Under this name, a new initiative of the Agency for Private Initiative Development (ARPI) was launched on March 24, 2020, implemented with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Program.

The project aims to explore the possibilities of economic development of five selected united territorial communities: Velykobereznyanska rural AH of the Zakarpattia region, Kuyalnytsia rural AH of the Odessa region, Sokyryanska and Storozhynetska urban AH, as well as Chahorska rural AH of the Chernivtsi region based on the use of the potential of tangible and intangible heritage, including that associated with ethnic diversity, and to identify promising development directions for these communities and ideas for future projects.

Each of the communities is interested in exploring the potential of tangible and intangible heritage objects that it possesses in order to turn them into a full-fledged resource for local development. The project activities include developing a methodology for rapid analysis (assessment) of the economic situation and potential of local heritage in ATCs, collecting information and studying the situation in these ATCs, conducting creative workshops with representatives of each ATC on generating and developing project ideas based on heritage potential. An important condition for the success of the project is the development and testing of a methodology for rapid analysis and the prompt development of the most beneficial economic development projects for communities based on their existing natural and cultural heritage resources.

The challenge for communities and the project team is its tight deadlines - the activity must be completed in June of this year, and this is in the context of a nationwide quarantine due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Due to the current circumstances, most project activities are taking place remotely. The presentation of the project results is planned for June of this year.

For reference:

The project “Diverse ethnic heritage for hromadas development” is implemented within the framework of the highest priority area of ​​activity of ARPI – local economic development. Working in this direction in recent years, the agency team has united the CSO Network for Support of Communities with Heritage “Go! Heritage”, which includes 30 civil society organizations from all over Ukraine – carriers of practical experience in the field of preserving the cultural and natural heritage of local communities. ARPI experts actively consult in “field conditions” newly formed united territorial communities on the prospects and possible directions of local development, including by preparing and popularizing the manual for officials of small communities “Economics of Heritage”. In particular, in response to the intentions of the Pechenizhyn Autonomous Community to develop tourism based on local heritage, we coordinated the process of developing a pilot program for heritage interpretation and development of entrepreneurship based on it for the period until 2023, having previously carried out an inventory of heritage resources in the community and a survey of local tourism market participants.

The U-LEAD with Europe Program for Ukraine on Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development is co-financed by the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden.