NETWORLD Partners’ Meeting and International Conference

Close to the end of the second year of implementation of the DTP INTERREG project NETWORLD “Networking in preserving the First World War multicultural heritage in the Danube countries" all project partners met in Veszprem, Hungary to review the implemented activities and to coordinate the efforts towards successful completion of the final 6-months project period. The partnership was hosted by Vesprem Municipality. The 5th Partners’ Meeting started on 29.11.2018 with a session in which each coordinator of a work package presented the project achievements and results. The accomplished activities in the 4th project period were quite impressive: production and dissemination of a multinational project brochure “World War One sites in the Danube Region”, a guidance of Walk of Peace Brand book, and national languages publications; organization of exhibitions to commemorate 100 years of the First World War (WWI), international conferences, workshops, educational events; creation and tasting of an application for a smartphone; events for popularizing the Walk of Peace brand, production and distribution of general promotional and educational materials; renovation of WWI monuments and sites, and many others.

The International Conference “Cultural Heritage as a Historical, Touristic and Route Development Tool” was held on the second day after the NETWORLD Partners’ Meeting. It was hosted by the Municipality of Veszprem Town and included presentations of prominent historians,tourism experts, youth and museologists from Hungary and also from Belgium and Slovenia on WWI cultural heritage. The conference’s accompanying program included a historical walk to WWI memorial sites in Veszprem City Center with a visit to the Lower Town Cemetery (World War Graves and the Monument of Veszprém Infantry Regiment No.31 at Vörösmarty square) as well to the WWI Dezső Laczkó Museum exhibition opening ceremony in the Hangvilla Multifunctional Community Space, opened until 14th of December 2018.
 

During the whole week the audience had an opportunity to experience the Mission of Peace Escape Game. The game was developed and installed up by PP5 Cultural LAB Social Cooperative from Pécs, Hungary.

Mission of Peace Escape Room

The Escape Game was developed as part of the NETWORLD project activities. The premiere of the game held in Zadar, Croatia to remind of the First World War with special emphasis on youth education and contribution to the development of the cultural tourism.
 

The “Escape room” was visited in 5 days by 285 players only in Zadar. The attendance was above expected, so the “Escape room”, although open 12 hours a day, could not accommodate all interested people.
 

After departing from Croatia, the “Escape Game” continued to Nova Gorica in Slovenia, where more than 300 people visited it and to Veszprem in Hungary and in Decembre was presented in Košice, Slovakia. We will try to present escape room in the other NETWORLD project partners’ locations, including during the final meeting and NETWORLD general promotional conference, to be held in June, 2019 in Bulgaria.
 

The "Mission of Peace Escape Game" is an unusual commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
 

Through the example of today's popular free-time games, it introduces the horrors of war through a personal experience. Creating a historical authenticity, a realistic environment, a shocking story about the different memories is equally important to us. The game’s developers dreamed of an interactive exhibition where there is no need for knowledge, but through play, human-oriented, revealing a personal story to a sensual experience for visitors.
 

We consider it is important to point out the horrors of war because today wars are far from us and we often find it hard to get into the experiences of those who live or escape from there. The world is still full of tensions that can easily lead us to a new war, but perhaps we can do it by remembering it. During the investigation, various skill tasks and puzzles need to be solved, which is why there is a great need for co-operation between the participating team. Various sounds and video effects enhance the experience.
 

This exhibition can be delivered in a trailer and installed at various outdoor venues.
 

National conferences on WWI

National scientific conference "The First World War of the Balkans, disruption on the battlefield at Dobro Pole and the occasions in 1918" held at the Palace of Culture in Pernik. Ms. Ivelina Romanova - Public Relations Manager at the Regional Museum of History - Dobrich participated in the conference and presented “NETWORLD project as an opportunity to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the First World War".
 

The conference was under the patronage of Mr. Krasimir Karakachanov - President of the National Committee for celebration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War and Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria. The conference was realized with the support of the Institute for Historical Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Macedonian Institute of Science and the Regional Museum of History in Pernik.
 

National Scientific Conference "Dobrudzha at the end of the First World War", Bulgaria

The national scientific conference "Dobrudzha at the end of the First World War" was organized on 13 and 14 November 2018 in the town of Dobrich from the Dobrich Regional Museum of History with the assistance of the Municipality of Dobrich, the Dobrich Regional Administration, the Dobrudzha Research Institute and the National Committee for the 100th anniversary of the First World War and the participation of Bulgaria in it. The conference was part of the NETWORLD project activities, funded under the Danube Transnational Program 2014-2020.
 

The interest in the scientific forum was great. There were 26 scientists from the Institute for Historical Research – Bulgarian Academy of Science, Ministry of Defense, Military Academy "Rakovski", lecturers from the Shumen, Sofia and Veliko Turnovo universities, the historical museums in Razgrad, Silistra, Dobrich, Tutrakan, Targovishte, Pernik and Oryahovo, Dobrich District Court, State Archive - Varna, Regional Cluster" NorthEast ". Within the audience of the conference were also students from Geo Milev Language School and the private high school "Rayko Tsonchev".

Each conference participant received a program and a folder with promotional materials, including the brochure “World War One sites in the Danube Region”, published under the NETWORLD project, the Dobrudzha album related to the wars for national unification and the jubilee newspaper of the Dobrich museum. The scientific papers will be printed in a NETWORLD book.

Traveling seminar on the Kubadin Fortress in North Dobrudzha, Bulgaria

As a side program to the national scientific conference „Dobrudzha at the end of the First World War“, a traveling seminar on the Kubadin Fortress in North Dobrudzha was carried out on November 14, 2018 by Dobrich Regional Museum of History with a visit to the Mircea Mit Bultron International Military Cemetery near the village of Mircea Voda, a Bulgarian military monument in the village of Murfatlar and a Naval Museum in Constanta, Romania.

The seminar was attended by 40 people. In addition to the main visits’ points, the group also looked at Constanta‘s outdoor attractions.
 

Exhibitions on the First World War

Varna Economic Development Agency from Bulgaria created the exhibition „Maritime Education and the First World War” under the NETWORLD project with the support of Danube Transnational Programme. In cooperation with Varna Naval Club, the Bulgarian partner presented this exhibition to the citizens and guests of Varna on the Day of the Bulgarian Enlighteners. The exhibition‘s opening started with a concert of singing groups and choirs of members of the Union of Officers and Sergeants from the Stock in Varna.

The traveling exhibition Dobrudzha in the Years of the First World War 1916 – 1918, Bulgaria

One of the NETWORLD activities of the Regional Museum of History - Dobrich was the organization of the traveling exhibition „Dobrudzha in the Years of the First World War 1916 - 1918“, whose tour passed through the Military Clubs in Varna, Veliko Tarnovo and Rousse and ended in Dobrich on 13 November, 2018. The exhibition was displayed at Dobrich Regional Administration Office and presented by the District Governor Mr. Krassimir Kirilov to the local community.
 

On the trail of conflicts. From the Stone Age to the end of the First World War, Austria

The Austria‘s NETWORLD project partner Danube University Krems carried out cooperation with the MAMUZ museum Asparn/Zaya in Lower Austria in 2018. The MAMUZ museum prepared a special exhibition „On the trail of conflicts. From the Stone Age to the end of the First World War“ that focused on the archaeological remnants of the First World War and raised the question of handling, preserving and communicating this kind of heritage.
 

While the curators exhibited objects from Austria and Slovenia, the exhibition also presented Austrian, Italian, Slovene and Swiss institutions and initiatives that are engaged in the preservation of the heritage of the First World War and how to use it for educational activities.

The publishing of the exhibition documentation was enabled by NETWORLD.
 

There had been organized a side-event that was linked with the exhibition. Different experts gave lectures on several aspects of conflict archaeology and Julia Walleczek-Fritz from Danube University Krems presented NETWORLD project as well as how to deal with contested heritage.
 

New Touristic Мap: Cultural Heritage of the First World War in Dobrudzhan

The Regional Historical Museum – Dobrich, in cooperation with Varna Economic Development Agency issued a new publication – a guide with a map of a tourist route to 14 monuments and memorial sites, commemorated to the heroism of Bulgarian soldiers during the First World War in Northern Bulgaria, in particular Dobrudzha.
 

The contents of the brochure were created with the support of Mr. Radoslav Simeonov – Chief Expert at the Ministry of Defense, Bulgaria.
 

The Blacksmith Symposium / Ending conflics - Forging links

The Blacksmith Symposium is planned as a final cultural-educational event within the NETWORLD project. The event‘s aim is to show visitors and especially apprentice artisans in a very practical way how craft workers can be involved in preserving and commemorating historic events and help bring this to the attention of a wider audience through cultural activities and creation of monuments.
 

In addition, 2019 is the 30th anniversary of the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall. The Town of Nove Hrady and the Society are cooperating to host several cultural and educational events commemorating this. The blacksmith symposium will be linked to these commemorations as well.
 

Organizers and contact:
Rozmberk Society – Mr.Robert Dulfer
Email: dulfer@rozmberk.org 
Tel..: +420 74 132
 

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