About the project
is addressed to representatives of various fields in order to protect folk culture, not only through the intuitively perceived historical value of individual works, phenomena and objects, but also through knowledge of the methods and technologies of their creation. Without multidisciplinary cooperation, there can be no effective protection of the cultural space, which is disappearing faster and faster, not only of the material substance (buildings, movable monuments), but also of the preservation of skills (old manufacturing techniques). Tangible and intangible culture are two elements of considerable complexity. They can be treated as separate research problems, but analysing them together allows a certain harmonisation between values to be established. Without retaining knowledge of how a given object can be produced, it will not be possible to preserve a given material object for future generations. With the current level of knowledge and familiarity with existing cultural values, spontaneous and uncontrolled transformations leading to their impoverishment and devastation cannot be allowed. An analysis of the changes taking place in folk culture indicates a number of characteristic phenomena, which show how great a challenge it is to preserve the cultural heritage of Suwalszczyzna.
The project is a bridge between the past and the future,
Place of implementation – Suwalszczyzna is a historical region, not a territorial division, and its borders coincide with the current administrative divisions. Suwałki includes the Suwałki, Sejny and Augustów poviats and the city of Suwałki in Podlaskie Voivodeship. The project activities cover the entire area. The project and its activities are aimed at a very wide range of stakeholders. On the one hand, these are people and institutions involved in activities aimed not only at protecting cultural heritage, but also promoting the Suwałki area, such as: local governments, cultural institutions, museums, galleries, culture creators, ethnographers, folk groups, tourism sector entities, NGOs, etc., on the other hand, they are all residents and tourists visiting the region and using the effects of the project.
The main objective of the project is to develop the tourist product entitled “Folk Culture Route of Suwalszczyzna” in 2024 through:
- creation of a cooperation network of people and cultural institutions in the Suwalszczyzna area
- inventory of cultural resources of the project area
- development of the “Folk Culture Route of Suwalszczyzna Region” tourism product development strategy
- preparation for implementation of the ‘Folk Culture Route of Suwalszczyzna Region’ tourist product development strategy
The project will contribute to:
- protection and use of fragile cultural heritage resources for the development of cultural tourism
- improving the recognition and accessibility of tourism in Suwalszczyzna
- transformation of folk culture into creative entrepreneurship bringing sustainable economic and social benefits
- increased digitalisation in the promotion of tourism in Suwalszczyzna.
The target groups of this project are:
- Local authorities responsible for the organisation and financing of culture and tourism in their area, running cultural units, tourist information points, including: the Augustów district (city of Augustów and communes: Augustów, Bargłów, Lipsk, Nowinka, Płaska, Sztabin), Sejny district (communes: Giby, Krasnopol, Sejny, Puńsk, city of Sejny), Suwałki district (communes: Suwałki, Raczki, Filipów, Bakałarzewo, Przerośl, Wiżajny, Rutka-Tartak, Szypliszki and Jeleniewo), the city of Suwałki.
- Researchers of folk culture.
- Tourists, visitors and residents.
- Folk artists and folk ensembles from the Suwałki area.
- Cultural entities (cultural houses, local government cultural centres, museums, galleries, exhibitions).
- SMEs (tourism and cultural entrepreneurs, service providers and manufacturers in the project area).
The public task entitled "Folk Culture Route of Suwałki (EtnoSuwalszczyzna)" is financed from funds of the Podlaskie Voivodeship.
