Lalibela is one of Ethiopia’s most remarkable cultural heritage sites, famous for its 11 rock-hewn churches carved directly into solid volcanic rock in the 12th–13th centuries. Built as a “New Jerusalem,” these churches are still active places of worship and pilgrimage today. Lalibela shows the deep connection between faith, culture, history, and the natural landscape, and it represents the creativity, spirituality, and identity of the Ethiopian people. From Asefa B

The Pieve has an incredible history: it was one of the most important churches during the Middle Ages on Elba Island. Pope Gregory XI celebrated mass there on his return from the Avignonese exile. It was attacked and destroyed first by the corsair Barbarossa and later by Dragut. Finally, during Napoleon’s rule over the island, it was converted into a cemetery.

It was very difficult to open the Pieve to visitors, both because it had been closed for many years (and therefore forgotten even by locals), because it is very small and was damaged by the raids of the Barbary corsairs and also, the uncontrolled use of concrete has ruined the surrounding area.

We included the Pieve in a trekking route that starts at the Sea Museum, follows the “old caulking path” once used by sailors traveling by mule to reach the port, and ends at the Pieve. To further enrich the walk and increase participation, we offered discounts to all residents of the Tuscan Archipelago, mixing history with local micro-history and anecdotes.

To complete the experience, a different artist joins us on each excursion and creates small artistic interpretations inside the Pieve at the end of the route.

We started with very low participation. Today, this project is part of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, and the events are almost always sold out, with both tourists and local residents.

Learners (usually local students) in turn pick a photo and discuss its meaning and how it connects to the BR.

Every time the discussion unveils something new, an existing probably unvalorised piece of knowledge, a custom or a practice connected with their grandparents, their parents or even themselves.

Since 2015, the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve has facilitated eco-educational programmes for communities, under-resourced schools, youth groups, and community-based NPOs. Early initiatives focused on outdoor learning through eco-educational hikes and camps, foster a connection between people and nature. A spirit of place. Over the years, the lack of hands-on, practical learning opportunities that allow youth and teachers alike to meaningfully engage with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) subjects beyond the blackboard, was noted.

In response, the Education on the Move concept was born in 2018 and evolved into a fully equipped mobile educational trailer in 2021. This “classroom on wheels” delivers immersive, curriculum-aligned STEAM learning directly to schools and communities, removing geographic barriers to quality education. The STEAM program is developed in accordance with national education policies, promoting the integration of Education for Sustainable Development into formal and informal education systems. Workshops include biodiversity exploration, digital microscopy, drone technology, water system evaluations and citizen science initiatives. The educational resources namely focus on natural heritage, however cultural heritage is brought into the facilitation and teaching approach, creating an open dialogue around natural and cultural heritage with learners and teachers alike.

Additional link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YzVBWB5kI0

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve was also a participant in the Be Resilient project (South Africa). Our citizen science story focused on river monitoring education and connection to natural and cultural heritage, through learning about the river and all the life it holds, from source to sea. Exposing people in communities to citizen science, and training them in river monitoring methods, also fostered their connection to the river running through or by their communites (and how it links to the sea). Why is is important to look after it. So much more could be said, but I will keep it short for the purpose of sharing briefly in this slido.

Part of initiatives focused on helping children to develop a sense of place and an understanding of where they live, as well as building knowledge about emblematic plant and animal species and the main tourist routes in the area. A range of educational activities were organized, including open-air lessons and themed events involving students from the town of Assenovgrad.

In addition to the open-air lessons, a city-wide "Festival of Crafts and Flavours" was held in October, bringing together local producers, craftsman, local organisations. The festival featured a public stage where all schools in town took part with students actively contributing through performances and presentations, turning the event into a shared celebration of local heritage, nature, and community.

Within the framework of the club, young participants engage in hands-on creative activities using clay that they collect themselves from the natural environment. They learn how to identify suitable clay sources, clean the material of organic matter and stones, and prepare it for modeling. Their work is inspired by the Neolithic settlement mounds located within the biosphere reserve, as well as by ceramic artifacts discovered there and currently exhibited in museums.

The process of locating clay in nature, particularly along riverbanks, fosters respect for the protected area and its ecosystems. Working with purified clay introduces participants to ancient techniques and long-forgotten crafts, encourages creativity, and builds an understanding of the close relationship between natural resources and the cultural practices of Neolithic societies.

The stages of construction, modeling, drying, burnishing with a stone, and firing in pits dug into the ground allow young people to step away from the digital and technological world. Through this experience, they gain an appreciation of the time, effort, and skills required to create even small objects of significant personal and cultural value.

Participants also interact with local residents, explore the territory of the biosphere reserve, learn about local traditions, and become familiar with the cultural heritage of the area, while continuously encountering its natural heritage, including protected plant species, birds, and wildlife.

The overall objective of the club is to cultivate in young people a lasting appreciation for nature and culture, to develop patience and a sense of community beyond the digital environment, and to encourage engagement with archaeological research through the study of scientific publications and catalogs in state archives and national museums, as well as through visits to these institutions.

A picture of Neolithic house created by club members is visible in the header.

Our Facebook page for more info: https://www.facebook.com/Experimental.Archaeology.Club/

Amal (which means "Hope" in Arabic) supports women from vulnerable backgrounds in the countryside of Marrakech a very important tourist region of Morocco, they train women to professional culinary arts of Morocco, professional service, and "soft skills" like French and English communication, to help them enter the professional domain of employment, they also make cookery classes for tourists and have their own restaurant to share this art with local and tourists customers. They win the hard bet to combine : Social and economic empowerment of women in vulnerable situation, the preservation and transmission of an ancestral heritage of Moroccan Cuisine and the valorization of this heritage by presenting it to the tourists...

Hasnae LOUTFI

Morocco