The project « EUnity in diversity» was funded with the support of the European Union under the Programme "Europe for Citizens"

Applicable to the Strand 2 – Measure 2.1 "Town-Twinning”

Participation: The project involved 457 citizens, 275 from Bosnia and Herzegovina - host country (notably 242 from the Municipality of Stolac - host of the International Event and 33 from the invited City of Čapljina), and 182 participants coming from outside Bosnia and Herzegovina (notably 45 participants from Serbia, 11 from Slovenia, 38 from Italy, 65 from Croatia, 23 from Montenegro). The majority of participants were women (264 women, 193 men).

Location/ Dates: The International Event took place in Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 30/09/2021 to 03/10/2021.

Short description:

The day of 30/09/2021 was dedicated to:

- Arrival & accommodation of participants from Croatia (Rab, Rakovica, Metković), Italy (Adriatic GreeNet), Montenegro (Bar), Serbia (Bač) and Slovenia (Piran).

- Opening of the exhibition: "Cultural Heritage of Our Network" (36 panels)

- General Meeting with the presentation of participants' delegations, the sharing of the Event's Agenda and the performance of traditional dance & music of the host – the Municipality of Stolac

- Welcome dinner

The day of 01/10/2021 was dedicated to:

Morning:

- General Meeting with the presentation of the most important traditional fairs, festivities, celebrations, gatherings in each involved local community by their representatives

- 60 stakeholders participated in a seminar and workshop on best practices for:

a) activating local communities for the development of sustainable cultural tourism

b) net-working at the international level

c) increase of joint activities on dissemination of knowledge and information on local cultural / natural tangible and intangible heritage

Afternoon:

1) All project participants attended the official opening of the 13th Fair "Herzegovinian Fruits of the Mediterranean" in the center of Stolac.

The Minister of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina officially opened the Fair in the presence of several state, county and local government officials. Producers from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro exhibited their traditional products made of figs, grapes, olives and pomegranates at more than 50 stands of the Fair.

2) After a joint lunch with local traditional food at the fair, it was organized a sightseeing of Stolac with an emphasis on the results of international cooperation projects.

The day 02/10/2021 was dedicated to:

Sightseeing of several cultural heritage sites in the vicinity of Stolac:

- Vjetrenica Cave in Ravno

- Old center of Trebinje

- The ruins of the Illyrian city of Daorson.

This has increased the awareness of all participants about the cultural wealth in this area, with traces of several significant civilizations and cultures that lived in Herzegovina in the past.

In the evening, all delegations attended the performance of traditional songs and dances from Herzegovina and neighboring regions at the Fair "Herzegovinian Fruits of the Mediterranean" performed by folklore ensembles and choirs whose members were almost exclusively young.

The day 03/10/2021 was dedicated to:

General Meeting with:

-Presentation of project results & dissemination plan activities including the website devoted to the EUnity in diversity project

Closure of the exhibition – Official closure of the International Event