Event
Regional workshop for Europe on Developing local synergies among UNESCO designated sites
The regional workshop for Europe on Developing local synergies among UNESCO designated sites will take place in Florence (Italy) on 18-19 April 2024, and is jointly organised by UNESCO, through its Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, and the City of Florence. The organisation of the workshop is made possible thanks to the annual contribution of Italy to the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe.
While having distinct normative, institutional and operational frameworks, UNESCO designations, such as World Heritage properties, Biosphere Reserves, UNESCO Global Geoparks, and UNESCO Creative Cities, share the common goal of pursuing UNESCO’s mission towards peace, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through cherishing and fostering the local cultural and natural values.
Establishing cooperation among neighbouring or overlapping designated sites can be an important resource for the sustainable development of a territory. Indeed, it can increase the resilience of cultural and natural areas against external pressures; support advocacy and resource mobilisation; expand the competitiveness of a territory and the sustainability of local tourism; allow economies of scale; and, more in general, create opportunities for participatory, integrated, intersectoral and complementary approaches to local development.
However, the exploitation of this collective potential is often limited by the lack of a common vision and shared objectives. The present workshop intends to stimulate a regional reflection on the potential advantages of cooperation among UNESCO designated sites at the territorial level, particularly in areas with multiple designations, by raising awareness of the subject, exchanging experiences and lessons learnt, advancing knowledge and possibly inspiring future action.
Participants in the workshop are representatives of managing bodies and respective national authorities from selected UNESCO designated sites in Europe, together with relevant local actors in Florence, as well as experts on related disciplines.
