In the Kaliningrad region the project is generally aiming at women from remote areas living close to nature. The project kick of meeting took place in Tchernyakhovsk at the end of January and brought together 26 women of various ages with backgrounds in such fields as local gastronomy, jewellery, ceramics, textile, photography, contemporary arts, production of souvenirs (wood, amber), botany/nature protection and organization of tourism. During the meeting participants presented their experience through the lenses of connection to heritage and creativity and discussed the needs which the project could address. It became obvious that participants’ skills development needs comprise two dimensions:

– technological / digital– for example, knowing more about Instagram algorithms or on how to develop and position a personal brand, how to tell their stories etc and

– conceptual – how to link history and crafts with today, with the territory, its natural, historical and cultural heritage, how to rethink heritage and reinterpret old practices. This need is probable predetermined by the specific history of the Kaliningrad region and its very multilayered and complex heritage.

The project team will further address these needs in a serious of events planned in several locations in the region, such as, for example Curonian Spit, Krasnolesye, suburbs of Kaliningrad etc.