The goal of the Commheritour project is to maximize the contribution of cultural heritage crafts to economic productivity, tourism success, and community cohesion—that is, to connect communities in a sustainable way. The project brings together twelve partners from eight non-Danube countries, including two representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Tourism Board of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and Rukotvorine d.o.o. Konjic.
Workshop on Preserving Traditional Crafts Held in Konjic Through the Commheritour Project
The European Union has recognized the significance and value of traditional crafts not only in economic terms but also in preserving community identity and the traditional knowledge these crafts sustain. Through the Danube Region program, the aim is to provide greater economic opportunities to remote areas through tourism, said Krešimir Miličević, Senior Associate at the Tourism Board of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.
“The Tourism Board, together with the company Rukotvorine d.o.o., is implementing the Commheritour project in cooperation with ten other partners from neighboring countries. The project focuses on traditional crafts, that is, our cultural and historical heritage related to handmade arts. It began at the start of 2024 and will conclude in June 2026. The project budget is approximately two million euros, of which around 150,000 euros is allocated to the Tourism Board and Rukotvorine d.o.o. With these funds, we hope to raise awareness of the importance of traditional crafts and handmade arts in our economic, social, and cultural life,” said Miličević.
A project partner of the Tourism Board of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is also the Museum of Woodcarving in Konjic. Their strategy is to advance the craft of woodcarving through the implementation of an action plan, emphasized Maja Rajić, an educator at the museum.
“We are partners of the Tourism Board of HNK and will participate in the activities of conducting the woodcarving workshop, which we have been planning for some time, in order to enhance this craft and preserve the UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will have a representative for the action plan, which will be implemented over the next six months. Together, we will establish all the action goals and strive to carry them out so that our woodcarvers can train young people, students from academies and high schools, and pass on their knowledge to preserve the craft for future generations,” said Rajić.
Through an analysis of gaps, needs, and challenges, the goal is to develop a five-year action plan to position traditional crafts in their rightful place within sustainable tourism, said Ivan Jurilj, an external consultant for the development of the action plan for the valorization of traditional crafts, who also led the workshop.
“The workshop in Konjic is one of the first steps in developing an action plan for the valorization of traditional crafts in HNK, carried out through the Commheritour project. As a partner, the Tourism Board aims to create a five-year action plan to position traditional crafts where they rightfully belong, especially in the context of sustainable tourism. One of the key elements of sustainability and sustainable tourism is authenticity and tradition, and old, traditional, and artisanal crafts represent an authentic experience that a region should offer. In this context, problems, challenges, gaps, and needs are analyzed in order to incorporate concrete measures into the action plan, which will later be implemented,” said Jurilj.
“I am pleased that we, as a community and the city of Konjic, are part of this project implemented by the Tourism Board of HNK in cooperation with Rukotvorine and our brand Zanat. This is extremely important for Konjic, especially considering that our woodcarving is recognized by UNESCO. It is important for people to connect in this museological segment and to hear experts from different fields so that we can jointly create the best model for heritage preservation,” emphasized Mušinović.
The Tourism Board of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton stated that by preserving intangible cultural heritage, we also preserve our own identity, as well as the knowledge that sets us apart and makes us unique—and thus attractive in the context of tourism. In this way, we create the conditions for meaningful and sustainable economic development of our community in the future.
Source of text and photos : Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/u-konjicu-odrzana-radionica-posvecena-ocuvanju-tradicionalnih-zanata-kroz-projekat-commheritour/
