Visit and Working Meeting in Hajnówka, Poland (Bialowieza Forest) 14-15/6/2023

The visit and working meeting held within the framework of the Transnational Cooperation Plan, the “Cult In Tour” Program on June 14 & 15, 2023, in Poland, in the Białowieża Forest and Hajnówka area, was successfully completed.

The “Cult In Tour” Program is implemented within the framework of measure 19.3 “Support for the preparation and implementation of cooperation (transnational and inter-local)” of the CLLD LEADER Local Program (RDP 2014-2020).

The partners of the Project are the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A. and the Polish Local Action Group “Lokalna Grupa Działania, Puszcza Białowieska” – Local Action Group “Białowieska Forest””. The aim of the cooperation is to undertake actions to interconnect the rich cultural and natural resources of the two regions with their tourism product. The focus of the Plan is on the less favoured areas of mainland Chalkidiki.

The President of the Polish LAG, Mr Eugeniusz Kowalski, and the LAG team welcomed and provided excellent hospitality to the Greek delegation.

During the first day of the working visit, visits were made to the Bialowieza Forest Park, the Natural History Museum, and the Ethnographic Museum of Belarusian Culture in the city of Chaynovka, in order to inform and present to the representatives of the Greek LAG the achievements and good practices of the region that will be highlighted through the “Cult In Tour”. A working meeting was also organized at the Tourist Information Center, with the Mayor of the city and the Governor of the Region warmly welcoming the Greek mission. In addition, there was a mutual declaration of intent both for the continuation of cooperation in the next programming period and for the strengthening of ties between the regions in terms of economic activity and in particular in terms of exports of local products. The President of the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A., Mr. George Pasalis, expressed the relevant commitment to Chalkidiki. Mrs. Olga Savvidou, General Director of the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A., and Georgia Karagianni, Deputy General Director, Coordinator of the Local Program, further specified the issues related to the new programming period.

During the first day's working meeting, the partnership presented the actions of the Program completed so far, as well as - in some cases - the method and methodology of their implementation, while the future planned actions of the Program and the respective steps were also presented.

In addition, opinions and experiences were presented regarding the actions of the Program, with the aim of strengthening the cooperation of the partners and the exchange of know-how.

On the second day, the partnership had the opportunity to visit important cultural and natural resources of the region, such as the Church of St. James (Losinka) and the Metropolitan Church of the Holy Trinity in Chaynovka, to learn about the rich history that governs them and to discuss them, as well as to get to know the local gastronomy by tasting cheese products. Finally, the consortium renewed the appointment for its next meeting, which will take place in Chalkidiki in September 2023, in combination with the organization of an information event for the public.