Core support to Cultural Heritage without Borders Kosovo 2023-2027

In 2024, CHwB Kosovo advanced its Cultural Districts approach by collaborating with government bodies and stakeholders to integrate cultural heritage into regional development. A pilot Cultural District was launched in Rahovec, Suharekë, Malishevë, and Prizren, with a focus on viticulture. This initiative emphasized interdisciplinary data collection and heritage documentation. New methodologies were introduced, including an Inventory Form for heritage assets and tablet-based digital surveys. Additionally, CHwB Kosovo conducted a legal and institutional analysis, which led to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Cultural District 'The Grape Vine'. However, challenges with public institutions was hindering the timely implementation of the project. The Creative Hub West was officially established and registered as the NGO Creative Network Dukagjini in Kosovo. A key milestone was selecting a permanent building to host the Hub, fostering collaboration among creatives and cultural organizations. Two cultural projects emerged from workshops on its Management Plan. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Prizren, and CHwB Kosovo set a framework for managing the Mother Teresa Museum in Prizren. The museum has been open to the public since late 2024 and continues to operate with CHwBs support. CHwB Kosovo has trained a dedicated mapping team consisting of assistant professors and MSc Architecture students from the University of Prishtinas Faculty of Architecture. The team underwent specialized training to jointly conduct a thorough review and verification of the Ministry of Culture's list of protected assets to ensure accurate and efficient mapping. The updated list consists of 278 architectural and archaeological heritage assets, from which 189 architectural heritage assets and 89 archaeological heritage assets. The initiative also supported regional development through heritage restoration projects in Janjevo and the Dresnik archaeological site, aiming to boost local economies and cultural tourism. Key projects, such as the Creative Hub in Peja, Jahe Ymeri Kulla in Junik, and the Berdynaj Mill used adaptive reuse and conservation strategies to ensure sustainability, engage communities, and preserve cultural identity. By end of 2024 CHwB launched an open call for emerging cultural practitioners and researchers, focusing on archiving discontinuities, heritage of crises, and storytelling & interpretation. From 50 applications, 6 projects were selected for their alignment with these themes. CHwB Kosovo initiated a survey for Heritage Space initiative and reached 1,712 organizations across 37 municipalities, providing a comprehensive understanding of the local cultural ecosystem for Heritage Spaces future collaborations and partnerships. As part of CHwB Kosovos Heritage Lab initiative, two specialized training modules were held in collaboration with the University of Prishtinas Faculty of Architecture and the Kosovo Institute of Archaeology. The first module trained 67 architecture students (41 women, 26 man) in using digital tools for documenting 11 heritage structures. The second module focused on enhancing the technical skills of professional staff in heritage documentation, with a key project being the comprehensive documentation and conservation planning of the Old Stone Bridge in Vushtrri, supporting the Ministry of Culture in initiating conservation work. The project "There is No Cultural Heritage Without Us" emphasized accessibility in cultural heritage through a documentary video and received very good media coverage in Kosovo. the discussions on inclusivity, led to structural improvements at the National Library of Kosovo "Pjetër Bogdani," including ramps, accessible toilets, and elevators, making the space more welcoming for people with disabilities. The Dukagjini Creative Hub successfully implemented accessibility standards through an Adaptive Reuse project that transformed the building into a fully accessible space. These efforts not only enhance physical access but also promote equal participation in cultural and creative spaces, ensuring inclusivity for all. CHwB Kosovo contributed to the Cultural Heritage as a Driver for Economic Revival of Janjevë/Janjevo project (July 2022November 2024), in partnership with UNDP, focusing on restoring 13 vernacular structures to stimulate local economic growth through heritage conservation. CHwB provided expertise in documentation, restoration planning, and supervision. Another project, Preservation of the Dresnik Archaeological Site, with support from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund and MCYS, focuses on conservation and development planning, aiming to transform the site into an educational and research hub while supporting local economic and social development. The project runs through May 2025.

The mission of CHwB Kosovo is to promote cultural heritage as both a right and a resource. CHwB works with civil society and institutions at all levels to strengthen peace building, sustainable socio-economic and democratic development and the realisation of human rights. CHwB Kosovo is dedicated to promoting the preservation of cultural heritage in areas where the significant cultural heritage is endangered because of economic, social, or political factors. The focus of the new strategy is related to the irreplaceable role of cultural heritage to face the new challenges in training, creation of sustainable networks of cultural organizations, supporting creative activities, strengthening territorial cultural identities and promoting equal rights for all social groups. 'Everyone has the right to enjoy, access and benefit from cultural heritage' is the impact of the Strategic Plan 2023-2027 of CHwB Kosovo. This is intended to be achieved through five outcomes'. OUTCOME 1: Strengthening of regional cultural identities while increasing the partnership between institutions and civil society and mobilising communities in the identification, evaluation and preservation of cultural heritage. OUTCOME 2: Enabling a bottom-up, critical and creative reflection on intangible heritage by engaging diverse communities and cultural practitioners in research, education and the production of new works and discourses. OUTCOME 3: Strengthening capacities in the area of built heritage documentation by introducing and adopting advanced technologies. CROSSCUTTING OUTCOME 4: Creating equal opportunities for everyone to enjoy and benefit from culture. OUTCOME 5: Integration of culture heritage in the discourse of environment and energy efficiency.