Welcome to the middle ages

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Culture and history are strongly present in the municipalities of Mezdra and Dobrosloveni. The “Kaleto” fortress in Mezdra and Romula’s roman ruins of Dobrosloveni are outstanding national monuments preserving ancient and medieval culture of more than 70 ages. These important natural and cultural resources must be used to enhance cross-border tourism in the region in innovative and coherent with the best tourism development practices way. The project challenges tourism development based on the rich historic and cultural heritage of both municipalities by establishing medieval and roman festivals that will bring the tourists back in time to witness and experience the life of their ancestors, thus creating a joint touristic product, capable to boost tourism in the region. The overall objective of project “Welcome to the middle ages” is to improve the sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage of Mezdra and Dobrosloveni municipalities by establishing two important festivals – roman and medieval, reconstructing in attractive for tourists way the authentic life and traditions of the time, bringing together stakeholders able to contribute from all cross-border region and promoting the culture and history of the region. The project will increase the popularity of both cross-border regions for tourism and will establish sustainable events attracting people to present the ancient culture in these lands. The project will create two integrated tourism products – the medieval festival in Mezdra and the roman festival in Dobrosloveni and will promote both festivals and middle ages traditions in the whole cross-border area and at the two most important international tourism fairs in Bulgaria and Romania. At the same time the project will create a common strategy for promotion of ancient and medieval traditions for sustainable tourism development in the cross-border region. The current cross-border territory of Bulgaria and Romania was settled by various tribes and people, each leaving its footprint on history and culture in our historical memory. Bringing these old forgotten traditions and lifestyle to life in authentic and attractive way is the modern trend for attraction of tourists and development of the regions. The approach of enlivening cross-border culture and traditions of the middle ages in authentic and attractive way for sustainable tourism development will be applied through the following activities: Research of festivals, events and groups, presenting middle ages and roman traditions of Romania and Bulgaria. This activity will enable both partners to discover all present stakeholders active in reconstruction of ancient traditions, receive important practical information for organization of medieval and roman festivals and outline proposed strategic priorities for development of this type of touristic product. Based on the results of the researches a two day conference with 50 stakeholders from the cross-border area representing groups for historical reconstructions, tourism companies and stakeholders will be organized in order to adopt a common strategy for promotion of ancient and medieval traditions for sustainable tourism development in the cross-border region. Filming of festivals is an activity that will quickly promote medieval and roman festivals organized in the whole cross-border region. Two films will be shot – one for the roman traditions in the cbc area and another one for the medieval ones. Both films will be uploaded on the project website and distributed during project events and at tourism fairs. Promotional campaign is an important activity for achievement of planned project results, namely popularization of the new tourism products. The partners will produce 3 catalogues in Bulgarian, Romanian and English languages on the following topics: festivals and events; medieval and roman groups; medieval recipes. A cross-border map with locations of medieval and roman heritage and festivals will be produced and disseminated. T-shirts and caps will be produced and distributed freely to the participants in project events. Promotion in national televisions will inform the population of the cross-border region for the upcoming festivals and a website of the project will be created to provide full information about the progress of the project and the two festivals. Purchase of equipment necessary for the organization of the festivals is a key activity important for the creation of the new cross-border tourism products. LB will purchase authentic Bulgarian yurta, used by the pre-Bulgarians as mobile home. Medieval costumes for 5 characters, sound system and benches will be needed in order to recreate the ambience of ancient times. B2 will purchase the necessary equipment for the holding of the roman festival. A 4 days medieval festival will be organized in Mezdra at the “Kaleto” archeological complex. Performers of medieval happenings from the whole cross-border region will be invited to present the medieval culture, art, spirit, activities, etc. The festival will last 4 days. It will consist of the following components, which will be scheduled in the details in the process of implementation: - Presentation and open lessons of medieval military techniques. - Presentation of medieval dressings and rituals. - Medieval culinary. A 4 days Roman festival will be organized in Dobrosloveni municipality. Performers of Roman happenings from the cross-border region will be invited to present the roman culture, art, spirit, activities, etc. The festival will last 4 days. It will consist of the following components, which will be scheduled in the details in the process of implementation: - Presentation and open lessons of Roman military techniques. - Presentation of Roman dressings and rituals. - Roman culinar. The last project activity will be promotion of both integrated tourism products at the biggest tourism fairs in Bulgaria and Romania – these in Sofia and Bucurest. For this aim each partner will purchase a pop-up expo wall and will present the produced within the project promotional materials, movies and web-site. The new and original about the project is the method of enlivening historical monuments with the creation of an attraction, an event that will bring many spectators and tourists, promoting the culture and historical heritage of the municipalities in Dobrosloveni and Mezdra and at the same time promoting all other similar events and happenings organized in the cross-border region. Our region is full of history and culture, but this project will see beyond and add greater value to the monuments for the sustainable tourism development bringing life to the stones and enabling tourists to live back in the middle ages. The project budget is around 495000 euro.

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