A meeting was held at the premises of the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije with representatives of rural women, handicraft producers, the Kala organization, the Berane Tourist Organization souvenir shop, and partners from Sibiu (Romania), who stayed in Montenegro as part of a peer-review visit through the Commheritour project. The meeting served as an important platform for discussing the state of traditional crafts in Berane and neighboring municipalities, identifying challenges, and defining opportunities for their revitalization.<\/p>\n
Participants discussed a wide range of topics, including the current position of handicrafts, problems related to wool processing, and possibilities for adapting traditional skills to modern market needs. A SWOT analysis of the handicraft sector was also conducted, which confirmed significant strengths such as rich cultural heritage and motivated women artisans, but also pointed to limited market access, a lack of innovative design, and the need for knowledge transfer to younger generations.<\/p>\n
Partners from Sibiu made a special contribution, sharing their rich experience in developing souvenir offers and handicraft markets, as well as practical insights from the Commheritour project. Their advice on product development, packaging, presentation, and customer expectations was of great value to our local artisans.<\/p>\n
Through joint discussion, it was determined that embroidery is the most promising direction for a pilot activity. Embroidery is deeply rooted in local tradition, requires minimal investment, and provides great potential for creating attractive, small products adapted to the souvenir market. Women expressed interest in learning embroidery techniques, which further confirms the justification of this initiative.<\/p>\n
The pilot activity will focus on organizing training for women interested in embroidery, with ethnological support in identifying authentic local motifs and their adaptation to modern use. The ultimate goal of the activity is to create souvenir prototypes with traditional embroidery, which will be tested in the Berane Tourist Organization souvenir shop to assess market interest and define the next steps for further product development.<\/p>\n
This initiative is being implemented within the Interreg Danube project DanubeCrafts, funded by the European Union, which aims to preserve traditional crafts, strengthen local capacities, and integrate cultural heritage into sustainable tourism development. The pilot activity represents an important first step towards building a functional model of cooperation between rural women, craft associations, and the tourism sector in Berane.<\/p>\n
The Regional Development Agency will continue to provide support to all involved stakeholders, with the conviction that embroidery\u2014as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Montenegro\u2014can once again take its place in the modern handicraft offer and contribute to the economic empowerment of women from rural areas.<\/p>\n
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