The overarching aim of this project is to improve the cultural and economic environment in remote coastal areas by bridging cultural heritage with ecotourism-related entrepreneurship. The immediate objective of the project was to create the adult learning curriculum and supportive materials, which would be used in VET schools (or similar educational organisations) in study courses of ecotourism. The project involved six partner organisations from Estonia, Finland, Italy and Sweden. Our partners have different backgrounds, but are complimentary to each other, since their common denominator is coastal cultural heritage and adult training/learning. Four partners are based in UNESCO biosphere reserves and brought in the flavor of balanced social, economic, cultural and environmental values. What did the project achieve within two years? Firstly, we constituted a network of adult learners, up to 40 people from four countries, who took part in mobilities, study tours and the final conference. The learners of the project often acted as resource persons during the study tours in their home regions. Secondly, we produced important intellectual outputs as the result of the project. In the core is the curriculum for a vocational school (or similar educational organisation) designed for a study course in ecotourism. Based on the experiences of the Hiiumaa Vocational School, this curriculum was tested already before the end of the RECORDI project, and 10 adult students graduated. The project selected a number of best practices from each participating region, which were used as examples in study tours and also as a supporting material for the future study courses. The RECORDI partners produced nine short video films which highlight 20 best practices. These video films will be used as educational material in forthcoming study courses. We also compiled a brochure (in PDF format, ready to print), where most conspicuous practices were described, and where links for were presented. By means of DR codes, the brochure is linked to the project's website and the video films. We believe that the added values of the project are: - a network of trained people who know how to implement cultural heritage in the ecotourism services; - increased awareness about sustainable rural development, including the ideas of the UNESCO programme "Man and biosphere"; - improved cultural and economic situation in peripheral coastal areas involved.
Project RECORDI: Recall coastal heritage for rural entrepreneurship. The overarching aim of this project is to improve the cultural and economical environment in remote coastal areas by bridging coastal cultural heritage with ecotourism-related entrepreneurship. The immediate objective of the project is to create the adult learning curriculum and supportive materials, which will be used in Vocational Schools (or similar educational organisations) in study courses of ecotourism. The intellectual outputs of the project include the curriculum itself, as well as the production of short video films about best practices, and a brochure in digital form to be used as study material. In addition, the project will have a public website to reflect the progress, and to serve as a platform for the project communication. The project involves six partners from Estonia, Finland, Italy and Sweden. The partners have different backgrounds, but are complementary to each other, while their common denominator is coastal cultural heritage and adult training/learning. Four partners live in UNESCO biosphere reserves and bring in the flavour of balanced social, economical, cultural and environmental values. The learners of the project represented all partner organisations, and there were 40 learners all in all, which makes more than 6 learners per partner.These people were the representatives of the target group, i.e. people who learn how to embed cultural heritage (skills, traditions, values) into ecotourism services. The project team, who elaborated the curriculum and the video films, constantly co-operated with the group of learners to better develop and fine-tune the approach, the methods and the results. A final conference of the project entitled "What is the Real Thing?" was held as a multiplier event of the project. The aim of the conference was to explore the value of cultural heritage and its applications in small-scale entrepreneurship. The underlying concept of the conference -- as, actually, of the whole project -- was to highlight that cultural heritage is the Real Thing, something very meaningful in the era of dominating virtual realities. The long-term benefits of the project are: - a group (40 persons) of trained people who can implement cultural heritage skills in the ecotourism services; - increased awareness about sustainable rural development, including the ideas of the UNESCO programme "Man and biosphere"; - improved cultural and economical situation in peripheral coastal areas involved.