SWARE: the successes achieved by September 2019

The first year of Action Plan implementation comes to the end.

Two partner regions (ZH & MCM) have already reported policy change influence. All partner regions have started the implementation of one or more of their defined actions.

All partners have kept their stakeholders involved in some way – through bilateral meetings, SIG meetings or other events.

The successes highlighted by each region

Tipperary County Council (Ireland)

Two grant aids have been received for projects related to the implementation of the Green and Blue infrastructure Masterplan Roadmap for Tipperary Waterways.
Communal Art Project along the river was undertaken as part of the River Suir Blueway enhancement. This engaged the local community and highlighted local biodiversity.
Green and blue infrastructure principles will be integrated into Tipperary County Development Plan regarding policy and land use planning/zoning

Metropolitan City of Milan (MCM), Italy

Ecomuseum Martesana has developed Map of Community “The Places of Soul”. It is a personalized map about the identity of the territory as a first step to give “a soul” to the places. The map is at disposal on paper as well as on digital basis available for citizens and institutions.
Furthermore, a touristic track of 19 cultural signposts in the urban area along the Naviglio Martesana has been realized by the MCM.
The reprehension of the project “The Road of Abbeys” is going to be included in the next 3-year Strategical Plan of MCM (2019-2021). Archdiocese of Milan is cooperating in the networking with the religious and secular institution managing the Abbeys and their cultural activities. This project constitutes an indispensable opportunity for the relaunch of a sustainable territorial development so that this cultural-religious itinerary can be certified and “networked” with the national CAMMINI OF ITALY circuit.

Several other of their actions are on the agenda for the nearest future.

The EGTC Pons-Danubii (PD), Slovakia/Hungary

PD has a very good synergy between their other projects regarding tourism and infrastructure. Continued stakeholder meetings are organized in relation with those projects.
Several actions are being implemented or in progress. One of the 9 thematic parks (within the framework of the project Cultplay) was established.

Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR), Latvia

VPR has made progress on several of their defined actions within their Regional Action Plan and have involved new interested parties in the SWARE stakeholder group.
Also, VPR has made a change in another Policy Instrument (Vidzeme Culture Programme which provides support to projects in the culture field) by including a new supported priority – “Involving society in a joint and sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage” – to promote inclusion of natural and cultural heritage as an integral unity in the cultural events and products. 24 of 57 supported projects in 2019 were under this new priority.
VPR also initiated a local action group to integrate a new priority axis that is focused on improving access to natural and cultural objects.

Province of Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands

In Zuid-Holland there has been made progress with the actions in the Regional Action Plan. The ambition map tool is already online, filled with all ambitions on water in the region. Three priority areas have been identified in Zuid-Holland where there is energy and the feasibility to achieve the regional goals. It will be explored which cooperation can be most promising per region.
In general, there is a lot of enthusiasm in Zuid-Holland and waterrecreation is getting more and more important for both businesses attraction to Zuid-Holland and improvement of living conditions for locals.