[Sabina Valić]

Dear Kubra,

we have diverse experience in agriculture thematic. We are NGO from Croatia active in agriculture, tradition preserving and education. Also cofounder of LLL educational institution University INTERNATURAL developed to teach sustainable practices in agriculture and tourism. Also part of the international Slow food community and founder of our own community in Istria. More info i will write in next lines, and our contact is: info@istrian.org or +385993503590.

ASSOCIATION ISTRIAN – ECOMUSEUM FROM VODNJAN (ISTRIAN – ECOMUSEUM DE DIGNAN) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in the town of Vodnjan, in the County of Istria.

The main goal of the organization is to improve the quality of life of the local community by
increasing and valuing its resources, fostering cooperation, unity and solidarity among members. To
achieve this goal, the association promotes research, care, preservation and promotion of historical
rural cultural heritage and traditions. By valorizing the products of human labor, it strives to create a
recognizable cultural and tourist identity of Vodnjan as a prosperous destination, rich in local natural
products. The association valorizes Istrian rural life and preserves cultural and natural heritage,
intending to raise awareness of the values of rural life identity, with the involvement of the local
community. Association ISTARSKO – Ecomuseum from Vodnjan has three strongholds; Museum of
the local community – House of Traditions, Didactic Farm and Museum of Local Products – ECO Lab:
The "House of Traditions", with more than 10,000 domestic and foreign visitors, is a
permanent exhibition of the museum and includes a display of the everyday life of a rural
man, as well as tools and other objects used by our ancestors. In addition to the museum
building (318m2), which is located on Vodnjan's main square, we have arranged and paved
the neighboring Statue Square. We organize numerous cultural events here, from where our
cultural-artistic, sports-recreational, gastronomic, religious and ecological itineraries start.
"Didactic farm" – is a place where new generations learn about the values of good food from
seed to plate, and farmers learn about innovative and alternative farming techniques,
environmental protection, valuing the production of healthy food products from local
varieties, respecting traditional values. The association’s farm cultivates an area of 3.18 ha,
most of which is located next to the Vodnjan Elementary School and includes newly built
wooden barns with fenced pasture, vegetable garden, garden, the botanical garden of
aromatic and wild plants, olive grove, vineyard, arable land and old barn buildings with a
fenced yard in which the Museum of Rural Culture and a workshop for restoration and
recycling are arranged. On the farm, we take care of Istrian autonomous animals: boškarin,
Istrian cargo, goats and chickens. We also built a 50m3 underground tank to collect rainwater
from the school roof and an irrigation system. We found a new socially useful purpose for
domestic animals, especially donkeys – onotherapy for children with disabilities and people
with disabilities. Onotherapies are provided on weekly basis with the PWDs from 4 different
associations fro rehabilitation we collaborate. Through the educations on Didactic farm we
encourage school children of the local elementary school of Vodnjan-Dignano to think and
act green, respecting nature and the value of traditionally grown food. The activities of the
project aim to teach and transfer the knowledge of rural activities to pupils.
Through the Slow food community projects, Association is making actions for saving
biodiversity on local level: The Ark of taste – created to point out the existence of these
products and draw attention to the risk that they might disappear within a few generations.
Agricultural biodiversity and small–scale, family-based food production systems are in
danger throughout the world due to industrialization, genetic erosion, changing consumption
patterns, climate change, the abandonment of rural areas, migration, and conflict. Presidia
project – providing concrete assistance to producers who preserve biodiversity, add value to
their local areas, revive traditional crafts and techniques and save from extinction not just
native breeds and fruit and vegetable varieties but also rural landscapes and ecosystems,
promoting sustainable farming and fishing systems.
We process agricultural products from the farm in our registered laboratory, which is also
available to all small producers who do not have the space with the appropriate technical
conditions. "Museum of local products – ecoLAB" is a multifunctional space where local
specialties are exhibited and visitors can taste and buy products from all local producers.
Also, in ecoLAB we are organizing degustations of local products as well as workshops and
educational activities for pupils, PWDs, farmers and other interested.

Ecomuseum is an active organization working on the local and international scenario, with
experience in project development (at local and European level) in the fields of culture and
education. In order to disseminate and increase involvement in the association's works, Ecomuseum
conducts work actions, practical presentations, tastings, workshops, educations, exhibitions.
Furthermore, Ecomuseum cooperates with public sector actors, civil society organizations,
enterprises from the tourism industry and research institutes, to exchange the best practices and
experience. Nowadays it is known for its merits in preservation of the local rural traditions and
promotion of those at international level. The association was presented as a "best practice
example" at Conference of the International Committee for Museums of Ethnography (ICME) the
International Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and University of
Leicester's School of Museum Studies. In 2016 the staff members attended the "Collection
Management Training" course held by Fionn Zarubica.
Ecomusum throught different project helped and encouraged local producers (workshops with
debates on turning an idea into a sustainable project for EU funding with a special focus on the
projects in the fields of the agri-food sector and taking immediate actions to change the future
perspectives; presentation and degustation of the local products and regional Bio products, Traveling
festival of the Istrian products;, info-desk dedicated to the local farmers, producers, crafts about EU
programs, opportunities, rights and duties) to take an additional action and network them for mutual
growth. In 2019, the association became a part of the global Slow food movement and was
recognized as the best example in Europe in the preservation of the agri-food heritage of Istria in
promotion and preservation of the traditional resources of Istrian County.

Ecomuseum is an active partner in the International development centre (IDC) – the initiator of
sustainable development projects encouraging large-scale positive change. The Center works with
the aim of territorial, professional, business, and personal development through education,
information, networking, collaboration, and design. The Center is open to all stakeholders in
development projects at the local, regional, European and international levels. The users of the
Center are potential, beginner and experienced entrepreneurs, unemployed – especially vulnerable
groups (young people, women, people with special needs…), youngsters, local community, civil,
private, and public sector employees, decision-makers.

The Center is coordinated by the Informo Association (Croatia) while co-operation with national and
international partners ensure a high level of education, information, and networking. One of the
results of the Center's activities is the Internatural Changemakers festival – Festival of Territorial
Regeneration in Vodnjan, on which Association Informo and Association Istrian de Dignan work
closely to encourage the opinion of every member of the community to be heard, that local
problems get new scenarios to solve with the direct participation of local stakeholders, authorities
and foreign experts!
Ecomuseum was involved in various local and international events: Leron Festival (International Folk
Festival); Days of New Olive Oil – olive oil fair which brings together olive oil makers from the region
and abroad; Dignana Jones – event for children aiming at discovering cultural places in Vodnjan and
many others. Furthermore, Ecomuseum organizes courses and workshops on valorization of local
products and traditional arts and crafts directly contributing to local development.
These are not the only educational activities we organize: the association runs a project called
Didactic farm to encourage the connection school children of the local elementary school of Vodnjan-
Dignano to think and act green, respecting nature and the value of traditionally grown food. The
activities of the project aim to teach and transfer the knowledge of rural activities to pupils.
Furthermore, most of the indoor events are held in our House of Tradition, where guided tours
through the permanent exhibitions and Istrian traditional identity also take place.

Through the ;Rural Women to Sustainable Food and Farming – Fresh Food from Farm to Table
(RWSFF) KA2 Erasmus+ project we contributed to rural women’s empowerment by encouraging new
trends “Fresh Food Economy” and agricultural entrepreneurship, as well as additional farm-related
segments of the rural economy, contributing to generating income and employment, taking into
account the adaptability of methods and technologies to meet local conditions in each partner's
country. The focus was on social inclusion to enhance access for disadvantaged people, especially for
participants from vulnerable categories, such as rural women, small-scale farmers who are located in
less-favoured areas, facing with social exclusion and limited market entry due to lack of
entrepreneurial skills. Through the project, we provided mechanisms and a platform for women to
mutually connect and share their knowledge and experience, as well as tools to make them easier to
market entry and gain entrepreneurial skills. In addition to educating rural women, the project
enlightened public awareness of the need to boost the local economy and buy fresh food from the
local market.
The association implemented many different projects aimed to increase awareness on active
European citizenships and European values as sustainable development in order to promote
internationalization of the region. Among these, Istrian de Dignan has been coordinating and
partnering particularly in Erasmus+ projects, as well as hosting EVS volunteers for the last 5 years and
hopefully in the future. This is contributing to improve the organization and professional and
personal skills of the volunteers and of the staff. Promoting Erasmus+ programme is having an
important impact on the local community, contributing to share European values at all levels. Also
our organization is participating as an associated partner in the Italy-Croatia Crossborder
Cooperation for the period 2014-2020, under the Interreg programme.

[Author]

Posts