Preparations for a joint management organisation of the World Heritage Site were continued

The third workshop of the Local Support Group, which aims to prepare a joint management organisation for the World Heritage Site Fertő/Neusiedler See, was held on 2 March 2022 in Fertőszéplak.

In the summer of 2021, CESCI was entrusted by the Hungarian Council of the Fertő Landscape World Heritage Association to prepare a feasibility study for the establishment of a joint cross-border management organisation for the World Heritage Site within the framework of the Common Heritage (ATHU136) project. The project was launched with participatory planning, which led to the establishment of the Local Support Team (’HTCS’). The main objects of the first HTCS meeting (held on 28 September 2021 in Kismarton) were to establish a framework for joint work, to develop and strengthen links between regional participants and to identify the willingness to cooperate. During the second workshop (held on 10 November 2021 in Fertőszéplak) four cooperation models were presented, of which a combination of two models (the so-called reference model and the coordination platform) based on the suggestions of the participants of the meeting, was developed for the third workshop (2 March 2022, Fertőszéplak).

The third workshop focused on presenting and clarifying the organisational issues and decision points (e.g. structure, operating principles) resulting from the combination of the above mentioned two models. Based on the suggestions and reflections of the participants, CESCI will prepare the proposal for the development of the joint management organisation in two languages (Hungarian and German) by 11 March 2022. Thereafter the Hungarian Council of the Fertő Landscape World Heritage Association and the Verein Welterbe Neusiedler See can decide about the proposal and start implementing cross-border organisational development, which will be supported and monitored professionally by CESCI for a further year.