|
|
||
|
KRUSEVO ETHNO - TOWN History of Krusevo- impulse of its future development
|
|
2009 Krusevo ethno town
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2002
2001
2000
|
BBC World News report on YouTube:
|
||
|
Introduction: This year, 2008 Krusevo lives its 105 years jubilee of the Ilinden uprising. At the dawn of the twentieth century the uprising manifested the defiance against the Ottoman Empire and resulted in founding of the first Republic in the Balkans. It has been arousing interest among the public and it can be a strong impulse for the future, primarily for the tourist development of Krusevo. Besides its interesting history, Krusevo has also a great natural potential for the development of tourism throughout the year, and together with the rich historical and urban tradition should be treated as a serious challenge on the part of the local government for defining the future developing tendencies of this picturesque town.
The project ”Revival of the Ilinden uprising” is projected as a huge, organized, stage performance taking place during the summer period with an authentic scenography – on the streets of Krusevo. The project is seen as a historical time travel and with the help of 200 participants recruited from local people and dressed in costumes of Komiti (Macedonian Revolutionaries) Turks, landlords, craftsmen and innkeepers, the project will revive the historical atmosphere from the year 1903. The people on the streets will carry out their everyday duties and they will at the same time animate the tourists. Their costumes, their active participation on the picturesque streets of Krusevo, are going to offer an attractive programme to the visitors, inviting them to see the monuments: Mechkin Kamen, Gumenje, “Makedonium” monument of the Ilinden uprising, gallery of Nikola Martinovski, the Bazaar, town churches, woodlan and etc.
Goals of the Project: simulated historical lesson - it would be a review of the knowledge for this important historical episode for the Macedonian tourists, whereas it would be a great possibility for introducing the foreign tourists with the dramatic ten days of the Krusevo republic and as well as with the events full of tension before and after it development and growth of small businesses – this kind of “historical theatre” or revived history would be a great impulse for flow of tourists and it would make revival of the hotels, restaurants, trade, craft and other tourist businesses that are running the risk of being brought to an end motivation and active participation of the people in Krusevo, raising their entrepreneur initiative, mutual sense for the value of the cultural and historic tradition, raising the solvency and the standard of the local people.
Project Description: The beginning of the project will be marked with an open workshop in which all the people who are interested in the project and who have entered into the audition are going to participate. The workshop will make the participants be fully aware of project’s idea and will also serve as a coordinator of their roles during the so called “historical theatre”. The “local actors” will learn their “parts” and together with their coordinators they will arrange the play. After the training, the participants will get appropriate historical costumes. Each group will have its own coordinators. For the purpose of successful popularization and motivation of the local people, many well-known persons from the country and the region, dressed in historical costumes will share their experience of the glorious revolutionary tradition in Krusevo. During the workshop, the local people will be appropriately instructed how to make good use of the increased number of tourists i.e. how to increase the profit and develop small businesses. A great support will be given by many artists, famous craftsmen, poets, cultural associations, music bands, famous music stars, theatrical groups, politicians, non-governmental organizations, sports associations etc. They will be part of the big initiative how to attract more and more tourists in Krusevo. A strong advertising campaign aimed towards the tourists is going to be designed to support the realization of the following project. The media and many friends from Macedonia and Krusevo will be involved in the campaign.
Time of Realization: According to our plans, the workshops for the training of town people, interested in the project, will take place in the beginning of June. The official start of the project is planned to be on the fifth of July, the time when many important persons from the state government come in Krusevo and in a witty designed ceremony they will announce that they are here to organize the Ilinden Uprising again, promoting Krusevo as a new tourist destination in Europe. The “New Manifesto of Krusevo” may be read and using the original tone they will call the future visitors: “Come forward, brothers, irrespective of your creed and race, let’s enjoy in Krusevo”… and similar paraphrases of the Manifesto. The culmination of the whole project will be in the period from the second till the twelfth of August, so called “Ten days of the Krusevo Republic”. During this period many tourists and reporters from all over the country and the whole region are planned to visit Krusevo. The project will be closed on the twenty-fifth of August on religious holiday Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Innovation The model of the theatrical simulation of the true historical events is considered to be innovative and inspiring. It attracts tourists and motivates the local people in a very witty and nice manner and it has also never been seen before in our country. This kind of method for promotion of historical tradition can not be seen in any part of Europe. So, the expected good results would be taken as a model for revival of the cultural heritage and historical tradition of other regions, as well.
Sustainability The sustainability of this project is predicted by the future incorporation of the commercial sector with the direct financing in the project activities. In the period of three years we expect this project to finance itself from the business sector and from the predicted tourist development in Krusevo.
Expected results On the international scene, investing in the promotion of its cultural and historical heritage, Macedonia can expect positive results in the development of a very popular, cultural and alternative tourism and strong national identity at home. The brand new, creative and interactive methods for advertising are modern, efficient prerequisites for a success of the actions taken in the national strategy for tourist promotion of Macedonia (in this case Krusevo). The expected success of this project is to be long –termed and touches many points: - - attracting tourists from Macedonia and from abroad - - promotion of the cultural and historical heritage of the country, direct popularization of the Ilinden Uprising and Krusevo Republic as the first Republic in the Balkans - - development of small businesses in Krusevo as well as raising the standard of living enovation of the cultural and historical facilities in Krusevo through the system of self-sustainability, enabling a long-term financial profitability - - motivation of the young generation of Krusevo to remain in the town and to prevent the “brain drain” in this region - - promotion of the birthplace and eternal home of the biggest Macedonian pop-star Tose Proeski.
* All these projects give the structure of the initiative “ Krusevo ethno-town”, which with the partnership between NGO “Prima-centar” and local government of Krusevo in the following 5 years, predicts a complete reanimation of the town as a new attraction on the regional tourist map. The slogan of the initiative would be “ Krusevo-town of heroes and good people”. The slogan will be written on 12, 15 billboards at the entrance of town, together with the images of Ilinden revolutionaries as well as with the image of Tose Proeski (in agreement with the foundation bearing his name). The promotion of this initiative will be followed by intensive medium campaign in Macedonia and the region, with special show by Christopher Deliso on Travel Channel and also with the specially designed souvenirs and handcrafts typical for Krusevo. The historical theatre that is going to take place on the streets of Krusevo is considered to be the strongest challenge for the tourists. In the atmosphere of historical tradition, their presence in Krusevo will be planned in details – till 2nd of August, Turks and Komiti and till 12th of August only the Komiti. After the collapse of Krusevo Republic the Turkish soldiers are for the first time back on the streets of Krusevo, but in a good and creative manner.
We expect that this initiative with the slogan “Krusevo, town of heroes” will bring about the final result - “Krusevo, town of many tourists”.
|
||
