The Kick off in Shkoder

Posted on May 20, 2011

The official presentation of the cross-border project titled "Valorisation of the Ethno-Gastronomic Heritage in Shkoder/Skadar Lake" within the IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme Albania-Montenegro, was held in Shkoder, at the Hotel Colosseo, on Wednesday 18^th May, 2011.

This event has officialy announced project implementation. The NGO Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives (CSTI) from Podgorica in cooperation with the Centre of Rural Studies & International Agriculture - CERAI from Spain and Permaculture Resource Centre (Quendra Burimore e Permakultures  - QBP) from Shkoder.

The event was attended by the representatives of the Delegations of the European Union to Montenegro and Albania, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro, the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro, the Joint Technical Secretary of IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme Albania - Montenegro, the Programming and Development of Region of Skadar, GIZ- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Society for International Cooperation), many local producers, restaurateurs and hotel owner and many stakeholders from Shkoder/Skadar Lake region for whom the successful implementation of this project should be significant for the improvement of their activities.

The presentation of the natural, historic and cultural resources of the Shkoder/Skadar Lake, confirmed justification of implementation of integrated tourism model in this region, which has already been successfully applied in some of the European countries. Also, presentations of successful practices and experiences confirmed the existence of the base for successful implementation of the project, which will valorise and present  the tourist offer of Skadar Lake as a recognized and attractive brand, and improve cross-border cultural and economic exhanges.

During the coordination meeting held after the official opening and presentation of this project, the applicants and their partners agreed on many details important for coordination and successful project implementation.

Total value of this project is 220.961,13 EUR. The European Union will finance 85% of total costs, i.e. 187.413,53 EUR, and remaining 15% will be co-financed by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro on the Montenegrin side and by CERAI from Spain on the Albanian side.