Objectives

RURITAGE has established a new heritage-led rural regeneration paradigm able to transform rural areas in sustainable development demonstration ‘laboratories’, through the enhancement of their unique Cultural and Natural Heritage potential.

The specific objectives persued during the project are described below.

Increase knowledge

Increase knowledge in heritage-led rural regeneration strategies by deep and systematic mapping and analysis of heritage-led rural regeneration practices gathered from 13 Role Models.

Apply innovative mapping approach

Create an innovative and dynamic rural landscape mapping approach, linking RMs and Rs’ cultural and natural features to land uses, different functions and human interactions through the RURITAGE Atlas.

Implement large-scale demonstration projects

Implement Large-scale demonstration projects in 6 Replicators to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the heritage-led rural regeneration strategies developed within RURITAGE.

Monitoring the performance

Monitor the performance of and provide quantifiable evidence for the deployed regeneration strategies, quantifying the impact of the strategies in terms of heritage significance, sustainability, well-being improvement, socio-economic trends, cultural, community and citizens’ acceptance.

Foster networking

Foster continuous mutual learning, networking, and exchange of information and practices through a detailed knowledge transfer and mentoring programme that involve the whole range of RMs, Rs and relevant local stakeholders.

Establish a participatory decision-making

Establish a participatory, multi-stakeholder, efficient, transparent, cross-sector and transdisciplinary decision-making process using an open-data approach to foster innovation and to develop a deep sense of ownership and responsibility of rural communities.

Mobilise investments

Mobilize and leverage additional private and public investments, including structural funds, using available resources as efficiently as possible and assessing ways to tap into new funding sources, to secure economic and financial sustainability for the execution of the project.

Increase local employment and competitiveness

Increase local employment and competitiveness, building new skills for innovative Cultural and Natural Heritage management in rural areas and creating a branding (RURITAGE Brand) strategy for enhancing visibility and attractiveness.

Replicate and upscale strategies

Replicate and upscale heritage-led rural regeneration strategies and approaches to other regions in Europe and beyond through dedicated dissemination activities and call for additional rural communities to join the project.

Make results accessible

Make RURITAGE results readily exploitable and accessible to EU-wide and global interested stakeholders as competent authorities, planners, enterprises and civil society following the RURITAGE Dissemination and communication and the exploitation strategies.

Communicate and disseminate

Communicate and disseminate the outcomes of the project and position EU as World leader in heritage-led rural regeneration strategies.