The rich past - the promising future

Final conference on Belarusian-Swedish-Latvian project “Panorama Dvina Daugava” took place in Vitebsk on October, 19-20 within the framework of the tourism week. As we promised in previous issue, today we will tell in details about the results achieved during the project and about opportunities of the further cooperation between Belarus, Latvia and Sweden.

Panorama Dvina Daugava project has been started in December 2005 being initiated by SIDA - Swedish International Cooperation and Development Agency. The River became its main character as a tool united representatives of authority and enterprises, NGOs and privates from island of Gotland (Sweden) and from the cities of Daugavpils (Latvia), Polotsk, Vitebsk, Disna (Belarus). W.Churchill’s quate became the project motto - Possible we do immediately, impossible take a bit longer time.

During four years each participant made his own impact into the process of uniting of our nations, studying of joint history and culture of three countries, as well as tourism development economic relations expansion.

The site about the Panorama project  www.panoramadvinadaugava.info  in Russian and English languages has initially been created.

In consciousness of many Swedes Belarus has appeared in the beginning of 1990s as from nowhere, for them it was just a white spot on the European map. Famtrip for Scandinavian mass-media representatives and tour operators across the project area changed the situation. As a result of the trip, professional tourist magazines and the leading Swedish newspapers published the number of positive reports on Belarus, and the Scandinavian tour operators began to develop tourist routes which would include the seen region. “White spot” started getting its colors.

The largest Scandinavian tourist fair TUR in Geteborg, Sweden "warmed up" the interest to the region. In the year 2007 Belarus was introduced the first time there after 24 years. The TUR fair included the training course on tourism. As a result of studying the experience of the association “Geteborg & Co” half-year later the information consulting association “Vitebsk & Co” was established as a unifying tool for everyone who thirsts to promote their favorite city worldwide.

Here, at tourist exhibition-fair the paint “River Tells the Story” was created. Young artists from Belarus, Latvia and Sweden drew it directly on eyes of visitors during an exhibition. This enormous paint (10х2 meters) subsequently became the project’s symbol. The creation of the children from three countries has decorated external walls of the mobile museum River Bus which plied on cities and villages and acquainted their inhabitants with a cultural heritage of Belarus, Latvia and Sweden, our joint history, landscapes and sightseeing of the three countries. A mobile exposition of the River Bus was visited by about 15 000 persons, some left their proposals and ideas in special mail box in the bus. Due to the River Bus we found “the hidden gems” of the region were discovered, later on they were presented at the international conference in Daugavpils (Latvia) in May, 2007. It was the background of the tourist map of Hidden Gems where 51 objects from Sweden, Latvia and Belarus were designated along the water trade way “from Varangians to the Greeks”.

One year later the international scientific practical conference “From Varangians to the Greeks: historical and cultural transit through Belarus. Traditions and perspectives” took place in Polotsk. Representatives from governmental, scientific, tourist and public organizations of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Sweden and Germany discussed the perspectives of creation of the international tourist route “From Varangians to the Greeks”. Creation of this route was supported also by the World tourist organization (WTO) and UNESCO. And now in the various countries they implement the ideas which have been announced at Polotsk conference. The Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Belarus has declared that the years of 2010-2011 will be devoted to a way “from Varangians to the Greeks”.

The next step in the relations between Belarus and Sweden was signing the Cooperation Agreement on June 2, 2008 between the Swedish county of Gotland and Vitebsk.

Results of the project in Disna the smallest town in Belarus are especially felt. During the years of the project interest concerning that town has grown considerably. Many wish to visit Disna as tourists and some decided to move there due to improved economy of the town.

Another result of the project - National Polotsk historical and cultural museum-reserve introduced the museum card providing the access to all 11 museums of Polotsk. It costs twice cheaper than the entrance tickets to all museums separately, and it’s valid during the sixth month period or year. Term of the museum card validity, number of possible visits and the price is put down at sale. Besides to the ticket the set of information leaflets on museums of Polotsk is applied.

Within the framework of the project the excavations were undertaken on the Swedish island of Gotland, in Polotsk, Disna and Dinaburg fortress – the ancient location of the modern Latvian city of Daugavpils. Certainly, the main purpose of the excavations was search of Vikings traces. And it was found: jewelry, household things, crosses, Arabian dirhamas, ceramics shreds and other objects dated with Varangians times.

In order to attract of attention of the wide public to region Daugavpils project coordinators have chosen the name of Mark Rothko, the native of this city and the father of expressionism. The symbol of Vitebsk is Marc Chagall who was born here. The new web-site “Two cities - two artists” created within the framework of the project tells about two Marks and their native cities connected by Dvina – Daugava. And two movies continue the story, which are supposed to be sold in museums and tourist information offices not only in project region but also beyond.

During the four years of the project the big number of joint actions was organized: festivals, exhibitions, open-airs, seminars and meetings on service, hotel and restaurant management, museum business, tourism, destination development, questions of simplification of border crossing, environment, female business and work with children with special needs.

The project helped to find mutual understanding between businesses, educational institutions, culture and tourism organizations, administrations of regions and NGOs.

Perhaps, just one idea did not carried out during the project - direct air flight Vitebsk - Gotland with the price level affordable to middle income tourists. But according to the project motto it would require a bit more time. Even more, tourist organizations and the air carriers are interested in it.

It was stated by Arne Ellefors – director of the Culture Tourism Institute (Sweden) that in the beginning of the Panorama Dvina Daugava project it was a dream to increase the number of tourists to the region at least by 10 %. Now the official statistics says that during four years the level of tourism in Daugavpils has grown on 30 %, in Vitebsk - on 40 %.

Recently the travel agency being represented at Famtrip has brought the first group of the 47 Swedish tourists. Their biggest impression from trip was meeting the Byelorussians. The coming visit to Belarus next year is on the preparation process.

Some Swedish tour operators actively advertise Belarus, one Latvian company organizes journeys in the project regions. 44 West-European bus companies develop the special offers including Panorama territories …

There is only a small problem for Byelorussians wishing to have week-end travel to Latvia or Sweden. The cost for the Schengen visa for citizens of Belarus is still EUR 60. I believe this amount will be decreased for sure. Its again would require a bit more time.

Anders Granat, the governor of Gotland County, denoted that “the main purpose of the project is a search of points of crossing between our countries in as many spheres as possible”.

“When the project just started there were no contacts at all. And now we have about 40 parallel projects between Vitebsk and Daugavpils” – told Lennart Edlund, the Head of Gotland International Affairs. - I see there is a lot of potential for continuation of cooperation.
Hundreds or even thousands of meetings took place during the years of the project. Contacts are established between children art schools and secondary schools of three countries, also between the recreation pedagogues working with children with special needs.

- During the project new ideas which enable to work together further were born, - noted Janina Jalinska the chairperson of Daugavpils district.

Cooperation between Belarus, Latvia and Sweden within the Panorama Dvina Daugava project proved the positive results and the sides are going to continue. Administrations of Vitebsk, Daugavpils (Latvia) and Gotland County (Sweden) on October, 19 have signed the agreement on development of trans-border exchange consider to be the project continuation.

“The joint agreement on development of mutual trans-border exchange is mutually beneficial for regions and its inhabitants; will promote cooperation in spheres of trade and business, culture and education, tourism, social affairs, environment protection and energy-efficiency, cultural heritage preservations”, - is mentioned in the signed agreement.

The project has given a push to the new ideas on energy saving projects, environment and female business development. Within the project years agreements between the businesses companies and concerned organizations in Belarus, Latvia and Sweden have been signed. And the agreement signed in Vitebsk at higher level will promote the development of such relations.

The vice-president of Vitebsk City Executive Committee горисполкома Leonid Kovaljov has reminded, that “for people who want to construct the worthy future the best reference book is a historical past”. As he said, “the signed agreement will inhale a new life in relations between Belarus, Latvia and Sweden and will make their more dynamical and productive”.

Elena ALIMOVA
Vitebsk Prospect