In the period 17-21 July, 2024, representatives of the Municipality of Karlovo, Municipal Council-Karlovo and Youth and Civil Initiatives in the Rose Valley took part in a workshop in the Municipality of Gradara, Italy.
The meeting is part of the "Erasmus+" partner project of Youth and Civil Initiatives in the Rose Valley. The COSTAS project aims to exchange experience on the following topics - social inclusion of elderly and vulnerable groups, the cultural calendars of the municipalities, as an opportunity to engage and improve the social life of young people and elderly residents of the municipalities and sharing eco actions and projects of the municipalities and partner organisations.
After the Bulgarian organisation hosted the project partners on the topic of social inclusion in the month of May during the Rose Festival in Karlovo, in Italy Bulgarian representatives presented the rich cultural calendar of the Municipality of Karlovo, sharing how young and old people from all settlements are involved in the various events and holidays.
The participants of the meeting received training on preservation and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage and got ideas from the hosts and partners from Poland. Learning and seeing is to be shared with local cultural and tourism experts to diversify the cultural calendar and youth activities for the benefit of the local community.
The international participants from Bulgaria and Poland were welcomed by the mayor of Gradara, the deputy regional governor of Pesaro - Capital of Italian culture, municipal and regional councilors for youth, culture and tourism.
The small town-municipality of Gradara, with only 4,800 inhabitants, is famous for one of the best-preserved medieval castles of the Malatesta lords of Rimini and the story of Paolo and Francesca, immortalised in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.
The meeting was during the Medieval Festival in Gradara with a re-enactment of the attack on the castle, a medieval wedding, an open-air concert in the castle with Italian film songs, medieval dances, archery, which literally takes the participants back to the Middle Ages along with the thousands of tourists who visit daily the castle.
The project is implemented in partnership with the Municipality of Gradara, Italy and the Athena Association from Poland, who are the coordinators of the project.
