International Praise for Old Street Quarter in Zemgale
In the webinar "Synergies between traditional operators and cultural creative industries" hosted by the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform, Jelgava Vecpilsēta Street Quarter received high praise.
Zemgale Planning Region is currently implementing the CHERRY* project. One of the tasks of the project is to highlight the good practices of each project partner in the interaction of cultural and creative industries with the transformation of the urban environment, local development and the enhancement of cultural and natural values. When assessing which local good practice could be presented to the project partners, experts highlighted Vecpilsētas Street Quarter as one of the most visible.
Although partners are scheduled to present their examples publicly at the end of February, the Jelgava tourism object has already been well received; in December, representatives of the programme approached the leading partner of the CHERRY project to participate in an experience exchange event provided by the Policy Learning Platform.
In order for the participants to gain more insight into the field of culture and creative industries in the territories of the project partners, the lead partner suggested contacting Zemgale Planning Region with a request to present the Quarter of Vecpilsētas street. After receiving the invitation, the team of the planning region approached the head of the Jelgava Regional Tourism Center, Ilva Grasmane, to share the story of how the city managed to implement such an ambitious and at the same time unique project.
Webinar participants listened to 3 presentations by:
- Elena Mengotti, Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region, on a comprehensive approach to the cultural and creative economy across policy silos (CHERRY, CRE:HUB).
- Leandro Camara, Fundación Catedral Santa María, on the social value of the cultural heritage (CREADIS3). But the third presentation was about the role of cultural activities in valorizing cultural and artistic traditions and engaging citizens with new technologies, as well as triggering urban renewal.
- Ilva Grasmane presented the revival of the quarter of Jelgava's Old Town Street, which is the oldest part of the city's construction with wooden buildings that were not destroyed during World War II. Currently, the quarter has already won the recognition of local residents and tourists through its history, restoration processes, and traditional crafts (weaving, ceramics).
*CHERRY project is being implemented in the Interreg Europe 2021-2027 programme. Its purpose is to improve the regional development policy documents in the regions of the partner countries involved in the project, to stimulate the recovery of the creative sector after the Covid-19 crisis, as well as to promote the development of culture and creative industries in the region, promoting economic development and increasing the competitiveness of the EU.