EUFEAST Kicks Off: Culture Driving Sustainable Development
Fund for European Affairs and Development of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, a partner in the project “Festive Pathways to a Sustainable Tomorrow – EUFEAST,” organized the first regional meeting on October 28. The event brought together representatives from key institutions in the fields of culture and tourism.
The meeting aimed to introduce participants to the planned project activities and to work together on mapping and developing a regional SWOT analysis of Vojvodina’s festival ecosystem. Attendees included representatives from the Vojvodina Tourist Organization, the Novi Sad Tourist Organization, the Sremski Karlovci Tourist Organization, the Kopča Agency, the “Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture” Foundation, and the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information, and Relations with Religious Communities, which acts as an associated regulatory body for the project.
Maja Sokić, the project manager from the Fund, led the meeting and emphasized that culture is at the heart of the project and should be integrated into all areas of society. She presented the upcoming activities leading up to July 31, 2029, the expected completion date of the project, which has a total value of €1,577,446. The project aligns fully with the Development Plan of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina 2023–2030.
During the meeting, it was noted that more than 2,000 events take place in Vojvodina each year, mostly on a local scale. It was highlighted that connecting these events through modern “storytelling” approaches and planning dates and promotional activities in advance could significantly boost the visibility and recognition of the region’s festival scene.
The leading partner in the project is the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Greece. Other partners include the Xanthi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Greece), the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government – Local Government Department (Malta), the Region of Värmland (Sweden), the City Council of Łomża (Poland), the European Festival Association (Belgium), and Újbuda – Local Government and the 11th District of Budapest (Hungary).
The EUFEAST project aims to strengthen regional policies by promoting the exchange of experiences, engaging stakeholders, and facilitating learning activities. Local communities actively participate in planning and running festivals to ensure that their needs and cultural values are respected and promoted. At the same time, artisans and businesses have the opportunity to improve their skills and take part in festival activities.
The project also seeks to integrate culture into all relevant policy areas and programs, promoting European values, freedom of expression, and job growth in the cultural and creative sectors.
Expected results include establishing interregional cooperation among 47 organizations, analyzing six policy instruments, organizing 11 interregional learning events, and identifying 18 examples of good practice.
Activities contributing to these results include creating an analytical framework for mapping local needs and potentials, documenting local practices and developing recommendations, exchanging knowledge and experiences, organizing six regional seminars, participating in a European policy learning platform, and monitoring the impact of project activities at the local level.
The project’s target groups include national and regional authorities, local communities, educational institutions, tourist organizations, creative industry, businesses, media, non-governmental organizations, and tourists.
