Pannon EGTC

Since January 2017, the Pannon EGTC has participated as a consortium member in an international Interreg Europe project, in which, the now defunct DDRFÜ (Southern Transdanubia Regional Innovation Agency) non-profit company also participated as a consortium member. With the dissolution of DDRFÜ non-profit company, the consortium member was replaced by the Pannon EGTC.

The diversity of cultural heritage assets – including museums, buildings, archaeological sites, archives, cultural itineraries and events – is a pillar of European identity and a catalyst for social inclusion. This also plays a specific role in achieving the Europe 2020 strategic goals for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, given its relevance not only in culture, but also in social and economic development, cohesion, education, tourism and innovation. However, the impact caused by visitors and residents means that heritage specialists, institutions and stakeholders face growing challenges to keep cultural assets and their surroundings protected, enhanced and, at the same time, accessible for everyone.

The SHARE project, implemented with INTERREG EUROPE funding between 2017 and 2020, aimed to exchange experiences in cultural heritage policies in urban settings, in order to identify good practices and innovative methods to develop a sustainable and smart approach to its management and use. The project targeted ways in which smart cities projects can be effectively improved by including a smart and sustainable agenda for cultural assets in urban centres.

The method of exchanging experience focused on reviewing existing policy tools, European policy outlines and good practices. It also included specific research carried out in each partner’s area. The result of the interregional exchange process, which lasted 24 months during Phase 1 of the project, was conveyed in 6 Action Plans that indicate the successful integration of SHARE’s outputs into key policy documents, with particular reference to 4 ERDF funds.

The partners represent a variety of public bodies, agencies and academic centres coming from 7 countries across Europe dealing with cultural heritage and smart cities policies. These countries are committed to effectively share results of the project with local stakeholders groups and institutions implementing local policies, as well as to monitor the Action Plans over the 2-year period Phase 2 of the project.

The project was successfully completed and the proposal of the Pannon EGTC to involve the department or institution responsible for cultural heritage in the implementation of projects for cultural heritage protection has been included in the call for proposals for central cultural heritage development. The key finding of the project was the formulation of “smart shrinking” by an expert from the Pannon EGTC, which was presented in Brussels at the end of 2019.

For more information visit the following page: https://www.interregeurope.eu/share/