DCC Brought Together Danube Projects to Exchange Ideas and Build Future Cooperation

On 25 and 26 June, Belgrade welcomed partners, project representatives and institutional stakeholders from across the Danube Region for two days dedicated to cooperation, knowledge exchange and the future of cultural tourism.

Organised by the Danube Competence Center (DCC) as the local host, the event brought together the Capitalization Event of the 1st and 2nd Call Danube Region Programme projects, the EUSDR Priority Area 3 Steering Committee Meeting, and the Danube Wood(s) Route Partner Meeting, creating an opportunity to connect projects that are addressing similar challenges across the region.

The event was officially opened by Helena Cvenkel, Lead Partner of the Danube Wood(s) Route project, Irina Cozma and Dora Ivanova, Coordinators of EUSDR Priority Area 3, and Johan Magnusson, Team Leader at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, highlighting the importance of capitalising on project results and strengthening synergies between initiatives across the programme area.

The first day focused on sharing experiences, results and practical solutions developed through the Interreg Danube Region Programme. Eleven projects took part in the Capitalization Event, presenting their achievements, pilot actions and future plans. Participating projects included CAST, Culinary Trail, Danube Crafts, Danube Wood(s) Route, Dinamic Danube, Mystical Danube, NONA, Roman Legacy, #RomansWineDanube, SrEST, and TransDinarica 2.

The presentations were followed by an open discussion on how local initiatives can grow into sustainable tourism products and how project results can continue creating value long after the funding period ends. Representatives of the European Commission, the EUSDR Priority Area 3 and numerous Danube projects exchanged ideas, discussed common challenges and explored possibilities for future cooperation.

The second day was dedicated to the Danube Wood(s) Route partnership, with project partners reviewing ongoing activities, discussing upcoming milestones and holding the project’s Steering Committee Meeting.

Hosting this event in Belgrade was a great opportunity to bring together people working towards the same goal – making the Danube Region’s cultural and natural heritage more visible, accessible and attractive through cooperation. DCC was pleased to welcome colleagues from across the region and looks forward to seeing the ideas and partnerships initiated in Belgrade continue to grow in the years ahead.