WG 4 leader: Sanjin Mihelić (Croatia)
WG 4 substitute: Matija Črešnar (Slovenia)
This WG will consist primarily (but not exclusively) of researchers experienced in public dissemination of scientific data, museum specialists and other relevant interested parties. Other stakeholders, such as representatives of local government, small and medium enterprises, IT specialists, tourist workers and museum workers, will be strongly encouraged to join discussions of this WG, and participate in symposia and public lectures and other events planned as a part of the outcome of WG 4 and those planned in RCO3. Further, a special attention and invitation to all public dissemination events (e.g. public lectures, exhibits) will be aimed at the general public and school children. One of the objectives of WG 4 will be to originate a database on public didactic resources on Neandertals, most notably museums and musealized sites, i.e. those open to regular visiting. Among other things, this database would be used as the support for a digital and printed on-demand exhibition that could be widely disseminated across the continent. Special attention will be given to potential positive impacts different aspects of Neandertal heritage, like museum displays or archaeological sites may have on the socio-economic development of a given community through mediation of tourism. This perspective underscores the public and touristic attractiveness of tangible and intangible aspects of the Neandertal story, while exhibits and heritage sites are considered as tourist resources. Consequently, their management and valorization for purposes of tourism enter the domain of destination management, as a continuous process in which tourism industry, administration at various levels, and other stakeholders develop a destination with a view to fulfil a shared vision of its future. WG 4 will invest a lot of effort to inform the destination management planning processes with regard to valorization of Neandertal heritage. WG 4 will develop a package of informational, educational and didactic tools to be used for communicating topics relating to various facets of Neandertal legacy. The package will be designed to cater for different publics, from general public, schools, civil society and local communities, tourism sector, heritage institutions, small and medium enterprises, as well as other interested parties (as a part of WG 4 action and RCO3). The package will be used both by members of WG 4, as well as by supporters and associates, in order to fulfil the Action’s agenda at the broadest possible level. The tools will include a variety of means and methods of communication, using both spoken and written word in combination with visual imagery, like public lectures, exhibits, workshops, courses, seminars and round tables on the one hand, and leaflets, textbooks, articles, manuals and guidelines on the other.
Task 4.1. Exchange knowledge, experience and best practices on representation of archaeological and anthropological heritage
Task 4.2. Pinpointing major problems and obstacles related to presentation and dissemination of sites and data (e.g. legislations, lack of relevant guidelines, procedures etc.)
Task 4.3. Pinpointing challenges related to presentation of Neandertal legacy to specific target groups (age or interest specific)
Task 4.4. Proposing measures to better exploit, incorporate and realise potential and existing data fund to maximise impact in society (smaller museum collections, sites etc.)
- Proposed MC 4 members:
- Jean-Luc Voisin (France)
- Irka Hajdas (Switzerland)
- Ivor Janković (Croatia)
- Tamara Leskovar (Slovenia)
- Kasper Rodil (Denmark)
- Bärbel Auffermann (Germany)
- Jelena Đukanović (Montenegro)
- Hub Zwart (Nedherlands)
- Parisa Göker (Turkey)
- Srđan Delić (Montenegro)
- Sorin Hermon (Cyprus)
- Telmo Pereira (Portugal)
- Damian Stefanski (Poland)
- Lia Vidas (Croatia)
- Dragana Šnjegota (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
- Ljiljana Shalamanov-Korobar (Republic of North Macedonia)
- Agne Zilinskaite (Lithuania)
- Sophie Verheyden (Belgium)
- Mario Novak (Croatia)
- Krisztian Kiss (Hungary)
- Ani Bajrami (Albania)
- Theodora Moullou (Greece)
- Susan Peeters (Netherlands)