Fifteen representatives of non-profit organizations and public administration, regional development experts, university lecturers and spatial planning specialists gathered on 22 and 23 March 2019 in Tutrakan to discuss the Local development strategy for the fishermen community in Silistra-Calarasi region.

The forum session was led by Zdravko Sechkov, Executive Director of FLGR Consult, the contractor of the assignment. In the beginning, he presented the analysis of the development opportunities and threats ( SWOT analysis) to the cultural and historical heritage of the fishermen communities. Then he highlighted the proposed priorities and measures for its preservation and use for economic development. After that the floor was given to the participants, who not only discussed them but suggested concrete legislative changes and regional practices to facilitate the preservation and exposure of the cultural heritage.

During the second part of the event, they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the attractive tourist sites of the tangible and intangible heritage of the fishermen community in Tutrakan. Inspired by them, the participants presented their proposals for tourism development in Silistra. Their design ideas include: advertising the Silistra-Calarasi region as part of the Danube Cultural Route, creating new regulated accommodation and eating places along the Danube around the two cities that are close to the river and nature, reviving the joint sports and cultural initiatives dedicated to the river, etc.

These creative ideas and project proposals will be included as part of the Local Strategy for Development of the Silistra-Calarasi Fishing Community.

This public discussion was the first of a series of five forums dedicated to joint development strategies in 10 fishermen communities in the cross-border region Romania – Bulgaria, set up under the Project “MemoFish. Memory and Future. Stories about Danube Civilization “, implemented by the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the Parallel-Silistra Association, the Regional Museum of History in Rousse, the Acess Association – Calarasi and the Local Initiative Fishermen Group” Dunarii Calarasheana ” . The project is co-funded by the INTERREG VA Romania – Bulgaria program.