boryslav, has pledged the support the project at all levels. Co-financing of the project from local budget has been secured in addition to the major financial support provided by the European Union. 

  Five excursion thematic routes for tourists are worked out:

 regional-historical route;

historically-industrial route;

sacral route;

pilgrim route;

literary and artistic route.

The selected routes will be presented in maps and guidebooks, to be printed within the project.

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 The project "CHOICE – Cultural Heritage: Opportunity for Improving Civic Engagement" is funded by the European Union through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. 

Led by ALDA, it aims at enhancing civil society’s role and to build its capacities to develop a heritage-friendly living environment in Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine.

For further information about CHOICE, please contact Nino TVALTVADZE, ALDA Eastern Partnership Coordinator - [email protected]