Dear members, colleagues, associates, partners,
The Annual EFFORTS 2020 Congress on the Socio-Economic Impact of Fortified Sites was organised on 19 November 2020.
-This is the 2020 11 19 EFFORTS Oudenaarde Congress programme
-Here is information on the 2020 Congress Speakers and Presenters
THE 2021 EFFORTS SURVEY ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FORTIFIED SITES
The congress was organised with the City of Oudenaarde, Belgium, and broadcast through a link to the participants / survey respondents.
Connected to the EFFORTS Congress preparation was the EFFORTS SURVEY on Socio-Economic Impact of fortified sites.
All 60 participants from all over Europe were asked to fill in the EFFORTS survey at the following link and 40 did so: https://forms.gle/96iPtwJLt6fg4xai6
–> THE SURVEY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 1 FEBRUARY 2021. This will allow us to gather more information and will permit EFFORTS to optimize it’s data on the impact our sector has in Europe.This survey aims to start the first quantification of the socio-economic impact of fortification heritage in Europe. The survey on behalf of the international organization EFFORTS (European Federation of Fortified Sites) is being conducted by the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik, as a member of the association and one of the partners in the organization of the annual EFFORTS 2020 Congress. The first data collected in the survey was presented at the November EFFORTS Congress. The survey and the presentations and the discussion will be the start of a call for a European Fortified Heritage Impact Study
The EFFORTS survey on the socio-economic impact of fortified heritage in Europe has – so far – encompassed 40 respondents / fortified heritage managers from 12 European countries. The majority of respondents were local public authorities. The respondents have a range of financial and human capacities enabling them to manage fortified sites, and make a social impact within their communities: fortified heritage is restored, renewed, researched, reused and opened to communities. New contents and interpretations are being developed at sites – with tendency to include a variety of digital technologies and innovative storytelling techniques among a large number of sites.
The first results of the survey also indicate a wide range of local and regional stakeholders are included in programming, projects and various cultural, entertainment, sport and activities implemented at fortified sites. Social impact of fortified heritage is tangible and visible from gathered feedback, as well as the negative effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the intensity of activities for most sites. Some were/are closed for public and the majority has had a significant decrease in activities implemented within 2020. However, the preliminary results of the first part of the survey also indicate that fortified heritage managers are still not active enough in analyzing the financial aspect and impact that sites have within their communities: a large number of respondents does not collect and/or analyze data such as numbers of visitors, annual turnover of funds at sites, number of employees at sites, funds spent on outsourcing services within local communities etc.
In order to assess the economic impact of fortified heritage, whether in terms of individual sites or as part of wider European cultural sector; a holistic approach and scientific methodology are necessary. EFFORTS will work on developing such an approach and methodology with its members and partners, emphasizing that awareness on the socio-economic impact and value of fortified heritage is the key leverage towards achieving the future vision European fortified heritage sites as epicenters of endurance, knowledge and creativity, which reflect the essence of communities.
Thank you for your participation !
Frank Petter,
Mayor of Bergen op Zoom and EFFORTS President
Contact: info@efforts-europe.eu
CONGRESS PRESENTATIONS :
The entire congress recorded https://youtu.be/Fbts6jPvRQM
Welcome by the Oudenaarde Mayor
Durda V. Saric Survey first results TKSI_EFFORTS2020 – PPT
Victoria Sanger, Colombia University USA https://youtu.be/slB_-Sym4ww
Julie Hervé Efforts annual conference cultural heritage in action
Koenraad Van Balen Cultural heritage and sustainability – which impact 20201108LR
Stefano Mondini Forte Marghera EFFORTS
Darragh OSuilleabhain EFFORTS Pres_ 2020Congress_DOS
Huibert Crijns EFFORTS 2020 Den Bosch (1)
European Fortress Day 19-11-2020
EFFORTS AWARD 2020 to all 2020 European Fortress Day participants
