Chair: Eugen Scherer
Financing projects for the preservation and soft touristical use of objects of cultural heritage needs to be based from start on a complex system of analyses aimed at finding favorising parameters. Among those the existence of a functioning infrastructure such as roads and various basic as well as higher services for the consumer is as decisive as state of the art means of communication of historical content (attractive “story”) even for visitors from more remote cultures. Adding gastronomical and touristical infrastructure, all backed by a successful marketing and advertising is another step. Further preconditions for sensible entrepreneurship such as risk-assessment, lie ahead of any culture-based investment, particularly in former eastern countries, where they have to compete with more urgent investment into basic communal services. All this requires substantial know-how in the regions of the potential candidates of the European Union, including knowing the whereabouts of financial ressources. Within the EU- Program “Culture 2000” the previous program “Rafael” had at least been integrated, even if the access to its funds suffered from the risk-factors, characteristic for the “Culture” – program. The program named EUMED-Heritage, which allows the preservation of archaeological and other objects of value is directed at the Mediterranean coasts opposite Europe, which is reminscent of earlier historical ties of the Mediterranean basin, and geopolitically wise. But, why is it seemingly unthinkable to some, that European states, regions or communities do not need the same kind of help?