The project of valorization of cultural heritage through contemporary artistic involvement in the village of Smokovci was realized by the NGO Zona kulture from Podgorica. The project has multiple elements that can be read through the development of tourism in the area of Lake Skadar, the preservation and popularization of cultural heritage, an example of a sustainable combination of tourism and culture, the engagement of experts from various fields and the wider community with the aim of creating an authentic cultural and tourist product.
"The project treats the natural environment in a sustainable way and it is carried out with minimal interventions in the natural environment. The project raises environmental awareness through the promotion of values and an example of a sustainable approach to the problem", says painter Igor Rakčević from the NGO "Zona kulture", stressing that the basic values of the Skadar area are lakes in rich biodiversity and rich cultural and historical layers related to movable and immovable cultural heritage.
"In general, it is an initiative that has been in operation since 2010 and was developed as a specific platform for initiatives in the field of sustainable tourism. This initiative aims to point out the possibilities of development and self-sustainability of the area around Lake Skadar, we consider it important in in the context of the development of the tourist offer, the motivation of people to develop their own initiatives, and as an important incentive to local producers and service providers. This is necessary in order to more easily find the necessary networking opportunities of similar initiatives in the region and unite them into a single offer. Several experts are involved in our initiative different profiles that have so far made a significant theoretical and practical contribution to designing ways of sustainability. The project stimulates local food producers and service providers, which is very significant in terms of the sustainability of rural areas in the region," Rakčević points out.
In the sense of the above, tourists are offered a stay in Smokovci, a tour of cultural heritage sites, familiarization with cultural heritage, animation and training in relation to old crafts and skills, a tour of outdoor art works (works by Roman Đuranović, Boris Abramović, Igor Rakčević, Željko Reljić ...) and work with artists.
The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, and was implemented by the NGO Zona kulture from Podgorica.
In order to support the Rural Center
In order to support this initiative, the Smokovci Rural Center was formed. It is a building of 95 m2 and the associated cultivated land of 2.500 m2.
"The average stay of one tourist tour in Smokovci is one day. Accommodation is organized in a facility in a traditional manner with a total capacity of seven beds and associated infrastructure for that number of guests. The initiative is presented on several websites and is offered by several travel agencies that specialize in this form of tourism", said painter Igor Rakčević, emphasizing that the goal of the project is the valorization and affirmation of cultural heritage through contemporary artistic practices, strengthening the infrastructure for cultural tourism of the entire region and diversifying the tourist offer with an emphasis on Montenegrin cultural heritage and contemporary art.
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