Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica is launching a new project titled MINING TREASURES: A Path to Revitalising the Cultural Heritage of Central Slovakia through Innovation, Digitalisation, Participation, Education, and Sustainable Tourism. The project is funded by the EU’s NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic, under project no. 09I01-03-V04-00051/2024/VA, within the Matching Grant call linked to Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects.
Reviving the past for the future
The Mining Treasures project aims to transform how mining heritage is perceived and utilised — recognising it as a valuable cultural, educational, and developmental resource. The initiative builds on the results and methodologies established in the international Horizon 2020 project INCULTUM, while adapting and further developing them in the specific context of Central Slovakia — a region rich in mining history that has yet to be fully appreciated.
Cultural heritage as a tool for territorial development
At the heart of the project lies the belief that cultural heritage is not merely an object of passive admiration, but a living source of knowledge, interaction, and innovation. The project treats cultural heritage as a space for co-creation, cross-sectoral collaboration, and community engagement — involving schools, universities, local authorities, cultural and creative institutions, entrepreneurs, and civil society.
What will the project deliver?
- Educational programmes and methodologies for schools focused on mining cultural heritage
- Digital tools for discovering and interpreting the region
- Participatory activities and workshops with an emphasis on engaging local stakeholders
- Support for sustainable and cultural tourism in the Central Slovak region
- Linking heritage with the creative industries and tourism
The Mining Treasures project offers a way to give historical heritage a new life and purpose — not only as a monument of the past, but as a dynamic tool for education, cooperation, and regional development.
Funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia under the project No. 09I01-03-V04-00051/2024/VA.
