ALLIANCE OF EURO-MEDITERRANEAN

CULTURAL CITIES

ACTIVITY REPORT 2016

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19,20 and 2t May 2016: General Assembly and Board of Directors - Niska Banja (serbia)

!,2 and 3 October 2016: Board of Directors - Szombathely (Hungary)

TEAM

Since January L,2076, Mrs Marie Dal Falco is the new general delegate of the AVEC network.

Mrs Laetitia Aranda, Seretary of Arles city hall, still gives BO% of her working time to AVECnetwork. She is present in the office of the association every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday andFriday.The General Secretariat of the AVEC network is reachable at: contac@avecnet.net or by phone at+33 (0) 49A493s2L.

COMMUNICATION

1- lnternet / Social networks

The association website (www.avecnet.net) is regularly updated to present current projects, eventsorganized by AVEC and those where the network is invited.

ln 20L6, a new version of the page devoted to the presentation of network members was realized.The ancient map that had become anachronistic was replaced with a new one of ,,Google Maps,,.This map has the double advantage of being easily updatable and being more interactive. lt isindeed possible to click on each point to have a brief presentation of the city and to zoom in todiscover its exact location.

The network Facebook page is almost daily updated to present news in connection with theactivities of the association but also to promote the member cities of the association.Through this regular work, the number of Facebook profile subscribers has grown. To date, thepage contains more than 850 "friends".

2- Presentation brochure

The network presentation brochure can be downloaded on the website of AVEC and it is avaitablein paper format by writing to the network secretariat (contact@avecnet.net).

3- Events

ln 2016, the Alliance of Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Cities organized and/or participated in thefollowing events:

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ln addition, the home page of the website now provides a permanent display of the News feed ofthe Facebook page, in order to create a connexion between these two communication media.

March Lt, 2Ot6: Day of the Cultural and Heritage lndustries Cluster - Pont du Gard (France)

March 22-23, 2OL6: National Conference of Natural Hazards - Ministry of Environment -Marseille (France)

April 26, 2016: "Economic Development and lnternational Cooperation" meeting organizedby the association Territoires Solidaires - Nice (France)

June L6, 2016: Presentation of the Methodological guide for the sustsinable managementof Mediterranean historic cifies as part of the meeting organized by the Centre for studiesand expertise on risks, environment, mobility and developnrent (CËRüMA) - Aix-en-Provence (Francer

July 5, 2016: Presentation of the Methodalogical Euide for the sustsinable management ofMediterrrsns$fi i?isforir dtiss during the Forum of the internatior"ral action of local

authoi'ities - Pai'is (France).

Cetober A4, 2016: Presentation of the Methoclalrsqical guide lar the sustainablemünügement o! Mediterranean historic cities at the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille

{France), as part of the rçund table "What future for the patrimonial management ofl-4s*dit*rrarlc;ln eitie;? " ürgelnized in n;*rtnprchin rrith

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November 04. 2015: Particioation in the Eurooean Biennial of Urban Heritaee in Cahors

iFrance),

lfecpmh+r *5, ?S16: ltieetinr: cf thp steerlng c*nrmittee of the Fl**d ffcsilienfs {V'luseums

project at the Museums of trance Department oi the iviinistrv' uf Cuitur= ;;,'f^ --.,-.. : D- ' trt-\rlrit{iuiilL<rLrvti, I u{ rJ

December 13, 2016: Workshop with the members of the SKGCI (Permanent Conference ofCities and Municipalities of Serbia) to develop the Qualir:ities approach in Serbia.

ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED IftI 2016

During the last General Assembiy ceiebrated in Niska Banja on 20th May 2016, the Alliance ofEuropean Cities of Culture validated the modification of the meaning of the acronym A.V.E.C.

The new name of the network is the Alliance af Euro-MediTerrsnean Cultar*l Cities, a madificationthat was approved bv an Extraordinarv General Assemblv to amend the articles of the association.

§rrr*hn! of r:ne.ninr krrrt a!ln r:f r*r'.n:mitmrlnt, thiç irientiTr: r:h:nür hr-.nrll:1'hl: rn:lr-r:rt!r:!t!1"conducted by the networl< in the Mediterranean and it auspicious the development of new^^ll^L^*^+;^*- ^^J {-,,i+c, ^l ^,.-L^^^^^ l-^+..,^^- +[^^ +,^,^ .L."*^,- ^{ !t-^ RÆ..J:+-UliüÀrUiülrq-lri) uiitJ iiviri"Ji LÂÇi!ü'iùLJ U!rvvLLrr L,r{ ivru }ivrur ÿl iliL ryrLL.l(r-rioriu(rrr.

As prart oi thi: geugra6:iricai exparrsir:rr, ihe AVEC network iias already establisheci promising

contacts lvith eitiss in s*uthern iVlediterranean. A{ter that. the association now counts with a newmemher: th* eitv r:f eÿ:efch;:nuen in lvlr-rr*ero and" in ?ü17" it will reneive â new membershinennlication from thp citv nf Sheïtla in Tunisia.

The membershio of the citv of Chefchaouen and the membershin annlication of Sbeïtla have a

.Ymholic sienificance and represents an important first sten for the concretization of the Alliance of

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Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Cities.

The city of Chefchoouen is located in Northwest of Morocco. Mouloy Ati Ben Rochid founded thecity in the year 876 AH (corresponding to the year 147i.). Chefchoouen has on orea of 10.4 km2 onda populotion of 43,000 residents.ln recent yeors, the city hos experienced a revolution: on one hond, with the development of ruroltourism and ecotourism, on the other hond with the development of culturol tourism through therestorotion of its beautiful Medina.

The city of Sbeitla, known in oncient times os Sufetulo, is o city in the center of Tunisia. Dependingon the Kosserine Governorote, it has obout 25,000 inhabitonts. This town is known for its importontRomon-Byzontine orchaeological site, where visitors con still admire mony vestiges.

As part of the cooperation agreement signed between the French region provence-Alpes-Côte-

D'Azur and the Governorate of Kasserine in Tunisia, on Mediterranean heritage enhancement (suchas Romano-Byzantine heritage and mosaics), the Alliance of Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Citieswants to offer to the city of Sbeitla its skills and tools,

ln August 2016, the AVEC network filed a grant application with the PACA Region, which in October2016 gave a favorable opinion. To begin the project and establish a specific roadmap, a firstmeeting between Christian Mourisard, the President of the AVEC network and Naceur Mahmoudi,the Mayor of Sbeitla will be organized in early 2O!7 in Tunisia.

The aim of the project is to guide the municipality in the establishment of new urban practices toimprove management, promotion, protection and sustainable development of its heritage.

To realize this, first at all, the city of Sbeitla will join the network in order to participate in andcontribute to discussions, meetings and international projects. Secondly, and more specifically, thenetwork will organize professional meetings between representatives of the city of Sbeitla and itsmembers who can share their expertise and experiences.

These meetings should lead to the establishment of a quality approach, based on eualicitiesframework, to improve the municipality heritage policy and to engage a dialogue with the Tunisiangovernment in order to register the archaeological site of Sbeitla on the Tunisian indicative list forthe inscription on UNESCO World Heritage List.

The AVEC network has just completed the realization of the Methodotogicol guide for thesustainable mondgement of Mediterraneon historic cities. This book is the result of a call forprojects of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to encourage the promotion and protection ofheritage in decentralized cooperation.

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ln its final version, the guide includes:

Ten general methodological referencesFifty examples of experiences and good practices, located in different geographical contextsFift een contri butions of im portant special ists

This guide for local authorities and experts is an observatory of good urban practices and a

collection of methodological references.

Obtaining a grant from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the dissemination andexploitation of the Methodological guide.

ln order to promote this important work the network received a new grant from the FrenchMinistry of Foreign Affairs to help the association to distribute the book to the authorities andprofessionals engaged in decentralized cooperation operations.

The association has therefore participated in several events:

- On L6th iune 2016, the network participated in the meeting "Better plan, build and live in a riskarea" organised by the Centre for studies and expertise on risks, environment, mobility anddevelopment (CEREMA) which has highlighted the importance of the consideration of naturalhazards in the management of heritage.

- On 5th July 2016, Marie Dal Falco, the General Delegate of the network, and Jacques Rousset,Honorary Member of the Association, participated in the Forum of the international action of localauthorities: an opportunity to promote the guide and the network activities.

- On 04th October 2016, the network organized, in collaboration with the Agency for SustainableMediterranean Cities and Territories (AVITEM) and the Villa Méditerranée, the round table "Whatfuture for the patrimonial management of Mediterranean cities? ". By bringing together expertsfrom the world of heritage and international cooperation, this meeting made it possible toemphasize that the Mediterranean cultural heritage offers the possibility of building a commonidentity and a common history, on which exchanges and cooperation can be founded, but above allthe defence of belonging to a specific area.

ln July 2016, the AVEC network received a grant from the French Ministry of Environment torealize, in collaboration with the lnstitute of Prevention and Management of Urban Risks (IPGR), adiagnosis to highlight the vulnerability of museums facing the flood risk.

The aim is to evaluate exposure and fragility of French Mediterranean museums located in floodzones and their responses in terms of adaptation and preparation to ensure the safety of peopleand the preservation of cultural heritage. This action also aims to provide theoretical and practicaltools to museums to make, improve and/or update their backup plans, including taking intoaccount the museums experience feedback.

First, this study will focus on museums in southern France but the results of the diagnosis may be

exploited by other cities of the network, to establish an international debate on this subject.

Actually, the AVEC/IPGR team is caring out an important work on the feedback of differentmuseums. A first meeting was held on 05 December 2016 at the French Museum Service in Paris toI I I ;

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collect precious testimonies from museums in Northern France that were affected by the floods inJune 2016. The next meeting, organized in February 2O!7, will be welcomed by the city of Nîmes, amember city of the network which is exposed to the flood risk and which, like Arles, has decided tobe deeply involved in this work. During this day, the steering committee of the project - consistingof representatives of ministries, the ICOM, the French Committee of the Blue Shield, the IFFORME

and the Association of Conservators of French Public Collections - will be able to analyse on-site thecase of the Carré d'art, an important museum of contemporary art representative of this problem.

"Dialogue with Earth" is a large enquiry about heritages and natural hazards proposed to youthfrom 15 to 18 years old. Conceived by the AVEC network and Catalysis Productions, the projectconsists in the realization of documentary modules to raise awareness in heritage protectionagainst major hazards.

On September-October 2015, the realization of the trailer of the project was made possible thanksto the sponsorship of VlNCl, amounting to € 3,000. The trailer is visible on this Web page:

https://vimeo,egnn1 144666727

ln parallel, a grant application was submitted under the grant applications POP FEDER / RhônePlan. However, the creation of a documentary film by a private production company seems tocomplicate the grant awarding process.

The AVEC network was contacted by Ms Consuelo Leôn Lozano, in charge of lnternational Relationsat the University of Seville to attend the C4G Project: Culture for growth, urban regeneration andcultural heritage.

Different entities (local authorities, universities and businesses) have been involved in developingthe project: the local council of Rome, the local council of Sofia, the local council of Malaga,enterprises like AYESA, Gd Consulting, BioAZUL, GAIA Heritage and academics communities like theGoteborg University (Sweden), the University of Seville (Spain), the University of Dublin (lreland).

The aim of this action was to demonstrate that it is possible to use the cities cultural heritage likelever of European economic development.

For this project, a set of objectives were identified

L. Development of a database to gather information about urban regeneration experiencesalready carried out.

2. Development of methodological tools to analyse and evaluate the examples of urbanregeneration studied. The creation of procedures and theoretical models to identify optimalcase of cultural regeneration.

3. Selection of "replicators" cities.4. Mobilization of investors to create new market opportunities in relation to the regeneration

to be carried out.5. lmplement the replication urban project and assist "replicators" through provision of

expertise.

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The network could have intervened in two different phases. First, it would have been possible tomobilize some cities of the network to contribute to the development of the database. Thereafterthe AVEC network could have olaved a role in the selection of the "reolicators" cities.

This proiect was pn*sent*d tc the commlttee of the l'{orizon 2CI20 progranl ln March 2016, butrrnfnrtrrn:talr: i* rrrr< nnt colortorl,

ln 2015, the association AVEC was officially recognized as a partner of UNESCO. The network has a

consultative status, which includes a mutual commitment to cooperate and work together.

To strengthen links with UNESCO and to generate new collaborations, the President of theassociation Mr. Christian Mourisard, Deputy Mayor of the city of Arles, and the Secretary of theassociation represented by Mr. Antoine Godbert, rnunlcipal Councillor of the city of Tours, met withrepresentatives of the French national Commission for UNESCO.

This meeting has highlighted the common will to develop a closer relationship between the AVEC

network and the various National Commissions for UNESCO. For its part, the AVEC network wishesto share with other cities its expertise in heritage management, including the management ofmonuments registered on the list of UNESCO World Heritage. The French National Commission forUNESCO, for its part, noted the significant work of cultural promotion and cooperation conductedby the Network of Creative Cities of UNESCO, a network currently formed by 116 Members from54 countries covering seven creative fields: Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature,Music and Media Arts.

A cooperation between these two networks seem even more desirable than some cities membersof AVEC - like ldanha-a-Nova (Portugal) - already have this designation and other cities - like Arles(France) - have started the process to acquire this distinction.

The General Assembly held in Niska Banja in May 2AL6, helped create a new dynamics in thestatutory meetings of the network. The goal is to use these meetings to organize discussions

around common themes of interest involving specialist members but also by inviting local experts.These round tables will be accessible to external audiences to enrich the debate and contribute tothe growth of the network activities.

At the General Meeting of Niska Banja, a working commission on Qualicities label has beenorganized. This operating mode will be reproduced during the next meetings of the network.

As noted above, the last General Assembly of Niska Banja was an opportunity to establish a

working comrnittee on the Qualicities label through the experience feedbacks of cities - like Arles

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(France) and Evora (Portugal) - which hold the label or cities - like Nis (Serbia) - which started todevelop the Qualicities approach.

These feedbacks highlighted the fact that Qualicities framework gives cities a concrete workdirection and it is, atthe same time, a precise monitoring of the evolution of this roadmap. ln thesecities many projects have been designed and validated through the prism of Qualicitiesmethodology. The appropriation of this quality approach also led to the establishment of newhabits.

Following this working comrnittee on the Qualicities label, a questionnaire for the members of thenetwork in order to share the problems anrl/or tire solutions found with respect to the Qualicitiesaoproach was develcped" This questionnaire was sent tô allthe cities of the association, those thathold Qualicities label, these that entered in the process and those that wish to dCI so.

A "Google Drive" spâce was also created in orijer tc coiiect the different resûûnses ancl cjocument

{web links, photos, communication supports, plans, etc.) to illustrate the experience feedbacks ofn n+. r,a *1. ri+i a '

;. .:,-.-,,,- ",,,,-, "1,- .rr--,.",-,r uuiii.iiiutjl i.u su;.li..rurL Lire r-iLies ui iire rtetwurk tirat wish todevelop the Quralicities appruarh. in Decenrtrer 2ûi6, the Association's fi*r"lerai D*legate wasinrritor{ tr'! RÊlo'r^rll: l§or"hla} hv thp Ërprrr:h Frnhasqrr tn nrgxnize a u",r:r"kçh*r:l rqrith rfi*rnN:*nS of the§KGS {Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities of Serbia) irr order to present thel-\r r:liritioc maf harlninor

NETWORK GROWTH PERSPECTIVE

in orcjer to aiiow the network to expanci ancj to garher new iocai authorities, AVEC team made aniiiiportant job of new mernbers research among European and ttletliterrânean citles focusing onnra-oy!ç!i4s lipkE.

SO, nfr:miSlnq aûnta.ts h:,re heen oqtrlrlichod raiith.

' French cities such as lsle-sur-la-Sorgue, Narbonne, Avignon, Annonay, the Conurbationauthority of Vallée des Baux-Alpilles, Troyes and §ÿletz.

r Citipc nf ltalv. §nain Rnmania Hrrnç'arv and Rrrçci*

' Mediterranean cities such as Chefchaouen in lMorocco; Sbeïtla in Tunisia; Annaba, BejaiannC Ch*r"rl:s!l ii: ^ig::'i:, B:ir'-:t:nC P:il l4:r1, !'a !-lb:^rn, AleyrnCrr; !n fgirp-

These contacts took the form of two new memberships: the town of lsle-surr-la-SCIrgue (France) andthe town of Chefchaouen (Morocco) and an applieation file being processed for the t*wn of Sbeitla{rrrnisia).

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