EUROPEAN COOPERATION FAIR: rural development through networking and transnational partnerships Synthesis of the detailed case studies, 27 July 2005 (morning) Summary by Maria do Rosário Serafim, Portuguese Leader+ Network Unit Cultural guidance and management of regional museums (Germany / Austria) A network of European wetlands (Italy, France a.o.) Euro Land Art (France / Germany)

TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION PROJECTS: OBJECTIVES COMMON FOCUS: TO PROJECT POSITIVE IDEAS OF THE REGIONS; REVERSING THE NEGATIVE IMAGES OF THE TERRITORIES THE COOPERATION PROJECTS are orientated to pursue COMMON LEADER+ OBJECTIVES, which are related to THE RESPECT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY AND TO ADDING VALUE TO THE COMMON HISTORY OF THE TERRITORIES (Project “Cultural Guiding and Management of museums”), respecting the ECOLOGICAL BALANCE, BALANCE OF THE ECOSYSTEMS AND THE PROTECTION OF NATURE (“Network of European wetlands”) and with RESPECT TO CULTURE, ART AND DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES (“Euroland Art”). These projects reinforced the transnational component through strengthening its attraction for tourists, adding value to the ecosystems, the environment and the local culture, while being a source of inspiration for environmental art. COMMON OBJECTIVES:  to strengthen cultural heritage, knitting together local businesses and aiming at the sustainability of the territories;  to contribute to the improvement of the rural territories’s critical mass;  to identify new ways of alternative income, promoting local economies.

TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION PROJECTS: METHOD COMMON METHOD: GREAT INCENTIVE FOR THE PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVMENT OF THE LOCAL ACTORS;  THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, FROM A TECHNICAL, ADMINSTRATIVE AND SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW, IS A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT; WHICH NEEDS MUCH ATTENTION FROM THE LAGS. Therefore several MEETINGS (Cultural Guides project) have been organised to design a common action (to set up concepts, to structure the project, to synchronise timetables, deadlines and financial limits), create PROJECT GROUPS (for coordination, management and and supervision of the general implementation of the project) and TECHNICAL- SCIENTIFIC GROUPS (Network of wetlands) and/or YEARLY EVENTS (Euro Land Art Festival). SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS:  to identify LOCAL NEEDS very well;  to organise several events to design and to build a COMMON ACTION;  to always INVOLVE THE LOCAL POPULATION, CREATE NETWORKS between the regions and/or the local actors / economic operators.  clear DIVISION OF TASKS AND RESPONSABILITIES;  PERMANENT EVALUATION of the project;  special attention to the PEPARATION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT of the project.

RESULTS OF THE ACTIONS OF TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION: NEW STRATEGIES of marketing and adding value to local tourism products related to the rural areas (creation of local and European networks); creation of NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (common logo, common know-how, website, newsletter); more and better USE OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; organisation of several MEETINGS AT LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL to add tourist value to the areas; creation of common and various INFORMATION AND DISSEMINATION DEVICES; DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL MARKETS. ADDED VALUE OF THE PROJECTS: + + PROFESSIONALISATION of the responses + + QUALIFICATION of local actors and offers + + NETWORKS and personal ties + + INVOLVING local actors/entrepreneurs/public opinion + + TOLERANCE and learning as the project progresses + + VISIBILITY of the work done by the LAGs + + CARE with information and communication RESULTS AND ADDED VALUE

“SPOT” SPOT: Differences (culturally, linguistically, in priorities, in management, in deadlines, in calendars, in processes) positively reconverted in the final results of the projects. EXPERIENCES THAT FULFILLED THE LABORATORY FUNCTION OF LEADER+ BECAUSE : they helped WIDENING THE FRAME OF ACTION FOR THE LAGs, who gain a European dimension; they strenghtened the EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCES and their specific implementation in the area; meeting the objectives was supported by CLEAR LOCAL STRATEGIES, with a division of tasks, responsabilities and financing; out of these experiences resulted the production, in a LOCALLY MANAGED AND THOUGHT WAY, of a vast dissemination material of rural areas, that allowed to create / rehearse a SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION with the exterior and with the inhabitants of the rural areas. New METHODS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES were tested, whose development is useful to rural areas. THROUGH PROMOTION OF THESE EVENTS PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT RURAL AREAS GATHERED, WHO COULD THINK TOGETHER, ABOUT SOLUTIONS AND ADEQUATE, INNOVATIVE AND COMMON INITIATIVES. THE LOCAL ASPECT GROWS AND THE LEADER+ AREAS WORK TOGETHER FOR A COMMON FUTURE.