On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, the Opening Conference of the LDI02024 Gemera Recovery Centers project took place.
About 60 experts and activists gathered in the Zlatý Býk Hotel in Rimavská Sobota. The organization Obnovme Gemer, which is the main partner of the "Centres of Renewal in Gemer" project, has officially launched the next phase, the aim of which is to spread good experiences within the region and create space for dialogue between local communities and experts in the field of regional development.
Photo: Opening Conference in Hotel Zlatý Býk
The representatives of the Norwegian Crafts Institute (Norsk Handverksinstittut), who are partners of the "Centres of Renewal in Gemer" project, also accepted an invitation to the event. The director of the institute, Eivind Falk, emphasized the importance of preserving and restoring traditional crafts in the region not only from the point of view of cultural values, but also the overall development of communities.
Photo: Power Point Presentation by Eivind Falk
The conference also included two panels. The first panel entitled "Protection of cultural heritage in Gemer" was led by experts in this topic - the newly elected director of the Monuments Office Pavol Ižvolt, founder of the civic association Gotická cesta, Dávid Raška and the mayor of Fiľakovo Attila Agócs.
Photo: Panel no.1: "Protection of cultural heritage in Gemer (Ábel Ravasz, Attila Agócs, Dávid Raška, Pavol Ižvolt)
The second panel entitled "Active participation of Roma communities" was focused on specific experiences from the Gemer region, in the interpretation of the mayor of Radnovce, Aladár Bari, former member of the Parliament Štefan Vavrek and analyst of the Matej Bel Institute, Juraj Kuruc. All panelists agreed that active Roma communities bring variety and a positive effect to the region as well as to society itself.
Photo: Štefan Vavrek and Juraj Kuruc
Obnovme Gemer has created two new centres through the project "Centres of Renewal in Gemer" in Bátka and in Plešivec. Complementary activities of the project are: a community center in Plešivec and an after-school educational facility for children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in Radnovce.
Photo: Mayor of Radnovce, Aladár Bari
Project LDI02024 Centres of Renewal in Gemer is supported by Norway through the Norway Grants. Co-financed by the State Budget of the Slovak Republic.