The first Serbian local capacity building workshop on the topic of "Roman cultural heritage as a driver for tourism and local/regional development" was successfully organised by the Regional Agency for Development and European Integration Belgrade on Monday, January 17, 2022.

Representatives of the cultural, tourist and non-governmental sector gathered in the Roman Hall of the Belgrade City Library, on the foundations of the ancient Singidunum, to discuss the promotion and preservation of Roman cultural heritage. Part of the participants joined the workshop online.

At the very beginning of the workshop, Marija Janjić, ISTER project manager for Serbia, presented the ISTER project and the results achieved during the first year of this international project and activities that will be implemented in the coming period.

In the continuation of the workshop, the tourist potentials and possibilities of the Danube region in Serbia were discussed, especially in cultural tourism. Rafael Pupovac from the Regional Agency for Development and European Integration Belgrade introduced to participants the socio-economic trends in the field of tourism in Serbia concerning the impact of the COVID pandemic and future trends arising from it. Local examples of good practices in the field of protection and promotion of Roman cultural heritage were presented, as well as opportunities and possibilities that are the future of cultural heritage on the territory of Serbia and the entire Danube region.

A significant part of the ISTER route passes through Serbia and follows the course of the Danube, better known in the Roman period as the river ISTER. Archaeologist Rade Milić from the Urban Development Center participated in the first Serbian local capacity building workshop 2000 years back on tour along this part of the future ISTER route.

From refreshments in the Roman baths of Bononia or today's Banoštor, through a visit to the military fortress Taurunum-Zemun and shopping in the municipal Singidunum-Belgrade, traveller continues his trip to Viminacium, one of the most important centres of the Moesia province, and to Trajan's Bridge in the heart of the Đerdap gorge, whose remains even today evidence about the mighty Roman empire.

With the development of the ISTER GIS Atlas and mobile application, this eco-cultural route will become available to everyone in the coming period. We hope that will lead some new travellers in the Roman footsteps. Follow us for more information!