SURCH Social Inclusion in Urban Regeneration through Cultural Heritage

The network report June 2007

This project is partly co-financed by the European Union SURCH Contents

Preface By Paul Borg Olivier, Mayor of Valletta

Introduction Objectives Methodology Layout of the report

The cities and the case studies Athens - Kolokynthou Cork - Docklands Kaunas – Castle Nicosia – Eastern part of Walled City Valletta

The development of themes and issues Coordination between public authorities and private developers/other stakeholders Community involvement in reuse and preservation The role of culture in bringing people together and developing confidence in economic development Encouraging support of local events and traditions that give a sense of identity and involvement Institutional solutions and forms of collaboration which inform the participants of the project

The conclusions Cultural Heritage Social Inclusion Lessons for the future Questions still remaining Next steps

Appendix The partners The experts

“Every inch of soil bears witness to its culture and history, a unique privilege which, however, creates for us a serious obligation to protect such a heritage" (Melina Merkouri)

“Our city is our community, our community is our capital” (Valletta mission statement)

SURCH 3 Preface Paul Borg Olivier, Mayor of Valletta

The citizen, traditions, cultural heritage and development are characteristics that necessarily need to remain stitched together in any social fabric going through urban renewal.

The Thematic Network SURCH gives at its basis the task to study and ex- plore the trends and methods needed to retain, and support citizen-inclusive measures in urban regeneration projects.

Cultural Heritage, in its widest form of definition is a strong tool to maintain and co-involve citizens experiencing change and development at their door- step.

The cultural identity and the local spirit are key factors to be retained in pro- jects of urban renewal so as not to develop a faceless project straight from a plan senseless to the citizens of the area.

The Network has brought together local politicians, urban planners, and lo- cal authority administrators from Valletta (Malta), Athens (Greece), Nicosia (Cyprus), Cork (Ireland) and Kaunas (Lithuania).

It is an experience from the Irish Docklands of Cork to the Harbour of Val- letta in Malta, and from the Eastern Area of the Walled City of Nicosia or the Cow Stables regeneration project for its people in Athens, to the Castle in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Urbact has served as a bridge of experience in this Network to three cities out of five coming from the new acceded countries joining the European Un- ion in 2004.

SURCH Introduction

SURCH is a network of five cities within the European Union – Athens (Greece), Cork (Ireland), Kaunas (Lithuania), Nicosia (Cyprus) and Valletta (Malta). The network is part of the EU URBACT programme, and it explores their experience of urban regeneration with a focus on social inclusion through the active use of cultural heritage. The five cities – as partners in the project – have shared and aggregated their expertise, have developed new knowledge in this field through exchange and have fed the results back into their daily work with local partners.

The network focused on cultural heritage as the basis of social inclusion, and in particular on ♦ creating mutual understanding between the local actors in urban regen- eration ♦ promoting inclusion of communities in decision making and benefit- sharing from redevelopment and ♦ contributing to intercultural awareness and understanding of values from local community level, to national, trans-national and European levels

This report is the result of the five cities meeting over a period of15 months, considering case study areas and looking at their own cities through the eyes of the other partner cities.

Objectives

The network aimed to achieve the following:

♦ a balanced multilateral learning in urban planning and management ♦ a focus on including neighbourhood communities into the process of ne- gotiation between the developers and authorities, cross-fertilising the redevelopment from an early stage, throughout conceiving, planning, decision making, implementation and operation of redeveloping the in- dustrial areas and new developments in historic neighbourhoods ♦ understanding the cultural, social and economic continuity of new com- mercial undertakings sourced in existing cultural, spatial and socioeco- nomic patterns of the existing communities ♦ exploring and validating a variety of institutional settings and agents through which the social inclusion can be implemented such as urban regeneration companies, neighbourhood agencies, public-private part- nerships, and other institutions existing in partner cities.

SURCH 5

Methodology

The network was led by the City of Valletta and it brought together a group of cities that had a range of experience in urban regeneration. Each city hosted a workshop or seminar that included a visit to the city’s own case study. The case study was written up using a framework developed for SURCH, and also using the URBACT standard format for posting on the URBACT website.

During the working sessions the cities: ♦ Analysed the case study areas using a series of themes and sub-themes. Each City then undertook the leadership of a main theme ♦ Using a matrix approach, identified the priority themes for their individual city and the network ♦ Drawing on the case studies and the experience of SURCH, collectively considered what is meant by the phrases ‘Cultural Heritage’ and ‘Social Inclusion’ ♦ Drew conclusions on how the active use of cultural heritage can help the promotion of social inclusion in urban regeneration ♦ Considered what the network should do next

Layout of the report

The rest of this report follows the partners through this journey, with chapters on: ♦ the case studies ♦ the development of themes and issues ♦ the conclusions Inevitably, this report covers only part of the discussions that took place. The SURCH website (www.urbact.eu/projects/surch/home.html) has detailed pa- pers, from which this report is drawn.

SURCH The Cities and their case study areas

This chapter sets out a summary of the case studies for each of the five cities. More extensive versions of the case studies are in the URBACT website.

CASE STUDY Athens Kolokynthou Cow Stables

The Athens case study is in the neighbourhood of Kolo- kynthou, a sub district of the 4th Municipal District, lo- cated in Western Athens. Kolokynthou is the most de- prived neighbourhood in Athens, with a different demo- graphic profile than the rest of the city, a high proportion of non-nationals, high unemployment, low incomes, low educational attainment, large areas used for transportation maintenance, high levels of pollution, poor sanitary infra- structure, and abandoned buildings.

The 4th Municipal District has a population of 93,000 out of the city’s population of 780,000 (Metropolitan Athens has a population of 4.5 million). 18% of the district’s population are non-nationals (11% are of Albanian ori- Key Points gin). While the city’s population has dropped by 3% since Athens 1991; the 4th District has grown by 43%. Unemployment Capital of Greece is 13.2% compared to the City average of 10% - but more Population (metropolitan area) than 50% have been unemployed for more than 2 years 4.5million 212 different nationalities and more than 50% have no specialisation. th 4 District - Kolokynthou Population: 92,805 Kolokynthou has therefore been identified as an area Unemployment: 13.2% (City 10%) requiring ‘Integrated Urban Development’. The regenera- ♦ the most socially excluded tion project intends to improve the quality of life for the neighbourhood in Athens residents by: ♦ large areas used for transporta- tion maintenance ♦ creating new jobs ♦ poor environment ♦ providing support to the social, cultural and sport ♦ fast growing Key Cultural Heritage issues: life ♦ using an historic building to cre- ♦ tacking social cohesion and inclusion of immi- ate a community facility grants ♦ using an historic building as a base for social inclusion pro- ♦ improving environmental conditions grammes (e.g. job creation)

♦ improving the environment around the building Development of an historic building as a key to Social Inclusion issues: regeneration ♦ high levels of non-nationals The Cow Stables building is formally designated as a ♦ long term unemployment historically protected monument. It was part of the mu- ♦ low educational attainment nicipal foundling hospital, founded in 1924 and its con-

SURCH 7 struction was completed in 1927. With the end of the First World War, the continuation of war in the territories of Minor Asia and its destruction created problems in the country (380.000 families reduced to poverty from Minor Asia and the region of Pontos came to Greece asking asylum) in 1920 almost daily three new children reached the Municipal Crèche, whilst 1 out of 7 children that were given birth in Athens was led to the institution. The result was that the nutrition needs of infants and children were increased, which led to the foundation of the Cow Stables.

The regeneration plan is to restore and preserve the building as a multipurpose cultural centre and as a centre for creative activities for disadvantaged children. It will provide social services and support for local employment and entrepreneurship initiatives, including a network of the local labor and enterprises, the creation of new jobs and support to local businesses.

Within the building, in the basement, there will be workshops rooms for handicraft (woodcarving, painting, clay modelling and pottery) classes and seminars and advisory services for diverse so- cial groups, and on the first floor there will be a multi-purpose hall with the capacity of 200 peo- ple.

The Cow Stables will also be the focus of the reorganization of the urban fabric of the neighbour- hood. It aims to improve the quality of life for the residents by creating quality places for pedes- trian movement, by discouraging car use in favour of urban transportation, and tackling the im- pacts of the METRO – increased traffic and parking problems the due to the operation of the Sepolia METRO station, and the noise and visual intrusion created by the METRO repairing installations. It will also focus on new commercial and industrial undertakings that are more suited to the area. Kolokynthou should then regain its residential character.

The project leader and manager has been AEDA (Municipality of Athens Development Agency). AEDA was established in 1996 as a private enterprise company with its main shareholder the Municipality of Athens. The project has involved a consortium partnership `Group of Cooperat- ing Organizations' including the Municipality of Athens, education, training, advisory, commer- cial and voluntary organisations. The participation of local residents was arranged through a pro-

SURCH Comments on the Case Study

This project uses an existing piece of architectural cultural heritage to provide the physical foundation for the regeneration of a neighbourhood. By developing an exist- ing building it provides an opportunity for local people who may be ‘socially excluded’ to identify with the neighbourhood as it is improved and to participate in the improvement process, and thus develop self confidence and skills. It is using the cultural heritage as a catalyst for change. The re-used building provides a focal point for the community as well as facilities for developing programmes that lead to higher level jobs and higher education performance, and thus higher incomes and social inclusion. In Kolokynthou it is also the visible beginning of a process of reordering a neighbourhood, of re- establishing the neighbourhood as a place to live, work and play, and therefore a tangi- ble indication to local people of the seriousness with which the Municipality takes the regeneration of the area. The Cow Stables project is a beacon for the future of the area. While this may be seen as a traditional approach to regen- eration, it has proved to be effective in many cities.

SURCH 9 CASE STUDY Cork Docklands Cork Docklands provides a unique opportunity to build a new urban quarter with both employment and housing opportunities with high quality design adjacent to and integrated with the City Centre. Key Points Cork Cork City is the major urban centre of the South West Ireland’s second city Region of Ireland. At the regional level, socio-economic Population: 300,000 (city and region) indicators demonstrate below average disadvantage. Unemployment 2007: 7% (city) However the City demonstrates above average levels of (National 4.4%:) disadvantage. Key indicators of disadvantage in the City Cork Docklands are the facts that: Population: 500 (existing) approx 20,000 (proposed) ♦ 40% of its population live in areas designated under Land to be developed: 66ha; 4km the National Government’s RAPID (areas of disad- waterfront Plan: 10,000 new homes vantage) Programme; 600,000m2 of new non- It recorded an unemployment rate in 2002 of 12.4% residential uses (offices, retail, cul- ♦ ture, leisure) compared with the then national average of 8.4%. Timetable: 15-25 years The current national unemployment rate is 4.4% and Key cultural Heritage issues: it is estimated that the rate for Cork City is at least ♦ Using culture to change image of 7%; an area and attract investment Cork Docklands is a significant “brownfield” area of 166 and people hectares with a current population of about 500 persons. ♦ Integrating historic buildings into a It occupies an area of land which is almost three times new quarter the size of the existing city centre area, with a 4 km. ♦ Using the historical architectural stretch of waterfront. and social fabric as a means of re-ordering the new urban struc- The key targets for the area envisaged under the 2001 ture Docklands Development Strategy and initial preparatory ♦ Using arts and culture as a focus research on the South Docks Local Area Plan are 10,000 for new community identity and housing units and 600,000 m2 of non - residential space activity including offices, cultural, educational and leisure uses as Social Inclusion issues: well as new public spaces, pedestrian walkways, marinas ♦ Providing job opportunities for etc. To put the development in context, it is the equiva- people living in areas of social lent of placing a large Irish town with a population of exclusion in surrounding city area some 20,000 persons and an employment population of ♦ Creating a socially balanced new up to 30,000 into a city centre location. community - including social and affordable housing Development of an Arts and Culture Programme and ♦ Providing key community services a General Docklands Events Programme tandem with development includ- ing health, education and commu- The Docklands Directorate is working with the City nity facilities as well as integrated Council’s Arts Office to prepare and implement an Arts transport to make Docklands Programme for Docklands – it is envisaged that the first accessible to people in areas of steps will be to commission and/or sponsor a number of social exclusion projects with the aim of changing the public perception ♦ Creation of Docklands Stake- of Docklands from a place of semi-dereliction/low-value holder Groups to guide and de- employment uses to an exciting and emerging city quar- liver integrated and balanced ter. As first steps in this process the Docklands Director- urban regeneration

SURCH ate has already supported a number of projects included the 'Eyes of the Docks' Exhibition - a multi media exhibition based on the demise of the way of life of the Dockers who worked in the area, a Pinhole Photographic Exhibition set in Docklands and the Cork Midsummer Festival which hopes to attract visitors and people into the area as part of a music and theatre programme. The Directorate is also looking at ways in which the arts can be provided with workshop and exhibition space and is seeking to devise policy objectives to support this aim as part of the preparation of the South Docks Local Area Plan. Other events sponsored by the Directorate in-

clude the Ocean to City Rowing Race and the Live at the Marquee Music Events in 2007 encour- aging people to visit a part of the City which they might not otherwise. Development of a Conservation and Urban Design Framework A Local Area Plan for the South Docks Area is currently being prepared by Consultants which will devise a planning and urban design framework for the area. In terms of Conservation this Local Area Plan has been prepared in consultation with the Heritage Officer, Conservation Offi- cer and the City Archaeologist to ensure that the heritage fabric of the area is conserved and re- used in a positive manner in order to create a sense of place in the new area. As well as being of architectural interest the industrial fabric of the area are imbued with important historical and

SURCH 11 psychological meanings for Cork people. For example the former Ford Motor Assembly plant is on international architectural significance having been designed by Ford’s Architect Albert Kahn yet also employed generations of Cork people before the economic down turn of the 1980s. The imaginative re-use of heritage buildings in Docklands will be important in establishing a new and positive identity for Docklands and avoiding the 'placelessness' often associated with Dockland areas. These buildings also hold opportunities to serve as anchors of community participation – either through their future use for civic/community or arts based purposes. Again the South Docks Local Area Plan is developing objectives to ensure this. Finally the Local Area Plan has been developed along the principles of sustainable development with the neighbourhood and district centres focussed on high quality public transport nodes and the principle of providing 20% of development land for the purposes of social and affordable housing. These principles in conjunction with the development of community facilities such as schools, parks, health services etc as well as larger 'family type' housing units will help to encourage the development of a bal- anced and sustainable community in Docklands.

Development of Docklands Stakeholder For a, Docklands Policy Committee and Employ- ment Task Force A number of Docklands Stakeholder Fora have been established including an Arts and Culture Group, a Public Services Group, a major Landowners Group and a general Docklands Stake- holder Group. These groups were established to disseminate information on the progress of devel- opment in Docklands and to provide a forum through which the lead actors in developing the area could come together to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of the key elements of the development. A Docklands Policy Committee has also been established made up of Councillors from the full City Council. This Group advises the City Council on policies and plans to secure the develop- ment of Cork Docklands; monitors the implementation of these policies and plans and provides a conduit for securing political support at national level so that sufficient and appropriate resources are committed to the development of Cork Docklands In addition to the Stakeholder Fora, a Docklands Employment Task Force has also been estab- lished. A Study is currently underway to assess the ways in which the employment and residential opportunities proposed by the redevelopment of Docklands may be spread through out the whole of the City and in particular amongst the 'RAPID' areas of disadvantage. This Study will examine opportunities such as in the area of construction and in the later stages service sector.

SURCH Comments on the case study

While the Cork Case study is Docklands, this is not just about the regeneration of a neighbourhood. It is about city regeneration. Docklands has few existing residents - and they are not necessarily ‘socially excluded’ nor particularly detached from the rest of the city. In Cork, those people who could be categorized as ‘socially excluded’ are more likely to be found in estates on the periphery of the city. Docklands is an opportunity to provide them with opportunities for employment, transport, leisure and housing, In addi- tion it is expected that at least 20% of the new inhabitants in Docklands will be living in social and ‘affordable’ housing; and this will include immigrant groups – especially from new EU countries who could be in danger of becoming socially excluded.

The role of arts and culture is an important one as part of the regeneration plan. Its role is to help change the image of the area and to attract (market) people to live and work there – i.e. culture as an enabler. In addition arts and culture have a role in embedding the new urban and community structure through providing space for the arts and com- munity uses and using the existing architectural framework to create a new sense of place in Docklands. ..

The regeneration project is about creating a new balanced and diverse community that is an extension and supporter of the existing city centre's role as the economic driver of the Cork Region.

The creation of a high quality environment in Docklands is key to the regeneration both in terms of physical surroundings and the quality of life Aspirations are high. The newly completed city centre public realm improvements and new developments along the river frontage that links the city centre to Docklands set the tone for future regeneration. The Docklands project will act as a model for contemporary urban regeneration based on sound principles of sustainability. Delivery systems (enabling mechanisms) have been developed to ensure high quality in the end project in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability.

SURCH 13 CASE STUDY Kaunas Old Town - Kaunas Castle

Kaunas is Lithuania’s second city with a population of 361,930. It has played a strategically important role from the military and trade perspective. It is at the centre of Lithuania both from the geographical as well as economic point of view. From the economic point of view Kaunas region remains a strong indus- trial centre producing more than 20% of the national GDP. Kaunas is leading in the number of qualified employees and is overtaking the capital city in the sectors of information technology and innovations.

Kaunas Old Town is the second largest in the coun- try; it is the city’s historic core and contains many buildings of architectural merit and has a fine urban landscape. However, the potential of the Old Town has never been realised. It is isolated from the rest of the city as it sits on a peninsula formed by the conflu- ence of the rivers Nemunas and Neris. While it has many fine buildings, it lacks cafes, hotels, interpreta- tion and other tourist attractions that would encour- age local people and visitors to the area.

The Kaunas case study is centred on the development of Kaunas Castle, for which Kaunas City Municipal- ity has prepared a feasibility study. The Castle has very important architectural, historic and urban value for the City. The goals of the project of Kaunas Cas- tle regeneration are:

♦ To develop public tourism infrastructure and public services, which will attract private invest- ment ♦ To meet needs of strategic focus groups of tour- ism (active recreation and cultural tourism)

Kay Points ♦ To create and to develop public services Kaunas Lithuania’s Second City ♦ To improve the image of Kaunas (as well as Population: 358,107 Lithuania) as a tourism destination Unemployment : 2.4%(national 3.7%) Old Town: These goals are to be met by the restoration of Kau- Population: up to 3000 nas Castle and the improvement of the Old Town Castle regeneration around the Castle. Three different versions were pre- Key Cultural Heritage issues: pared for the restoration of Kaunas Castle: ♦ Public investment in castle to change image of an area and ♦ Minimal treatment in which only part of the de- attract investment and people fence wall would be restored. Social Inclusion issues: ♦ Make local people aware of their ♦ Restoration building on the current foundations cultural heritage and thus instil pride, and employment in tourism ♦ The whole of Kaunas Castle would be restored

SURCH Kaunas Castle restoration project was presented to the Kaunas population in order to know their opinion during the spring of 2006. The larger part of all the participants of the survey gave their votes for the third version of Kaunas Castle restoration. It means that Kaunas citizens would like to have the whole Kaunas Castle restored and which can then be used for different cultural, edu- cational, scientific, public and other events.

Following the public participation phase, the Kaunas City Council has approved the first version for the restoration of Kaunas Castle. It is for minimal treatment in which only part of the defence wall would be restored. The proposals have been submitted to the Norwegian Financial Mecha- nism and the European Economic Area for financial support. The implementation of the second and third versions may be possible in the future and the decision depends on needs and finance.

Within the Old Town, the Council has been encouraging the re-use and modernization of historic buildings, such as the Kaunas Old Town private clinic which is has restored the old Synagogue, and the Kaunas Jesuit Gymnasium. Not all the owners are happy to invest; in particular the major stakeholder – the Roman Catholic Church – is unwilling to enter into dialogue on development of its properties.

Comments on the case study

Kaunas Old Town is another classic model of using the regeneration of an historic building to transform the whole area. In this case, the area is excluded from the rest of the city – and indeed the rest of the country because it has been a forgotten area and does not attract visitors from elsewhere in the city or abroad. People in Kaunas are ex- cluded from their history because of this.

The long term strategy to restore the Castle has provided the opportunity to expose the citizens of Kaunas to their pre-Soviet heritage. The decision to consult widely on options for restoration - which could have been seen as a role for ‘experts’ – has ensured that people have begun to realise the value of their cultural inheritance and has led to the beginnings of private investment in the renewal of the Old Town.

The impact of the investment in the Castle will not only be that of encouraging the pri- vate sector to invest in heritage, but the creation of jobs in a growing tourist market

SURCH 15

CASE STUDY Nicosia – Eastern Area of the Walled City

Following the division of Nicosia and in particular after 1974, the buffer zone and the areas adjacent to it have been subject to physical decay and socio-economic de- cline, with devastating impact on the historic urban fabric and the architectural heritage that the Walled City of Nicosia contains. Investment, economic activity and over- all development were driven away from the centre to the urban fringe and the architectural heritage was abandoned. However, the two major communities of the city, the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities of Nicosia have worked together since 1980 in the context of the bi-communal Nicosia Master Plan (NMP) and created a bi-communal plan for the rational development of the city and a strategy for the regeneration of the centre of Nicosia. These have been adopted by the two communi- ties of Nicosia as a common tool to address the problems of today and preserve the prospect of reunification of the Key Points Nicosia city. Within the framework of the shared Regeneration Capital of Cyprus Strategy, the Eastern part of the Walled City has been a Population: priority area and the focus of a range of priority projects 200,000(Greater Nicosia) for Nicosia Municipality, some of which emanated from 47,832 (Nicosia Municipality bi-communal cooperation in the framework of the NMP. Unemployment :3.5% East Area of Walled City Intervention Scheme for the Revitalization of the East- ern Area of the Walled City ♦ Adjacent to the buffer zone ♦ Subject to physical decay and The study area lies in the eastern part of the Walled City abandonment particularly after and its northern edge is adjacent to the buffer zone. As a 1974 result of its transformation into an “urban frontier”, this ♦ Part of bi-communal develop- previously vibrant area suffered severe depopulation and ment plan decline of economic activity. Its abandoned architectural Key Cultural Heritage issues: heritage was decaying rapidly and incompatible uses in- ♦ Restoration and adaptation of vaded the buildings, causing further severe damage to internationally significant heri- houses and other buildings of the architectural heritage . tage buildings for community The study of the socio-economic profile revealed estab- use and the promotion of lished trends of decrease both of the resident population culture and of the size of households. These trends became in- ♦ Improvement of traditional creasingly acute as the number of refugee households was dwellings for family housing gradually relocated at refugee estates in the periphery of ♦ Upgrading of infrastructure the city and the ageing of the population and other fea- Social Inclusion issues: tures of socioeconomic declined were established. By ♦ Aging population 1984, only 20% of households had children, and only 9% ♦ High levels of low income of population were young children 0-9 years old. The area residents attracted economically inactive, mostly retired residents. ♦ Area regarded as ‘to be Before 1974, 60% of households were owner-occupiers; avoided’ by most of the popu- since 1974, 70% of the residents have been renters. 25% lation of population had settled after 1974 and comprised the ♦ Increasing number of immi- major source of younger and larger families, economically grants active, but low income population.

SURCH

The main goals of the Regeneration Projects for the Eastern Area of the Walled City are:

♦ The integrated physical, social, economic and cultural revitalization of the historic centre in order to retain its important role in the overall development of the city. ♦ To demonstrate that regeneration is possible, and to stimulate private initiative in this direction and the follow up involvement of the private sector through Private Public Partnerships.

A series of priority projects have been focusing not only on the improvement of the built environ- ment and the conservation of the architectural heritage within the area, but also on the social and economic revitalization of the local community. These include the restoration of monuments belonging to the international architectural and cultural heritage to become places of social inter- action, the restoration and adaptation of local traditional housing for family use and the provision of cultural and social infrastructure accessible to wide sections of the population and agencies of the civil society and especially to vulnerable groups of residents . By providing community and other public facilities, giving priority to cultural activities, or by creating new opportunities for employment the projects instigated a slow but sustained, long regeneration process. The com- bined effort has contributed to the complex process of combining heritage led regeneration and social cohesion. The most important projects implemented in the area : 1. The Chrysaliniotissa Rehabilitation Project including the Chrysaliniotissa Kindergarten and the Chrysaliniotissa Community Centre. 2. The restoration of Famagusta Gate (part of the Venetian Walls) as the Cultural Center of the Municipality 3 The restoration of the Old Poorhouse (adjacent to Famagusta Gate) to become a Centre for Contemporary Social Programmes delivered by the Nicosia Municipality Multifunctional Foun- dation 4. The restoration of the Old Power House to accommodate the Municipal Modern Art Center 5. The restoration of a traditional building to function as the Children Educational Center in the context of the Municipal Modern Arts Center 6. The Shadow Theatre Museum 7. The Fourni cultural center and workshop for traditional building materials 8. The Restoration of the Venetian Walls 9. The Omeriye Area Rehabilitation Project , including the restoration and original use of the Omeriye Ottoman Baths and improvements of the public space and the Omeriye Mosque. 10. The New Town Hall – Archaeological Site 11. The restoration of the Taht-el-kale Mosque 12. The Taht-el-Kale area Improvement of the built environment Scheme 13. The restoration of the Old Aqueduct 14. The Illuminated Walking Tour to get to know Nicosia 15. The documentation and structural support of the buildings along the Buffer Zone, within the Walled City.

SURCH 17 The projects have been / are funded by national local government or by USAID and European funds, including preaccession funds for Cyprus and the Structural Funds. Along with these pro- jects, important financial and other conservation incentives are granted by the authorities to the private sector in order to support the restoration and refurbishment of private properties, many of which belong to small property owners. Other schemes and packages of incentives are promoted for all the areas adjacent to the buffer zone area.

Issues identified for assisting the process of social inclusion through heritage led regeneration in this part of the Walled City of Nicosia highlight the significance of a number of tools and mecha- nisms: ♦ The preparation of a detailed Stakeholder map, comprising also an identification of the nature of the local community and the different groups which compose it by a series of social, cul- tural and other attributes, ♦ The creation of a Forum of key stakeholders in the area as the task force for the promotion of a structured Public Participation and Inclusion Plan ♦ Events in the city on a regular basis, in order to approach and involve more closely groups of citizens, including surveys, focus groups, activities drawing on the perceptions and insight of children and other groups etc. ♦ Priority partnership areas for the promotion of PPPs linked to the Public Participation and Inclusion Plan processes

Comment on the case study

The Nicosia case study highlights the combined involvement of the local authorities, the private sector and the local community in the regeneration of an area of signifi- cant cultural heritage. It is a comprehensive approach, which draws together different groups of the local community, on the basis of a strategy jointly formulated by the com- munities across a divide, and tackles years of decay in a systematic and planned way, recognising that change takes time. Understanding the stakeholders, as well as having a detailed knowledge of the physical condition of the area and of the potential of reinte- grating its cultural and architectural assets in the life of the local community and of the city, was a precondition that enabled progress to be made. Adapting traditional cul- tural heritage to modern use requires sensitive interventions such as adapting houses to meet the needs of today’s families; while adapting monuments for community use can provide a basis for social cohesion. Attracting ‘outsiders’ into the area – whether resi- dents of the wider city or foreign tourists – is a core part of re-integrating an area that has been avoided and has become ‘socially excluded’.

SURCH CASE STUDY Valletta

Valletta is the capital of Malta with a population of around 10,000. It is a World Heritage Site. Its history has influ- enced the physical nature of the city, its texture and its society. The population has been affected in the past by war damage, slum clearance, commercial decline and migration to more suburban parts of Malta. Recently, Val- letta has been suffering from congestion, environmental degradation, pollution and mobility and access problems. The Valletta community has changed over the past 50 years and is now more socially and economically deprived than the rest of Malta. The City community is thus suffer- ing segregation or exclusion.

For the SURCH project, the whole city is the case study area. The Valletta project aims to develop a network across political and social boundaries to generate and stimulate community engagement for all people across a diverse background. It has the following objectives:

♦ To develop Social Inclusion Partnerships based around already established agencies and groups as a network to involve excluded groups e.g. ‘new poor’ ♦ To develop schemes of partnership to address the ex- cluded groups through cultural heritage - be it tangible or intangible assets Key Points Valletta ♦ To create areas as recipients where these schemes will Capital of Malta be launched Population: c10,000 (Malta 375,132) ♦ To create and launch a marketing campaign to reach Unemployment: 4.9% out through the Local Councils to the ‘grass roots’ of ♦ Population reduction due to the various communities migration ♦ Congestion Valletta Local Council is building on initiatives already ♦ High levels of in-commuting undertaken in the city it is envisaged that this will bring Key Cultural Heritage issues: improvements to the city’s socially deprived areas and ♦ Whole city is a World Heri- help individuals and families escape poverty. The policy is tage site in its conceptual research and development stage. A focus- ♦ Connecting citizens to this sed policy is emerging to address the following objectives: cultural heritage ♦ Create a long term policy around social inclusion on ♦ Using community based festi- the lines of a citizen’s charter vals to develop a sense of pride ♦ Create a “sense of pride” and belonging and thus im- Social Inclusion Issues: prove the quality of life, including employability pros- ♦ High levels of elderly people pects and health improvements ♦ ‘new poor’ ♦ Create greater opportunities for the residents of Val- ♦ People feel excluded from letta to take part in the many social and cultural events activities of the Capital.

SURCH 19 ♦ Develop a Residents Community Forum to interact and to suggest ideas to develop a cultural identity for their Capital ♦ Improve access to quality services and leisure facilities for disadvantaged social groups - enhancing access to opportunities, entertainment and social interaction ♦ Improve the confidence and skills of children and young people - facilitating access to re- sources ♦ Counteract the effects of the ‘new poor’ by enhancing skills and education of those who have completed their education ♦ Reduce the potential vulnerability of low income families from financial exclusion, through offering greater health, financial and legal advisory services to the local population ♦ Promote community-based cultural activities in the context of Social Inclusion Partnerships covering a diverse range of activities available to all ♦ Audit the programs to establish their contribution to social inclusion and to identify areas of improvement ♦ Disseminate features of good practice and to promote these schemes and reward exemplary individuals.

Heritage in Valletta is no longer viewed as a mere marketable product for tourism development but as an essential ingredient in social cohesion. Valletta has a very rich and diverse history of many festivals and community-based celebrations of local traditions. With the adoption of a pol- icy of promoting cultural activity there will be a range of benefits, probably the most important would be helping people to find previously unrecognised talents, and in raising individual or community self-esteem.

The policy will see the Council undertake the role of “political, cultural and social coordinator”, possibly “sponsoring” either through financial support or through its network of locally based knowledge and contacts a number of locally-based 21 projects, working in partnership with local businesses, community group, religious organisations and the citizens of the capital. The policy will create a strategy tying Social Inclusion Partnerships to Cultural Heritage, with a vision state- ment of ‘Our City is Our Community’.

A number of successes have already indicated that the strategy is likely to be successful: ♦ The Valletta Alive Foundation brings all stakeholders together ♦ ‘Karta tal- Belt’ loyalty cards ♦ Month long BOV Streets Alive programme of events, helping to develop the creative indus- tries, and bringing life to the streets in the evening

SURCH Comment on the case study

This case study covers a whole city – albeit a small one, but with one of the highest den- sities in Europe. It is a microcosm of the issues covered by SURCH – a city with World Heritage Status which immediately puts it into the cultural heritage classification. Within the city, national and local government operate, as does business, retail, tourism and religion. It is the place where national events are held. Its World Heritage Status has disadvantages – it limits new development and over the years, migration of those who seek a lower density life style have left behind a resident population many of whom have become excluded from the rising standard of living experienced elsewhere. But there is another culture in Valletta besides the international one which attracts the tourist. This traditional culture is where local people are involved, and building upon this and the many voluntary organisations that exist, the Council plans to develop a culturally driven economic sector, which will include the citizens in the growing success of the city, and enable them to develop self pride in their internationally recognised heritage.

SURCH 21 The development of themes and issues

SURCH involved partner cities sharing and aggregating their expertise, devel- oping new knowledge through exchange, and feeding the results back into their daily work with their local partners and stakeholders.

The process involved writing the case studies and creating a body of knowl- edge from which the common lessons could be extracted. In parallel, discus- sion on possible themes started at the seminar in Nicosia (The full list of poten- tial themes is on the SURCH website.) There, the partners also noted the themes that are most relevant to their work priorities. During the conference in Cork, the thematic review of the previous work was carried out by the partners and they agreed on 5 main themes, relevant to all partners, and assigned each theme to the partner that had most experience in a particular theme.

This thematic approach helps bringing different experiences together. Whereas the SURCH partners share the goal of using cultural heritage of local communi- ties as an agent of social inclusion, their specific experience has developed within different legal frameworks, by solving different challenges, and within communities with different traditions.

To develop new more generalised knowledge that can be used by the peers of SURCH partners in other cities in Europe, the aggregate of their knowledge needs to be raised to a higher level of abstraction. At the same time, relevance needs to be retained for the SURCH partners. Therefore, the development of the current thematic framework responds to the needs of both generalised and particular objectives of the project.

In the discussions, the following main five themes emerged, with the name of the city taking a lead on that theme:

♦ Partnerships for social projects (Athens) ♦ Instruments of implementation (Cork) ♦ Triggering economic development with social objectives (Kaunas) ♦ Building inclusive partnerships in integrated regeneration schemes (Nicosia) ♦ Involving external stakeholders (Valletta)

For each main theme, the partner was asked to identify a number of issues for further discussion, and to make a link to what had been identified as an initial sub-theme. The results were:

SURCH Main theme: Partnerships for social projects

Possible link to initial sub-theme: Institutional solutions (e.g. Social Inclusion Partnerships)

Development of criteria for social inclusion

Corporate social responsibility

Institutional solutions and forms of collaboration in order to inform the participants of the project

Using cultural heritage for continuity of development programmes.

Main theme: Instruments of implementation - how to make it happen without losing programmed quality Possible link to initial sub-theme: Public authorities and coordination with private developers

Development and implementation of an Arts and Culture Programme for the area

Development of a Conservation and Urban Design framework

Establishment of Stakeholder fora

Main theme: Triggering economic development with social objectives including “difficult” stake- holders Possible link to initial sub-theme: Role of culture in bringing people together and developing confidence in economic development Cultural heritage as buildings to retain and regenerate Private business and property – facilitating maintenance of separate buildings of private owners

Strategic Vision - Cooperation with society

Main theme: Building inclusive partnerships in integrated regeneration schemes

Possible link to initial sub-theme: How to manage the tensions between different goals of regeneration

Cultural heritage: Community involvement in reuse and preservation; integrating run down areas in the life of the contemporary city Institutional or procedural framework referring to the practice.

The use of culture as a tool; Promotion of place through culture

Main theme: Involving external stakeholders

Possible link to initial sub-theme: Culture and heritage of communities

Encouraging support of local events and traditions that give a sense of identity and involvement;

Consolidation of established cultural assets (both tangible and intangible) to bring about social cohesion Supporting existing fragile communities and preparing migrating communities to avoid conflict

Consolidation: Integrated approach taking into account all sectors

SURCH 23

Because of the large number of themes that were proposed for consideration by the partners, a method had to be found of deciding what the key ones were for the group as a whole. Each city was therefore asked to rank each of the key issues, and the results of that exercise led to the following issues becoming the top 5:

1. Coordination between public authorities and private developers/ other stakeholders 2. Community involvement in reuse and preservation; integrating run down areas in the life of the contemporary city 3. The role of culture in bringing people together and developing con- fidence in economic development 4. Encouraging support of local events and traditions that give a sense of identity and involvement 5. Institutional solutions and forms of collaboration which inform the participants of the project

SURCH

1. Coordination between public authorities and private developers/other stakeholders

Public authorities (local municipalities, government departments and agencies) have a vital role to play in regeneration programmes generally. The key is lead- ership. In a role that no-one else can play, the public authorities have the re- sponsibility of preparing the long term strategy and masterplan that can create confidence in the future that is necessary for private investment to flourish. In Kaunas, the role of the public sector (Kaunas City Council) has been to take a lead in the regeneration of the Castle and in creating the climate for private in- vestment through the public consultation on the regeneration of Kaunas Castle. This in turn has led to discussions with private interests – particularly develop- ers like the doctor who has sensitively restored the old Synagogue to be a pri- vate clinic. Similarly, in Athens the regeneration of a historic building - the Cow Stables – is being carried out by the Municipality in close consultation with vari- ous local organisations, with a broad goal of triggering social processes in the neighbourhood.

In Valletta, the council has commissioned consultants to prepare the long term plan which sets out the background to the plan and acts as a basis upon which the Council can discuss proposals with private developers. Similarly, by creat- ing a Masterplan underpinned by widespread consultation and establishing a formal structure that involves the private sector in its Stakeholder For a which brings together the various actors involved in regeneration, Cork has developed a basis for working closely with all the Stakeholders in Docklands – the general public, public service agencies, the arts community and the private sector de- velopers and landowners. Nicosia embarked on a long-term municipality led effort to create a Master Plan for the historic centre, and initiated smaller regen- eration projects on the ground to drive social change.

However, Kaunas also demonstrates that not all private developers (if the Church can be termed a private developer!) are either willing or able to become involved at an early stage..

SURCH 25

2. Community involvement in reuse and preservation; integrating run down areas in the life of the contemporary city

The regeneration of existing areas of cultural significance is not simply about the preservation of buildings but also about ensuring that the benefits of regen- eration are enjoyed by different groups of the local and the wider community. It is also an opportunity to use the process of regeneration to involve the commu- nity – the local residents, the local businesses, and the voluntary organisations. For example, Nicosia is developing a sophisticated approach to involving the community using the following tools: ♦ The preparation of a Stakeholder map – this will take into account that the local community consists of the people living and or working and /or owning property within the study area and that other agents of development have a key role to play in promoting regeneration and inclusion objectives ♦ Its Public Participation Plan will be the main objective of a bi-communal task force within the framework of the Nicosia Master Plan. ◊ It will be based on the stakeholder map ◊ The local community opinion could be expressed by community groups, voluntary groups or organisations, professional voluntary groups or even individuals who might not actively participate in groups ◊ Specialists should be employed to formulate a realistic strategy and an action oriented plan for communication and public participation. Overall the need for an action oriented approach was emphasized ♦ Types of community involvement: ◊ Representation on partnership management boards. Small budget from local authority for particular actions is required ◊ Election of individuals to represent groups of people from local society – volunteers – so need for provision for back up and training. ◊ Community forums - as Electoral College for representatives, or for building capacity and power to representatives. Membership includes voluntary organisations, small business groups, religion groups The other cities are also developing ways of involving the community. Valletta has created its Valletta Alive Foundation that brings together the various stake- holders in the city – including the residents. It also has a programme of citizen awards and loyalty cards. Athens with its programme of information and consul- tation has helped in developing the community facility at the heart of the regen- eration of the Kolokynthou neighbourhood. This included surveys of all the resi- dents and local businesses to identify the challenges and issues, and a system of briefing and information that led to a common understanding and action.

SURCH

3. The role of culture in bringing people together and developing confidence in economic development

Many of the cultural activities in the places visited by the SURCH partners are opportunities for people to come together. These range from the Castle in Kau- nas which acts as a focal point for the community through to the ‘Illuminated Walking Tour’ in Nicosia. This also indicates the range of tangible and intangi- ble heritage that comprises the cultural experiences that the SURCH partners have considered.

In the regeneration of Cork Docklands, cultural activities sponsored or encour- aged by the City Council play an important part in exposing the development of the Docklands to a wider audience. In this case it may be a pop concert or a sports event that brings people together; which brings them into an area that otherwise they would not visit, or consider living in. By developing a new public walkway along the riverfront, thereby connecting the city to the new area and by treating the industrial past as cultural heritage, Cork hopes to help re-image the Docklands and create a new sense of place and a confidence that encourages wider re-development.

The ‘Walking Tour’ in Nicosia has the same effect – getting people to visit an area that they would not have considered visiting, let alone living and investing in. Discussions about the future of Kaunas Castle have attracted local visitors to see the potential of the Old Town, and the economic development possibilities both for tourism, for small businesses and for higher quality residential invest- ment.

SURCH 27

4. Encouraging support of local events and traditions that give a sense of identity and involvement

People feel included when they are part of an event. Football fans or opera go- ers feel a sense of involvement with their local team or the singers. The SURCH partners identified that one of the ways in which people move from ‘excluded’ to ‘included’ is by being involved in local events – some of which can be overshadowed by being regarded as ‘low’ culture, compared to ‘high’ culture or culture of international significance. Valletta’s residents live in a World Heri- tage Site. They are surrounded by internationally recognised monuments. Tour- ists flock to see them. For local people the monuments are simply the stage on which they live – sometimes constraining their ambitions. For them the monu- ments can be ‘exclusive’ – they are for others but not for them. What gives them a sense of ownership, identity and involvement are the local events and traditions – the festivals (the festas), the local organisations, and the making of the floats for carnivals. Valletta Local Council has recognised that these are important parts of the culture of the city and that any regeneration project has to encourage these activities and that they should be woven into the fabric of the regeneration programme. So the Council has established the Valletta Alive Foundation that brings all the stakeholders into the process. It has become a patron of the Traditional Festas, supporting them financially, encouraging busi- ness to do so as well, and providing facilities and support to they can play on the ‘main stage’ of the city, alongside the internationally recognised events. 25 out of the 27 Carnival companies in Malta are situated in Valletta, so support of this kind also makes economic sense.

In Athens, one of the purposes of the Cow Stables project is to provide a place for handicrafts – thus encouraging local people to develop skills and traditions that are part of their cultural heritage. The whole complex creates within the area a new central square, an open air play ground and a multicultural centre, green spaces and the unification of other municipal utilities (swimming pool, nursery school ) .The place is turning into a local attraction for leisure and sports, in a district which obviously suffers from lack of public spaces.

In Nicosia, the restoration of the Venetian Walls, their Gates and the surround- ing Moat led to them becoming has become a node of social contact, a focal point of all-year-round events bringing together people from the whole city, but especially people from the walled city. Local volunteer groups, local schools and youth organizations are participating in the multicultural events which take place in the project area, promoting the cultural heritage of the historic centre as an important factor for social cohesion in the area. In Cork too, culture is seen as all embracing and a key element of the foundation of an urban struc- ture and identity for the new community living and working in Docklands. The City has acknowledged the key role of culture in creating a real sense of com- munity in a new emerging quarter of the City.

SURCH

5. Institutional solutions and forms of collaboration which inform the participants of the project

Underpinning much of the ways in which cultural heritage plays a significant role in creating social inclusion is the need for a formal structure to support the process and to involve the stakeholders. In Athens, the creation of the joint venture organisation - ‘Group of Cooperating Organizations’ - was an important step. The Coordinator of the project is the Municipality of Athens Development Agency (ADEA) and partners are:

The Municipality of Athens The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens The Athens Commerce Association The United Association for Development Initiatives The Athens Labor Center The Association of Hellenic Scouts The Training Center for Employment and Entrepreneurship of the The Center for Supporting Children and Families The Association “Kreon” The Hellenic Association of people with movement disabilities The Company of Development and Growth

For the first time, the collaborative institutions decided that they would be com- mitted to such a form of collaboration. The Group has been able to undertake analysis of the neighbourhood and District, and to propose joint solutions, e.g. the growth of enterprises to assist in supporting the local job market to tackle the issues of unemployment and underemployment that threaten the social co- hesion of the region.

In Cork, a number of Stakeholder Fora for Docklands including an Arts and Cul- ture Group, a Public Services Group, a major Landowners Group and a general Docklands Stakeholder Group have been established. These Groups will meet on a tri-annual basis and will be kept informed of developments as they arise. The Arts and Culture Group is made up of representatives from community and arts groups working in Cork City and includes representatives from the City Council Arts and Heritage sections as well as organisations such as the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland. Importantly opportunities will arise for cross communication between the various Groups (i.e. the Arts Group with the Major Landowners Group) in order for facilities and services to be co-ordinated and delivered in a meaningful way. In addition to the Stakeholder Fora, an Employ- ment Task Force has also been established to address the economic needs of the future population of Docklands as well as the existing population of the Cork Urban Renewal Area. Different ways of encouraging developers in Docklands to employ persons, including long term unemployed, living within the C.U.R.A. are being examined. It is hoped that training programmes can be established so that the construction and longer term employment opportunities provided within Docklands can be met by those living in surrounding deprived areas.

SURCH 29 The conclusions

After 15 months of visits, discussions, case study analysis, and thematic inter- pretation, what has been learnt by the cities involved in the SURCH project? This chapter sets out a number of the lessons. First, it will discuss the under- standings that the cities have together about the two key phrases – ‘Cultural Heritage’ and ‘Social Inclusion’. These are not formal definitions – the word ‘understanding’ has been used purposefully to indicate that. It will then highlight a number of lessons for the future, and the questions still remaining.

Cultural Heritage

It would have been difficult to agree an understanding of the phrase ‘Cultural Heritage’ at the beginning of this project. The partners had to listen to the other partners view before coming to a shared understanding, and consider a range of questions.

Cultural heritage includes many considerations beyond built heritage. For ex- ample, for Valletta, it is also the colonial British heritage, as Valletta used to serve the British forces as shopping and entertainments centre; Cork also had a colonial past serving the British fleet only developing an industrial base in Dock- lands during the 20th century; Athens has 212 different nationalities bringing a variety of cultures to a city steeped in history; similarly, Nicosia’s heritage in- cludes new immigrants bringing their own culture to add to the local historical culture; while considerations in Kaunas are burdened with post-Soviet free mar- ket urban development that often disregards the need to preserve old buildings and traditional urban quarters in architectural, social and economic sense.

So, in considering Cultural Heritage, SURCH partners came to the understand- ing that it included assets of cultural and historic value which

♦ can be both tangible and intangible, e.g. ◊ Immoveable real estate with a cultural and historical value ◊ People and buildings in the environment of place ◊ Human and physical capital ♦ are not only about high culture (e.g. buildings of international significance or classical music), but also about popular culture. There are folk traditions as seen in artefacts, music, events (including festas and parades); traditional arts aiming at preservation and enjoyment, especially among young people as well as sporting events. This could be described as the ‘people’s culture’ ♦ can be of value to others - but not necessarily to you. That value can change over time –. buildings in Valletta when built were external to local culture (built by the knights who started with a policy of exclusion!); but the buildings are now seen (as are the knights) as part of the local culture. The perception of value therefore changes over time, and the perception can be rapid as well as slow

SURCH ♦ can help to create shared values and therefore bring people together. Immi- grants bring their own culture and eventually these become part of the local culture ♦ includes a range of activities which are valuable because they help to cre- ate shared values, e.g. sports and hobbies ♦ need to be considered in their context – mainly local and therefore unique to that place ♦ may not have an intrinsic economic value as a resource, but can be an eco- nomic opportunity and can be especially useful in creating a sense of place and identity in areas undergoing change and renewal ♦ are shaped by a range of issues: architectural inheritance (monumental and domestic), language, religion, education, immigration and climate.

Social Inclusion

If Cultural Heritage is to be used to help improve social inclusion in regenera- tion programmes, the second understanding has to be that of ‘social inclusion’ itself. To get to ‘inclusion’ the SURCH partners decided to understand the oppo- site – i.e. social exclusion. Again, this was not seen as a simple statement, but as the exclusion of certain people in a number of ways. In Athens, where 212 different nationalities live, the concerns include the need to respect the cul- ture of the immigrants when integrating them into the contemporary life of the existing community - social exclusion in Kolokynthou area is a reality, as it is across the city. Maltese communities are still traditionally divided across the political spectrum; national development policies seldom pay attention to local

SURCH 31 needs and there are many foreign nationals who come and reside in Malta. Nicosia’s case study area has been affected by immigration, an influx of refu- gees and many people within the wider community have turned their back on the area – thus creating another form of social exclusion. Cork is looking be- yond its Docklands development, trying to prevent social exclusion in the rede- veloped area and around it. Immigration is also an issue in Ireland, with nearly 20% of future residents not born in Ireland. This may be a positive thing on the one hand - Ireland’s openness to the world and open-mindedness has played a part in generating its current wealth, however there exists the potential for so- cial exclusion to thrive in such times. Cork is looking beyond its Docklands re- development, trying to prevent social exclusion in the redeveloped area and around it and in particular attempting to 'future proof' the Docklands against social exclusion.

Cultural, or culture driven efforts and events take place in all participating cities. They target some phenomena of social exclusion, and some of the form are not always take into consideration.

Those who are excluded may be different to those who are normally thought of as ‘the excluded’. Exclusion can be by choice (e.g. live in an exclusive neighbourhood) and indeed can be a badge of belonging/identity. But the groups which concern the SURCH partners most are those who groups who are excluded from the mainstream by circumstances outwith their control, e.g.:

♦ Environment (e.g. poor quality, overcrowded or insanitary housing, high lev- els of pollution) ♦ Economics (e.g. poor and cannot afford to participate) ♦ Geography (e.g. isolated by lack of transport) ♦ Outdated skills (leading to employment difficulties) ♦ Social (e.g. class issues) ♦ Access (e.g. people with physical disabilities who find it difficult to get around – especially in an historic environment; also access to training and educa- tional opportunities) ♦ Age and health (either young or old) ♦ Power (e.g. no ownership or group strength) ♦ Fear of unknown (e.g. elderly people being afraid to go out in the evening for fear of being mugged, and thus exclude from community activities) ♦ Minority group (e.g. immigrants, people with learning disabilities,). They may have difficulty in communicating with the mainstream, are insecure, and op- erate within their own community. They may also be perceived as a threat by other people

SURCH Lessons for the future

In looking at the lessons that the SURCH partners have learnt, these are in two categories:

♦ Generic conclusions and lessons ♦ Lessons specific to a city partner

This section will deal only with the generic conclusions; the lessons that each city has learnt that are specific to that city are included in the website.

Generic conclusions and lessons

Regeneration is a very complex issue; what the five cities have in common is that each has an area that is ‘out of balance’ within the wider community – city, region or state. Social inclusion is part of the process of rectifying that position. Equally the cities all have a variety of historical cultural inheritance and that should be seen as an opportunity to assist with social inclusion. The cities are at different stages in the development of regeneration projects involving cultural heritage.

Regeneration itself can create exclusion. By its very nature, the process of re- generation involves changing the nature of an area – arresting decline and cre- ating a situation where the neighbourhood is somewhere people want to live, work or play. Areas requiring regeneration intervention may be areas where the market is not working, where people often do not live by choice but by neces- sity. At the starting point of a regeneration scheme those living in the area are those who have not been able to move out beforehand (a characteristic of those who are socially excluded). Frequently, regeneration involves encourag- ing new people to move in and unless careful attention is given to the existing population, gentrification can take place and the existing population excluded further.

The way in which regeneration is delivered may create unintentional social ex- clusion. Many ‘excluded’ people are ‘included’ in informal networks and sys- tems. These can be self help groups and voluntary organisations. Regeneration processes often involve the creation of professional support services and by replacing these informal networks and voluntary organisations with professional staff, this may undermine the very ‘inclusiveness’ that is sought.

Economic opportunities from culture, or rather leisure-driven visitation and re- lated visitor spending do not automatically trickle down to the residents of a neighbourhood. Excessive emphasis on gearing the services to cater the visi- tors creates layered forms of gentrification, where in the same place a neighbourhood starts having several different ways of life that never mingle pro- ductively but initially ignore each other and eventually start clashing. More and more local businesses re-orient to target ever more frequent visitors, inflating their prices; residential properties are sought by outsiders to be occupied just for the time of special occasions, and as an object of speculative investment.

SURCH 33 The layered forms of gentrification are often accompanied by dispersed regen- eration, which takes the form of haphazardly acquired and often hastily up- graded-for-profit single buildings, which start acting as cancerous cells amidst closely interconnected physical and social fabric: used for offices that disturb siestas, congest traffic and parking during day time, and lie quiet in the eve- nings; expensive boutiques neither needed nor afforded by the residents, and ghost residences, Once the proportion of these inserts increases, core resi- dents may start feeling foreign in their neighbourhood, they are tempted by speculative price increases, and driven away by the unwelcome change. The established social fabric, networks and life scatters. Yet in many cases this sound social fabric is not replaced by a new network of any kind, sporting just a loose set hello-goodbye, highly mobile “neighbours”. Only city centres with ex- ceptional carrying capacity, have – to some extent – survived this kind of proc- ess.

However, the process of regeneration can be used to create inclusion. By con- sidering the needs of the existing population as part of the process, by listening to them, understanding their culture (including the networks that sustain them) and by trying to build upon this culture, people can be included in the process. This recognises that cultural activities enable people to express themselves and therefore to feel ‘included’.

Cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible - should therefore be at the cen- tre of a regeneration programme. It can

♦ be the basis for getting local people involved and of developing their self confidence and pride in their community ♦ be an agent of social cohesion and continuity ♦ attract people who would not otherwise visit the area to do so and thus add new residents and opportunities who would interconnect, build on and en- rich, not ignore or suppress existing networks and fabric ♦ be an economic development opportunity, serving both residents and visi- tors and inviting them to mingle

Getting local people involved requires sensitivity on the part of those who are leading and managing the regeneration process. It needs

♦ a recognition that local people, their traditions and networks are part of the cultural heritage themselves, and thus serve as carriers of continuity of de- velopment ♦ an understanding of the informal networks that support residents ♦ a partnership approach that brings together the local voluntary organisa- tions, involves unorganised activists and includes less active residents

In all of the SURCH cities, leadership and management of regeneration is in the hands of the municipality or its agent. In setting up arrangements for regenera- tion, the municipality should create a framework that sets out:

♦ a detailed evaluation of the current situation in the area, including under- standing the position of the existing residents, including the networks as well

SURCH as the physical characteristics of the area ♦ an inventory of the cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible ♦ ways of involving residents through good information, surveys, community forums, exhibitions, open meetings, regeneration focused festivals, awards, supporting locally organised cultural events, and thus treating exiting resi- dents as partners in the project and help the society regenerate itself ♦ ways of building on the informal community networks ♦ the need for a formal structure (e.g. Social Inclusion Partnership) that in- volves representatives of local organisations – voluntary bodies, churches, chambers of commerce ♦ time and resources for community consultation in the development of a mas- terplan ♦ ways of dealing with potential conflicts between existing and new residents; methods of creating communality between groups in the area and those groups that the regeneration plan wishes to encourage into the area ♦ rehabilitation policies for the architectural heritage that encourage and sup- port (e.g. with financial incentives) existing residents to see a role for them- selves as guardians of the historic heritage ♦ investigates the potential of redundant historic buildings for community use ♦ methods of monitoring and evaluating progress, including baseline informa- tion, targets, satisfaction surveys

SURCH 35 Questions still remaining

The project has helped the SURCH cities develop their thinking and under- standing on the way in which cultural heritage can act as an agent of social in- clusion in regeneration programmes. It has not answered all the questions. Nor do all of the partners feel that their current social inclusion efforts reach all parts of the socially excluded populations. There are many questions to be consid- ered, some of which are:

♦ How can Cultural Heritage be used to bridge the gap between the culture of the existing residents and the new ones? (e.g. what happens when students are introduced to an area made up of people 60+? Or when immigrants come into a emerging community with developing social facilities?) ♦ When is it proper to intervene? (e.g. in Athens the City undertook action in a stabilized situation (immigrants came, increased the districts population ) then the City took action to solve problems, to find solutions. In other cases the City created installations/ solutions using cultural heritage to the bene- fit of all its citizens, by also ‘inviting’ future citizens in its case areas. ♦ How far is cultural heritage an issue of identity and ‘ownership’? ♦ How can we unite or transcend division of the concepts of “Cultural Heritage” and “Social Inclusion”, so that instead of liabilities they serve as a sound ba- sis for continuity of development? ♦ A lot of emphasis has been put on strictly socio-economic value of redevel- opment, in terms of statistical growth; increased value of real estate, in- creased volumes of sales, increased profits, more jobs, and more taxes. How can we better understand and “gainfully employ” holistic, trans-disciplinary concepts of carrying capacity, multiple satisfiers, sustainable local develop- ment in culture-driven, inclusion-based urban regeneration? ♦ What is the role of Social Employment Schemes in an approach to regenera- tion that puts cultural heritage at its centre? ♦ On the basis that full ‘inclusion’ of everyone can never be achieved, how far can it be achieved? ♦ Much emphasis has been placed on informal systems and networks. How- ever, sometimes these can be abusive (e.g. if drugs are involved) How does a regeneration project manager identify abusive networks and how can infor- mal networks be encouraged to be developed to ensure that they are not abusive? ♦ How far can those who are intervening resale control back into the commu- nity? ♦ Some reasons why people are unemployed is that they have other reasons for being unemployed – e.g. lifestyles that are doing harm to them. How should these be handled in this context?

SURCH Next steps

The SURCH cities have indicated that they would wish to continue to work to- gether to discuss these and other questions and to act as a support network. They are therefore proposing

1. Each city should have an action plan for a project in its city, and the SURCH group should monitor and support each other in the following ways:

♦ At meetings each city should report back on actions taken – the wins and problems they face. ♦ This would include the process that was being used ♦ Use the thematic results as a basis for evaluation

2. Each city should

♦ identify its specialism ♦ identify weaknesses that it has ♦ look for complimentary strengths for within the network ♦ look to other cities to fill the gaps

3. To review the size of the network and to investigate other members – especially middle size cities in areas with EU Objectives

SURCH 37 Appendix - the network

The partners Contact

City of Athens Dr Vasiliki Leontari, Athens Municipality Development Agency Mrs Panagiota Papadopoulo Voulgari 11 T: +303 1052 01611-612 Athens 10437 F: +302105222742 Greece E: [email protected]

Web: www.aeda.gr

City of Cork Ms Evelyn Mitchell Docklands Directorate Senior Executive Planner City Hall T: +353 21 4924034 Cork E: [email protected] Ireland

Web:www.corkcity.ie/docklands

City of Kaunas Mr. Rimgaudas Miliukstis Laisves al.96 Head of Cultural Heritage Dept. LT-44251 T: +37037 423494 Kaunas F: +37037 424205 Lithuania E: [email protected]

Web:www.kaunas.lt

City of Nicosia Ms. Maria Mavrou The Town Hall Head of Office for European Affairs Eleftheria Square T: +35 722 797 580 PO Box 21015 F: +35 722 872 156 CY—1500 E: [email protected] Nicosia, Cyprus

Web:www.nicosia.org.cy

Simon Cauchi, Executive Secretary City of Valletta Jose’ Abela 31, South Street EU & International Affairs Officer Valletta VLT 11 T: +356 2125 1397 MALTA F: +356 2123 4323 E: [email protected] [email protected] Supported by Paulius Kulikauskas Raymond Young

Photographs Supplied by the cities from their presentations

Website www.urbact.eu/projects/surch/home.html SURCH SURCH 39