Learning Across Projects: PlaceCRAFT and Danube Ruralscapes in the Danube Delta

During the PlaceCRAFT study trip to the Danube Delta, partners from the Danube Ruralscapes project joined parts of the programme, creating a space for exchange between two Interreg initiatives working on rural development, cultural heritage, and place-based transformation at different scales.

While PlaceCRAFT focuses on pilot-level placemaking processes, Danube Ruralscapes works with self-organised village clusters and landscape-scale approaches rooted in local identity and long-term sustainability. The joint days highlighted how these perspectives can complement each other in practice.

Learning through shared experiences

Travelling and visiting sites together created room for informal discussions. In Mila 23 and Sulina, conversations were grounded in concrete examples – from small-scale community-based tourism models to the role of individuals in sustaining traditional practices. Participants exchanged experiences from their own pilot areas, discussed challenges related to community engagement and tourism, and reflected on the role of heritage in contemporary rural development. The exchange showed clear potential for mutual learning, particularly in linking pilot-level placemaking approaches with broader rural landscape strategies.

Looking ahead

The two projects pursue distinct objectives, but the study trip showed the value of cross-project dialogue in addressing complex rural development questions across the Danube Region. Common ground emerged around community-led approaches, the recognition of local knowledge, and the challenges of making heritage accessible and meaningful in everyday rural contexts – areas where both projects can continue learning from one another.