DUNC - Development of Cultural and Natural Assets

Unlocking the full potential of the Baltic Sea World Heritage sites

Curonian Spit (©Jane Hofmann)

The 3 year-long project, DUNC, is funded by the Interreg South Baltic Programme and is coordinated from the Municipality of Karlskrona (Sweden). The project partners include The Coastal Union Germany e.V (EUCC-D), the Municipality of Mörbylånga (Sweden), Curonian Spit National Park Administration (Lithuania), the Tourist Office of Stralsund (Germany), the Tourist Office of Wismar (Germany) and the EUCC Baltic Office (Lithuania).

The project aims to unlock the potential of the region's assets by developing an effective, sustainable tourism strategy for its UNESCO sites. The project facilitates the networking and clustering of tourism stakeholders, the creation of quality activities that help to prolong the tourist season and the promotion of the outstanding value of the Baltic Sea’s heritage. 

During the first two years of the project, the DUNC partners have worked together to identify the sustainability challenges of a growing tourism sector and to find solutions that allow the sites to welcome more guests without compromising the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the region.  So far, the partner sites have been really active in creating new products and developing more sustainable tourism strategies, involving local stakeholders and exchanging best practice examples.

As a matter of fact, the idea of networking across national borders is the DUNC core working method not only for the short term but also for the long-time perspective. Although the Baltic Sea region is a highly heterogeneous area with different points of view, the countries around the Baltic Sea share common resources and, to some extent, also a common history. We would like to start from this common ground to build a strong and long-lasting cooperation between UNESCO sites along the Baltic Sea coasts that will be beneficial for the development of the single sites and for the definition of the Baltic Sea region on the global stage.

In order to extend our network and to establish a more permanent cooperation the first Baltic Sea World Heritage Summit will be held in Karlskrona on September 24th-26th .  Coordinators, leading politicians or managers in the public sector of a coastal World Heritage Site in the Baltic Sea area are invited to this event to take the opportunity to share their visions and shape a common future. The registration to the event in now open and can be found at https://www.karlskrona.se/bswhs  together with more information about the event.

Last but not least, within the framework of the DUNC Project, EUCC-D is organizing a photo competition running until August 30th and which aims to use the power of photography to promote Baltic Sea heritage and sustainable tourism. The best pictures will be awarded with great prizes and will be part of an international touring exhibition.

More information about the photo contest can be found on on the DUNC website: https://www.dunc-heritage.eu/photo-competition/

The DUNC team is looking forward to your participation and precious contribution!

For further information please contact:

Lead Partner:
Karlskrona Kommun
371 83 Karlskrona, Sweden
Phone: +46 455 32 15 24
Email: niklas.carlsson{at}karlskrona.se

Or visit: https://www.dunc-heritage.eu/