Expanding Lake Ohrid UNESCO WHS

Project title

Towards strengthened governance of the shared trans-boundary natural and cultural heritage of the Lake Ohrid Region UNESCO WHS – Albania/North Macedonia

Where

Albania & North Macedonia

When

2014-2016

Project aim

The project was designed to address the expansion of the mixed natural and cultural heritage around Lake Ohrid region shared between Albania and North Macedonia. It strengthened trans-boundary cooperaion over the region’s cultural and natural heritage, helping recognize and profile the trans-boundary area by asesessing its values and sustainable development opportunies. Further objectives included the improving of capacies for the effecive and integrated management of the site, along with cross-sectorial cooperaion and enhanced public participaion. The project played a significant role in supporting the process of extension of the World Heritage property “Natural & Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region” in Albania – to become a mixed and transboundary property.

Who we worked with

Jonathan Karkut (ICOMOS UK), worked with UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Government of Albania (Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Environment); Government of North Macedonia (Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Environment); IUCN; ICCROM

What we did

We were involved in profiling of the trans-boundary area and its sustainable tourism opportunities (particularly cultural tourism). We further contributed towards technical assistance for the preparation of the extension file of the World Heritage site. Our services were set within a complex framework where EU pre-accession policy actions, are placed alongside further conservation and sustainability directives that operate around a world heritage property. Furthermore, the project is set in a trans-boundary geographical and political locality – this requires a sensitive approach with methods specifically tailored and informed to adapt to sometimes differing policy directions of two national states

Results

For the project we,

a) Delivered a comprehensive sustainable cultural tourism plan

b) Provided technical assistance for the preparation of the extension file of the existing World Heritage Site

c) Aided capacity building on management effectiveness and trans-boundary cooperation