Annual Event June in Sigulda, LATVIA Annual Event June in Sigulda, LATVIA Estonia–Latvia–Russia Cross Border Cooperation Programme within European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument March 2013, Valga

Annual Event 2 «Enjoy Hansa Route through Latvia, Estonia and Russia!» Focused on tourism (new tourism routes, active and sports tourism, nature tourism, exploration of national cuisines) development in the Programme area.

Background information - Programme 3 Measure tourism development (within the Priority I - socio-economic development) Projects – 8 Projects in total (7 1st Call +1 LSP) Programme financing - ~ 16,4 million euro ! No Projects supported within the 2nd Call for Proposals and no amendments for LSP-6 in 2013.

Background information – Hansa Route – network of merchants to held the power and control over trade and markets related to the Baltic Sea (Hanseatic Cities with Ports – Riga, Tallinn (Revel), Tartu (Dorpat) and Pskov (Pleskau); cities with Hansa communities – Valka (Walk), Cesis (Venden), Valmiera (Wolmar), Limbazi (Lemsal), Viljandi (Fellin) and Narva. In addition from the Russian side – Ivangorod. Later – League of Hanseatic Cities Modern Hansa Cultural Route is reviving the League of Hanseatic Cities and in 2004 was certified as a major Cultural Route by the Council of Europe (From the Study – “This type of tourism builds on the uniqueness and authenticity of remote destinations, local knowledge, skills, heritage and traditions”; “It is strongly recommended to develop a new coherent road map for co-operation between the Council of Europe Cultural Routes, other European routes created with European Union funds, with related UNESCO initiatives, especially those associated with the Council’s Cultural Routes, and other significant European and internationall projects in order to establish a competitive and effective joint strategy for the promotion of “European Cultural Routes”1 globally. )

Background information – Via Hanseatica 6 Via Hanseatica – transport Corridor 1A of the Pan- European Transport Network (Programme territory covers its Northern part – from Riga via Sigulda, Cesis, Valmiera, Valka, Tartu, Narva, Ivangorod to St.Petersburg) Via Hanseatica - Project 113 with 18 partners from Latvia, Estonia and Russia, Vidzeme Planning region (Latvia) is the Beneficiary; total budget of 1,8 million euro Via Hanseatica Tourism Route – tourism product developed by Via Hanseatica Project «Via Hanseatica can have a sucess story of the Skype»

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Background information – Projects - Measure Via Hanseatica (113); Enjoy Latvia, Estonia and Russia (224), SVS Activetour (112) – trilateral projects along the Via Hanseatica in Latvia, Estonia and Russia EstFortTour-2 (103), River Promenades – 2 (015), Narva – Ivangorod (LSP-6) - bilateral projects, including the LSP; all in the border area of Narva (EST) and Ivangorod (RUS) – attractive tourism destination within Via Hanseatica Tourism Route. Exploring the narrow gauge railway (142)– bilateral project – Turi (EST) and St.Petersburg (RUS) - St.Petersburg is Via Hanseatica most Nordic destination. Tour de Latgale and Pskov Oblast (129) – bilateral project – Latgale (LAT) and Pskov Oblast (RUS) – Pskov is Hanseatic Port city

9 Objectives Introduce Programme’s support to socio-economic development via tourism development in entire Programme territory Promote and present clustered tourism projects Promote and introduce synergies among Hansa Cultural and Via Hanseatica Tourism Routes and their unique relation with Programmes territory Introduce synergies among Projects and their results in a thematic study «Via Hanseatica – is it a new Skype?» Provide a platform for making future decisions in the field of tourism in Estonia, Latvia and Russia; Provide opportunities to link this platform with other socio- economic development activities suported by the Programme and make follow-up in the future; Simulate Via Hanseatica Tourism Route (Exhibition of Projects along the artificial VH Route) in the environment of nature and introduce with national cuisines and music of Latvia, Estonia and Russia along the Route.

10 Capitalisation excersise Preparations: Questionnaire filled in by Projects (to be prepared; also for the needs of the seminar in the second half of March) Seminar – Capitalisation and Communication – for Projects Thematic Study “Via Hanseatica – is it a new Skype?” - by the expert/moderator (compilation of the questionnaires, ROM materials, result oriented Project analyses, project Protfolios, comprehensive study of the Council of Europe etc.) During the Event: Round Table/ Panel Discussion at the Annual Event – led by the moderator Map of the Programme territory with outputs of Tourism Projects USB with capitalised outputs within the Measure 1.3. (documents of the Event, studies, map etc.)

11 Target Groups Public and private players in the field of tourism from Estonia, Latvia and Russia (Tourism Associations, Educational Institutions, NGOs, State Agencies etc.) Programme stakeholders and decision makers Municipalities Beneficiaries Wider public Media

12 Agenda – 10 June PART I – 10:30 gathering / Opening 11:00 (possibly with following Press Briefing) and Pannel Discussion with thematic lectures and several presentations of Hansa Cultural Route, Via Hanseatica Tourism Route, capitalised results in a single study - in the Conference Hall (indoor activity for ~ 6 hours) PART II – Project Site Visits in Sigulda and around Sigulda (112, 113 and 156; ~ 2 hours) PART III – OPEN-AIR DINNER – for networking and partnership streghtening opportunity – at 19:00

13 Agenda – 11 June PART I – 9:30 gathering/ 10:00 - opening of the simulated Via Hanseatica Tourism Route (Projects participate and are organized in the Exhibition, but in physical order of VH from Riga to SPB – possibility to visit VH Tourism Route in one place); Via Hanseatica Route is active – supported by national cuisines and music – open to wide public/ outdoor activity in the Ruins of the Old Castle of Sigulda/ ALL PROJECTS INVOLVED PART II – Petanque Competition with involvement of NA, RNA, JTS and Projects Teams and conducted by the Latvian Sports Federation of Petanque (tbc) PART III – awards in different categories and closing BBQ at around 13:00 (awards to the Projects that finished – 224; 146 and 129)

14 Involvement of the Projects – PART I – :30 gathering/ installing the exhibition: - tourism projects on the Hansa and VH Routes -other projects all around the territory inside the Sigulda Castle of Livonian Order -Stands for the exhibition – from tourism exhibitions, info tables with project stands behind, other attractive stands, interactive involvement of visitors -From 10:00 - ~14:00 -Guided tours every 30 minutes - guides or VH staff? PART II – Petanque Competition with involvement of NA, RNA, JTS and Projects Teams and conducted by the Latvian Sports Federation of Petanque (tbc) PART III – awards in different categories and closing BBQ at around 13:00

15 Involvement of the Projects – March and April Preparations: - Qestionnaire - submit information about participation to JTS (expecially all Tourism Projects, partners of Via Hanseatica) - possibilities to exhibit and present the project - information about small investments - naming place, country, object and its location - expecially for the Tourism Project Map of the Programme - naming new Tourism Routes and new Objects, that are developed or going to be developed till the end of the Project

16 Looking forwards to close cooperation!