Title: External Evaluation Consultant Project: 549 KOS 4000
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Title: External Evaluation Consultant Project: 549 KOS 4000, Revitalization of Novo Brdo/ Novobërdë Fortresse Reporting to: Regional Bureau for Sceince and Culture in Europe , Antenna Office in Sarajevo ( Head of Antenna Office ) Contract Type: Individual Consultant Contract (IC) Duration: 20 days (September 2017). BACKGROUND During and after armed conflict, cultural monuments of outstanding historical significance are the target of hatred and revenge. While some are destroyed or seriously damaged, others are under threat and require protective intervention. For UNESCO, the protection of cultural heritage is a value in itself but it also serves other positive purposes. In particular, having once been the focus of intense bitterness, cultural heritage may play a useful role in the reconciliation and maintenance of peaceful relations between different communities. The protection of cultural heritage is a domain where increased trust and understanding between communities may be constructed and where different parties may exchange signals of respect and responsibility that can help to build a sense of mutual trust. The protection of cultural heritage helps to overcome the painful divisions caused by past events, and may create openings for local, regional and international cooperation through UNESCO. Situated in a mountainous region southeast of Pristina, the remains of a medieval town, Novobërdë /Novo Brdo, lies on a hill top with an altitude of 1,100 m above sea level. Though there are archaeological indications that the area may have been inhabited in antiquity, the present visible remains are exclusively medieval. Novobërdë/Novo Brdo was one of the most important late medieval cities in the central Balkans. Its growth was based on the rich lead, silver and gold mines in the vicinity of which the extensive exploitation began in the first decades of the fourteenth century. Miners, as well as inhabitants of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo constituted a multi-ethnic and religious mix. Citizens of Dubrovnik had their privileged colony in Novobërdë/Novo Brdo. Important registers that survived provide a clear idea of the city’s urban profile. Historical sources and coins minted at Novobërdë/Novo Brdo attest to the city’s claim to fame in the 14th and 15th centuries. According to Bertrandon de la Broquière, in the 1440s, the Serbian ruler Djuradj Brankovic collected an annual income of 200,000 gold coins from the production of the mines. Mining and casting of coins continued after the Ottoman conquest of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo in 1455, but gradually declined until all the activities ceased in the 17th century. The town of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo consisted of a large unfortified settlement on the eastern slope of the hill, a fortified upper town, and a heavily fortified citadel with six massive towers at the apex of the hill. The fortifications survive in a ruinous state, while the remains of the residential and other buildings have been only partially studied through archaeological excavations. The complex unquestionably requires a careful inspection and assessment of conservation needs. Settlements of this kind that survive in partially ruined state are particularly vulnerable to further decay even under normal conditions. In addition to urgent conservation needs, that will undoubtedly be identified, further archaeological exploration of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo would yield extraordinary insights into the life of a typical medieval Balkan fortified city. Uninhabited since the seventeenth century, the site has most certainly preserved unique information that has disappeared elsewhere. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the sustainable and inclusive development of the targeted area through the enhancement of local cultural heritage and of related income-generating activities, as well as the social and economic inclusion of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo inhabitants. In line with the above, the following objectives were set: 1. Improve the conservation/restoration of local cultural heritage by implementing the revitalization of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo fortress; 2. Support sustainable territorial development through the better management of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo fortress as the most important cultural heritage asset of the municipality, ensuring the implementation of the relevant international standards; 3. Foster the promotion and increase of cultural heritage-related tourism in the area of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo by supporting the preparation of a management plan for Novobërdë/Novo Brdo fortress. The project has been aligned with UNESCO mandate and particular case with the Major Programme IV of the 38 C/5. The European Union has partnered with UNESCO in this joint management project aimed at revitalizing the Novobërdë /Novo Brdo Castle through conservation and restoration efforts and managing and valorizing the municipality’s cultural heritage asset through socio-economic development initiatives. The project “Revitalization of Novobërdë/Novo Brdo fortress”, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNESCO/UNMIK, has been developed in line with, and as part of, the European Union umbrella mission “Balanced Regional Development”. Expected results are: the preservation and revitalization of cultural heritage asset and archeological explorations yielding in key insights on medieval Balkans; local sustainable development through the strategic management of cultural heritage asset, yielding enhanced tourism capacities and socio-economic conditions; and, public (regional/global) and educational (local) awareness of the value of cultural heritage preservation. The total budget of the project is 1,0 M Euro, and it has been entirely ensured by the European Union. PURPOSE The main purpose of the evaluation is to provide an independent in-depth assessment of the achievements of project results and outcomes against the planned results of the EU Funded Project, Revitalization of Novo Brdo Fortress. Apart from assessing the achievements of the project, the evaluation will also address future steps to be taken and opportunities that arise from implemented activities, therefore the purpose of the evaluation is both to assess the accountability and to provide a learning opportunity. In essence, the evaluation will have both summative and formative focus. Revitalization of Novo Brdo Fortress project is heading towards the end of the project implementation period. Initially set for 36 months, with projected end date June 26, 2016, the project was granted a no-cost extension until September 30, 2017. Thus the Final Evaluation is mandatory to take place two months before the project closure. Under the direct supervision of the Head of Antenna Office in Sarajevo the Consultant is going to provide evaluation service ensuring high quality, accuracy and consistency of work. The Evaluation Consultant will demonstrate a client- oriented approach and should meet the standards outlined in the Monitoring and Evaluation. The evaluation will also be based on a stakeholder approach, where all groups and individuals, who affect and/or are affected by the achievement of the project results and outcomes, are involved in the analysis. Moreover, the evaluation will take into consideration the institutional, political and economic context, which affected the project during its implementation. Evaluation Consultant will work in close collaboration with the Head of Antenna Office in Sarajevo, project staff and key project stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries. The unit of analysis or object of study for this final evaluation is the Project Revitalization of Novo Brdo Fortress, understood to be the set of components, outcomes, outputs, activities that were detailed in the Project documents. The approach of the evaluation shall be participatory, that is, be flexible in design and implementation, ensuring stakeholder participation and ownership, and facilitating learning and feedback. The final evaluation will be conducted using methodologies and techniques as determined by the specific needs for information the availability of resources and the priorities of stakeholders. In all cases, consultant is expected to use all available information sources that will provide evidence on which to base evaluation conclusions and recommendations. Anticipated approaches to be used for data collection and analysis by the evaluator are desk review, interviews with key stakeholders, questionnaires and participatory techniques. SCOPE Objectives of the final evaluation are: Assessment of design and relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the project and the level of achievement of envisaged project results and outcomes (thorough assessment of all project components is required); Assessment of efficiency, results and impact of project interventions implemented in the Municipality Novo Brdo; Assessment of the project’s quality and internal coherence (needs and problems it aimed to solve) and its external coherence with the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level; Assessment on how the project operated and what is the efficiency of its management model in planning, coordinating, managing and executing resources allocated for its implementation, through an analysis of its procedures and operational and institutional mechanisms. This analysis will seek to uncover the factors for success and limitations, and will evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the project modality and make recommendations to guide future programme/project development; Sustainability of