Good practice:

Fortengordels: cooperation of fortresses around Antwerp, one of the largest fortress belts in Europe

Fortengordels is a network of the fortresses around Antwerp, also better known as the Fortress Belt (inner and outer circle) built between 1859 and 1914. These military structures show the strategic importance of Antwerp as ‘a National Reduit’ (last refuge for national government and armed forces)
Fortengordels is a unique platform bringing together various instruments: (1) management and development of general vision (among Framework plan) in development of the fortresses with translation to actions / projects in the field such as touristic gates, restoration … (2) Way of communication: common corporate identity / branding, website and facebook (3) Touristic: design of touristic gates, touristic routes, organisation annual event in May with circa 10.000 visitors (4) Way for funding: Flemish funding as a strategic project, EU funding: for example Interreg FLGP, AT-FORT …
Fortengordels is a common participative approach – giving a tool in cooperation on all levels and bringing together the many different actors involved in this special heritage: dozens of private owners, managers, municipalities, associations and volunteers. – led by the Province of Antwerp as director and the driving force in the period between 2009 and 2018 (phase 1).
In the current situation (phase 2) the Province has no longer an active role in the cooperation and coordination has been transferred to the Fortress Community with the ambition to grow into an organized structure (in four years time).

FG has grown from Flemish and European funding – resulting in good management for 10 years (€ 480.000) , with a delivery of a common policy plan (€ 170.000), design and building of three touristic gates (€ 240.000) and organisation of the annual event (€ 30-40.000 per year)

- a good cross-border partnership bringing together all public and private stakeholders around fortresses
- a good management using common branding in communication and developing common touristic products such as website, brochures, annual event, common design for furniture and infopanels
- grown from Flemish and European funding resulting in 10 years good management > until 2019
- succesfull annual event (spring, May) reaching 10.000 visitors/year in the Fortresses around Antwerp

The Province of Antwerp (board) has decided to end the management and the cooperation of Fortengordels (end 2018). In the current situation the coordination has been transferred to the Fortress Comunity and they are in need of good organisation and also financing system (membership of fortress)

- Fortengordels is a performant organisation and communication structure as an important network on regional scale in the past ten years with proven results on coordination, management and financing of projects. Currently the Fortress Comunity is investigating how Fortengordels can contribute and continue in a sustainable regional cooperation. The Regional Landscapes (as RFC project author an partner) are part of this Fortress Community. This research on good practices will help to look for answers and as first result a 2-day Peer Review will be held in November 2021 so peers will help us how the Fortengordels cooperation and coordination can continue.
- Fortengordels shows a good project implementation of a global fortress vision and translation on local scale with good examples of structure plans, masterplans and designs for public spaces and touristic gates in and around the fortresses as a global and common branding in the region