Details of how to apply to take part in a workshop on culture heritage and tourism for rural development in Slovenia in September

1. The Euracademy Association
invites you to take part in the
12th Summer Academy
on
“Culture and Landscape: contributions to sustainable rural development”
to be held in cooperation with Notranjski Ekološki Center, Cerknica, Slovenia
13th July – 21st July 2013, Loški potok, Slovenia
Cultural and heritage tourism plays an important role in the local economy of many of Europe’s rural areas
and is also developing new business and prompting economic development across the continent. The
creative sector can have a significant impact on the creation of new domestic products and revolutionise the
ways in which our cultural heritage can be developed and packaged by communities as tourism products
and services and for local consumption. Cultural heritage can also have an impact on local development by
reinforcing the identity of rural communities, strengthening the sense of place and enhancing social
cohesion.
Rural landscapes form an essential part of our heritage; they are significant witnesses to the past and
present interventions of humans on the natural environment, being a timeless archive where the ways
people have lived and organised themselves in certain places are depicted. The term “cultural landscapes”
has been defined by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as “distinct geographical areas or properties”
that uniquely "..represent the combined work of nature and of man..”. The cultural landscape conveys many
different and complex meanings, values and aspirations, contributing to identity building, social relations and
communication of experience, thus becoming a part of the local culture. The principles of the European
Landscape Convention offer some valuable arguments for the preservation of the natural and cultural
properties of landscapes, and for stimulating the involvement of local communities in this task.
This summer academy aims to examine carefully the links between rural landscape, rural heritage and
culture, paying also special attention to the role of the creative industries in shaping such links and creating
added value for local communities. Developing the cultural and creative industries is not a panacea for all
rural problems but it has a number of positive attractions and it is one among many opportunities that rural
communities can consider to improve productivity and incomes. The summer academy will discuss and
debate how the heritage endowed in rural communities by their nature and culture can be exploited by the
creative industries for the benefit of rural development; and how communities can take advantage of new
developments in the creative and cultural sectors - which include very dynamic industries with new products
and services.
Components of this year’s theme will include the following:
1. The challenges that rural landscapes are facing in relation to their heritage and cultural makeup
2. The contribution of the European Landscape Convention in the preservation of the cultural elements of
landscapes and the mobilisation of local communities
3. The contribution of the creative industries in highlighting and valorising the links between culture,
landscapes and heritage
4. Learning and education in the creative, cultural and heritage sectors (including inter-generational
connections)
5. Creating new jobs (economic development) through the creative, cultural and heritage industries
6. Motivating local communities and the contribution of local culture and heritage to community
development including tools for motivating local participants, growing local ownership and taking on
responsibilities
7. Balancing the needs of development and protection of community local cultural heritage
The Target Group: managers and animators within the rural cultural and creative industries, rural tourism &
rural development, community developers, providers of rural cultural and creative sector products and
services, researchers, policy makers, local and regional authorities, LEADER and local action groups,
environmental and development NGOs, economic and development agencies, training providers.
The 12th Summer Academy welcomes participants from all over Europe, south, north, east and west, who
are working in the field of rural development. Professional people working in local or regional authorities,
development agencies, LEADER and other local action groups, NGOs or other local groups active in rural
development are welcome. The course is designed for 40 participants, who will be invited to share their
experiences, to acquire new knowledge and skills and to benefit from the wide networking opportunities
offered by Euracademy Association. Participants should have a reasonable command of English.

2. The Format: introduction, thematic study tours, lectures and discussion workshops
The 12th Summer Academy will take place in Loški potok, Slovenia; it will benefit from the experiences of 11
previous Summer Academies held in an equal number of different locations around Europe. Following the
arrival of participants on 13th July, an international dinner is held in the evening to warm up the group and
give opportunities for participants to meet and discuss in a relaxed environment. The first two days are
devoted to lectures and discussion workshops. The following two days will be spent on the Thematic Study
Tours. Each tour will focus on a village and its surroundings and will include practical examples on a specific
study theme. A Study Tour report will be prepared by participants, which will describe their experiences and
make proposals for implementing rural tourism activities and strategies in the area. These reports will be
presented and discussed in a plenary session on the day following the study tours. The final two days will be
devoted to panel discussions, debating and drawing conclusions, evaluating the Summer Academy and
networking. The departure days are 21st or 22nd July 2013.
The outstanding cultural landscape of Retje-Loški Potok
The landscape of Retje-Loški Potok is characterised by its recognisable spatial structure within a wide valley
lying on the high karstic plateau in southern Slovenia. The centrally positioned village of Retje in the valley
bottom dominates the landscape and although sometimes (especially following heavy precipitation) the
underground water table rises dangerously, it rarely reaches the houses, thanks to their wisely chosen
location on the highest points of the uneven valley bottom. The village is embedded in the traditional
agricultural field pattern of mainly rectangular plots dating back to the 1820’s and run from the bottom
upwards to the top of the forested slopes on the both sides of the connecting road. To highlight the
uniqueness, both sides of the longitudinal valley are distinguished by a church – on the one side the parish
church of Saint Lenard while on the other the chapel of Saint Florian.
Course support: Thematic Guide and Participants’ Handbook
Course materials will be provided before and during the Summer Academy in printed and electronic format.
This includes a course manual on the theme of the rural cultural and creative industries and a Participants’
handbook, which includes practical information and the methodology that will be used in the Summer
Academy, as well as tasks for participants to prepare before arriving to the Summer Academy. Administrative
and tutorial support will be offered by the host Institute and Euracademy Association. Lecturers and
facilitators are recruited among the host organisations and Euracademy Association members.
Participation Cost
The cost of attending the Summer Academy is kept to a minimum. There is no attendance fee, but a charge
to cover accommodation, course materials, full board and travel for the study tours. The cost is 450 Euro per
person and a small number of scholarships are also available covering part of the participation cost. The
charge includes also the subscription fee for one year’s Euracademy Association membership.