The closing event of the international project called ENriCH: Reveal EuropEaN Cultural Heritage took place in Veszprém between 6 and 7 March 2020. ENriCH aimed to involve young European citizens to develop a deeper understanding of their local and European cultural heritage. Five European partner towns (Veszprém [HU], Lendava [SI], Eisenstadt [A], Saint-Omer [FR], Tartu [EE]) participated in the project, and in each, groups of local young people were involved in the project’s events and activities. HETFA have provided professional support for the project.
Fanni Bobák, senior international expert of HETFA, opened the public section of the two-day event, outlining the goals and key milestones of the project, and emphasizing that the project’s events and activities effectively fostered dialogue between young people and decision-makers in the participating municipalities. Afterwards, project partners shared their experiences of the project and presented the unique ENriCH city maps – including the map of Veszprém as well. Finally, the ENriCH final study was presented, summarizing the project’s experiences, highlighting the key lessons and policy recommendations. (The final study will soon be available on the project website in all languages of the partnership; and the Hungarian-English version can be downloaded here LINK) Specific workshop was organized for partners throughout the day to discuss the role of Youth Councils and the importance of volunteering.
The main attraction of the second day was the interactive city tour, which was also coordinated by our colleagues. Five mixed teams competed against each other in the city tour game based on the ENriCH map of Veszprém. Interested locals were also welcomed to join this program: besides Hungarian and foreign project partners, several locals joined the city treasure hunt. The teams were able to discover the sights and cultural heritage of Veszprém along different thematic routes, which required them to complete various playful, interactive tasks. The booklets used for the game can be downloaded from the project’s website, so everyone has the opportunity to discover the main sights and hidden treasures of Veszprém in an extraordinary way with the help of the game.
The unique and up-to-date map includes personal recommendations on over eighty local attractions, walking tour routes and a brief overview of the city’s history and traditions in English – made solely by young locals.
The one-and-a-half-year long project has resulted in several important lessons for the participating municipalities. The main message of ENriCH is that it is important to involve the local youth in the processes that influence the future of the city by providing opportunities to be involved in local policy making and by increasing the opportunity of learning more about the EU. Moreover, it is possible and beneficial to involve local youth into cultural heritage preservation more actively.
Photo: Attila Domján