• +40 724 000 351
  • contact@albaeglesia.org
  • Viscri 36, Brașov, România
World Heritage Volunteers Viscri Action Camp 2024 – Summary of activities

World Heritage Volunteers Viscri Action Camp 2024 – Summary of activities

 

The UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Viscri Action Camp 2024, that took place between 16th and 30th of September, has come to an end. The Action Camp was organised under the frame of the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative, part of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Education Programme. 

First interactions with the children at the Educational Centre from Viscri
At the beginning of the first week of the camp, the young volunteers went to the Educational Centre in Viscri and met several children from the village and learned about the centre and the activities that the children do with the local instructor and instructors from outside the village. The children enjoyed meeting the new volunteers who came to work with them.

Exploring the village with the children 
The volunteers explored trails in the village with the children on their bicycles. Through these trails, the volunteers got to know the most important locations within the village and less known, but equally beautiful locations. The volunteers were able to get close to the children of the village, talk to them and find out what they think about living in a UNESCO site. These trails also helped the volunteers to identify potential resources that could be used in non-formal heritage education activities.

Heritage education workshop 
Volunteers and children from the village participated in the heritage education workshop run by Pro Patrimonio Foundation as part of the Heritage Caravan 2024. At the workshop, the foundation’s trainers introduced the children and volunteers to what heritage education means, the value of inherited heritage and did creative exercises to rediscover this traditional Saxon village. The volunteers were given information on how to perform various exercises and games to attract the younger generation to learn and appreciate the cultural and natural heritage of a place.

Hiking and cycling trails around the village 
Volunteers walked the hiking and cycling trails around the village to see the condition of the indicators for orientation and to take stock of new materials needed to improve them. Through this activity, the volunteers were able to discover some of the natural heritage of the village and how visitors and tourists can be attracted to follow these trails.

Preparation and placement of village indicators and mounting pillars 
Volunteers went to a farm in the village to prepare the indicators, wooden posts and arrows to be placed at the entrance to the main village road and on the footpaths leading into the village and mounting pillars for the signs and map posts. The volunteers were assisted in their preparation by 2 local people.

They then discussed, together with a local camp coordinator, the best locations to put them up so that visitors and tourists get to where they need to be. After preparing and finishing the indicators and mounting pillars, the volunteers went to the agreed locations to put them up, where they received help from the same 2 locals to handle some of the heavier machinery. The volunteers installed 20 mounting pillars.

Defining a sightseeing tour for visitors and tourists coming to Viscri 
At the end of the second week of the camp, after getting to know the whole village better, the volunteers provided their ideas for a sightseeing tour for visitors and tourists. This tour will consist of both the most frequently visited places in the village and also places that are less known but have a lot of potential.

The tour will be designed to inform people who come to Viscri and encourage them to practise sustainable tourism where respect for the local community is complemented by the joy of a successful vacation.

 


In addition to these activities, this year’s volunteers also participated in activities organised by the Pro Patrimonio Foundation. Over the course of 2 days, on the weekend of September 21-22, 2024, young volunteers took part in games, two cultural and sports races, culinary competition and outdoor movie night, prepared by the foundation for the local children.


 

Last, but not least, some beautiful memories of the Action Camp……………… 

 

 

***********
The Viscri Action Camp 2024 was organised by the Alba Eglesia Foundation in partnership with the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation, Cultural Association “Heritage for the Future” and Viscri Informal Council. The project was supported by the Romanian National Commission to UNESCO (CNR UNESCO), which we would like to thank.