"The project ""Crafting 50 & beyond"" wants to promote the improvement of older craftsmen in the 21th century. Many people over 50 years old have spent their entire lives in the same profession and after the crisis, they were unable to find employment in their area of expertise: in 2013 seniors had the highest unemployment rate in the last 15 years due to the economic crisis of 2008-2014. The crisis's effects may differ in territories with less economic and social preparation to face the collapse and the situation has grown worse now due to COVID- 19 pandemic and in need of new skills and innovation to face unemployment or loss of income. The tradition of handicrafts is found across Europe, keeping centennial forms of business and art alive. Today, in addition to the cultural potential that these activities have, their development is necessary to promote knowledge, improve the quality and access to artisanal products, and boost the employment of people over 50 who are unemployed or intend to continue to have a productive activity.As characteristics of the sector, it should be considered that:Products are created in small quantities as opposed to industrial products that can be made in series.The products' characteristics can only be at the local level or for companies that already have knowledge of the product and are easy to place on the market, that is, resellers.Craft enterprises are not only located in cities but primarily decentralized in rural areas.Crafts and small enterprises typically rely on their local roots and make an essential contribution to local development, social integration, and circular economy.They often are developed by people with disabilities hence providing them a social integration. (DIN;2017)This sector is unorganized; there is a lack of entrepreneurship. Taking into account the characteristics of the craft sector, Crafting 50 & beyond will work to understand the competences that craftsmen from different partner countries have and the activities they need to develop to make these activities more creative and digital. Taking advantage of the economic restructuring that the pandemic requires, and encouraged by the 'Do-it-Yourself' trend, the entire artisanal area will be worked on, understanding the cultural and legislative contexts of each country for these activities, and working directly with craftsmen to endow them with the business and technological skills needed to boost their business.As products of the project will be developed the following intellectual outputs: IO1 - Craftsman Business Guidebook: Creation of a guidebook with two types of instructions, first information about existing support and craft organizations in each partner country, and second, practical information about how to develop business, tools available, digital tools to be applied. That means a map of the process to create a business successfully. This will have a joint version in English. Still, each partner must create a pocket format (paper and online) with only the relevant information from their country and the translated tools to apply to the process of business construction.IO2 – Training course to boost craft businesses: aimed at 6 artisans (per country), especially from rural areas over 50 years old. The course aims to equip the artisans with skills to boost their cultural business, creativity, and digital readiness, by applying the resources from IO1 into a pilot group. This course allows people to develop their business with a business advisor's auxiliary who will guide the process.IO3 – Arts and Crafts toolkit - Manual that aggregates the arts developed by the artisans accompanied by the project, to make known the various forms of crafts existing in Europe and how to carry them out, leaving the knowledge available to all those interested, especially younger generations. This will create an added value also in terms of showcasing and marketing the product to potential sponsors.The project includes 7 partners from 7 different countries, including 1 non-programme country, which allows a better understanding of the craft sector across Europe and a greater spreading of the project goals.At least 42 craftsmen will be involved in the project activities, following a co-construction methodology and 18 craftsmen will have the opportunity to participate in a blended mobility of learners.230 stakeholders will be involved in multiplier events directly."

The importance of cultural heritage as a vital element in intercultural dialogue has been formulated in a multitude of policies from international to local level being in line with the 21st Century (2017) European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st century, the (2018) European Agenda for Culture, the EU's 2018 Work Plan for Culture 2019-2022 and the UN 2030 Agenda with 17 SDGs. The project TOGETHER – TOwards a cultural understandinG of thE oTHER – includes 6 partners (CulturePolis, EWORX, IED, FPD , GACC, LDN) from 5 different countries (Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Georgia, Lebanon). TOGETHER derives from the need to create and disseminate know-how regarding the intercultural dialogue among EU countries and countries outside the European territory, based on the common values cultural heritage represents in order to really empower all sectors of society to build bridges between people, reinforce mutual understanding, boost economic and social development and enable Europe and its neighbors to face common challenges as a whole context for social cohesion and sustainability. In the increasingly multi-cultural European environment of the 21rst century where more and more individuals have to manage their own multiple cultural affiliations, some people still view cultural diversity as a constraint to human and economic progress or a threat to national stability. Europe’s rich cultural heritage have the potential to promote common values, inclusion and intercultural dialogue within Europe and beyond, creating a sense of belonging, being an antidote to any confrontation society is facing nowadays.In this context, TOGETHER targets local actors and practitioners, representatives of local alliances, cultural associations and federations, leaders of NGOs and CSOs, professionals of cultural and social centers, networks and stakeholders from the cultural and creative industry as well as public authorities and policy makers, leaders of local authorities, representatives of local and national governments; its objectives are to: • Develop a transnational approach for cooperation between countries of EU and the neighboring region (the Middle East and Back Sea), established in the European common values which are generated and represented by various cultural assets and traditions of participating countries. • Address the challenge of embedding intercultural dialogue processes in the Agendas of local communities for Sustainable Development • Empower local actors through upgrading their professional skills and competences and rendering them ‘ambassadors’ of cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding. • Develop and deliver innovative training materials, digital tools and content methodologies for successfully meeting the needs of local actors and their communities and empowering them at all levels. The activities include respective intellectual outputs and multipliers events (National Seminars/Workshops, Final Conference); the TOGETHER IOs comprise of Comparative Analysis Report -IO1, Ambassadors Curriculum-IO2, TOGETHER e-Toolbox-IO3, TOGETHER Intercultural Dialogue Guidebook -IO4.

Europe is well known worldwide for its diverse cultural values including intangible cultural heritage (ICH) - the knowledge, practices and traditions of European citizens. The importance of ICH was legally recognized with the Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH adopted by UNESCO General Conference in 2003 (entered into force in 2006). The safeguarding of the ICH contributes to different aspects of sustainable development of rural regions in Europe. Cultural heritage, creative industries, sustainable cultural tourism and cultural infrastructure contribute to improved income and job opportunities. The promotion of the ICH directly benefits communities and helps in strengthening identity as well as cultural diversity, skill development and developing creative enterprises. The organisations of four European countries - Latvia, Estonia, North Macedonia and Georgia - representing different cultural values (but all related to musical traditions), included in UNESCO list of ICH - created a partnership to join forces and share experience from several countries in order to provide better understanding of what are the best ways and methods to channel the knowledge to those who need it - people practising UNESCO included traditions. Project partners althought different size and scope, yet they shared similar aims and target groups. Bearers of the ICH elements were direct project target group. All organisations have had long-term experience of working with them in each country. The education of bearers of ICH have been improved directly through such project activities as created educational materials and seminars, but also indirectly - through capacity building of the partner organisations - adult educators. The main project objective were achieved by different activities. Ethnic Culture Centre Suiti Foundation oversaw the overall management and implementation of project activities by all project partner organisations. Each partner organisation set up a local project management team. Issues pertaining to project implementation and achievement of expected project results were discussed with partners during transnational project meetings. In order to exchange methods and best practices among participating organizations and countries, four Short-term joint staff training events took place in all partner countries. During the course of the project, several outputs were developed: 1. Online booklet (one joint material)- the summary of best practise examples from all partner countries (for distribution among bearers of the ICH) - prepared together by all project partners; 2. The summary (four materials in total) of each partner country's national support system for ICH - prepared by each project partner; 3. Proposals (one joint material) for the implementation of new innovative methods and approaches. The developed materials are printable and available online for public at the project partners’ web sites free of charge. Various dissemination activities also were organised, including local seminars in all partner countries where project results were presented to a broader audience. In addition, social media (Facebook) and partners’ web sites were used to inform about achievements in the project and to promote the developed materials.

Europe is recognizable worldwide for its rich cultural values including intangible cultural heritage (ICH) - the knowledge, practices and traditions of European citizens. The importance of ICH was legally recognized with the Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH adopted by UNESCO General Conference in 2003. Cultural heritage is a value in itself that builds national self-confidence and a sense of belonging to a region, country and part of the world, but, in addittion, the safeguarding of the ICH contributes to different aspects of sustainable development of different regions in Europe - remote, rural and also urban territories. The 8 experienced organisations of seven European countries - Latvia (Ethnic Culture Centre Suiti Foundation), Estonia (Kihnu Cultural Space Foundation and NGO Setomaa Tourism), The Republic of North Macedonia (ICTM National Committee of Macedonia), Georgia (Georgian Arts and Culture Center), Italy (UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI), Croatia (Gacko pucko otvoreno uciliste Otocac) and Portugal (Munícipio de Idanha-a-Nova) - representing different cultural values recognised by UNESCO - have created a partnership, supported by many associated partners - to join forces and share experience from several countries in order to provide better understanding of what are the best ways and methods to channel the knowledge to those who need it - people practising UNESCO included traditions. Most of these partners have cooperated before, including Erasmus+ programme Startegic partnerships project.Project partners are of different size and scope, yet they share similar aims and target groups. Practitioners of the ICH elements as well as staff of participating organisations are direct project target groups. All organisations have long-term experience of working with them in each country and impelementing various, national and EU co-financed projects. The main project objective will be achieved by different activities.In order to exchange methods, approaches and best practices among participating organizations and countries, seven Short-term joint staff training events are envisaged to take place in all partner countries with diverse program to give participants a comprehensive picture of the situation in each country in the field of ICH.During the course of the project, it is expected to develop several outputs:1.The Summary of methodologies and approaches working with target groups of all partners;2. Joint good practise examples booklet.The developed materials will be made printable and available online for public at the project partners’ web sites free of charge.Ethnic Culture Centre Suiti Foundation will oversee the overall management and implementation of project activities by all project partner organisations. It is also envisaged that each partner organisation will set up a local project management team. Issues pertaining to project implementation and achievement of expected project results are planned to be discussed with partners during five transnational project meetings.Various dissemination activities are also envisaged, including local seminars in 6 partner countries and conference in Latvia where project results will be presented to a broader audience. In addition, it is also planned to make use of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and partners’ web sites to inform all stakeholders about achievements in the project and to promote the developed materials.The education of practitioners of ICH will be improved directly through such project activities as created educational materials, conference and seminars, but also indirectly - through capacity building of the partner organisations - adult educators. As a result of the training events staff of the partner organisations - adult educators - will gain fresh ideas, different perspectives and exchange methodology and approaches. Impact on partnering organisations is expected as well: opportunity to network at a transnational level, exchange of best practice supporting organisational learning. Due to the different project partners the project will also provide an opportunity to draw conclusions on the role that cultural heritage can play within sustainable rural and urban development. Cultural heritage and sustainable cultural tourism contributes to improved income and job opportunities. The project has a direct beneficial effect to safeguarding and promotion of European cultural heritage.The network of UNESCO united organisations will give the unique opportunity to join different people from very different countries and cultures to promote significant part of European cultural heritage. The public authorities in the field of ICH, organisations (adult educators) and practitioners of ICH as well as many associated project partners working in the field of ICH - stakeholders at all levels- will be involved in one large network. This approach is innovative in the field of ICH.