Albania: Preservation Supports Sustainable Economy

As we’ve discussed before in our reports about rebuilding Gjirokastra, Albania, the community’s effort to develop a sustainable economy is dependent on their amazing built heritage. So what happens when local craftsmen and contractors no longer have the skills and knowledge needed to maintain the large stone tower houses?

This question is answered regularly with the collapse of another historic building. Each loss makes the move toward a sustainable economy, largely based on heritage tourism, harder to achieve.

Fortunately for the people of Gjirokastra, the knowledge of traditional building skills still remains with a few builders in the area and in other parts of the Balkans. Adventures in Preservation, together with Cultural Heritage without Borders, is taking advantage of this good fortune.

With the help of your donations, craftspeople from the Balkans are earning a salary teaching traditional building skills to students and professionals attending AiP and CHwB’s hands-on projects at the Skenduli house in Gjirokastra.

These budding architecture, city planning and preservation professionals will be able to share their expertise during productive careers.

They will become a new source of old knowledge, once again giving property owners the ability to regularly maintain their buildings and at the same time contribute to the economic growth of their community. Thanks for working with us to support this transition.

Links:

• AiP's Skenduli project in 2014 open to all adventurous travelers

Our Adventures in Preservation project in the World Heritage Site of Gjirokastra is greatly enhanced by the constant support of our partners. Some come from the local community and some are from the regional community. All are totally committed to using Gjirokastra’s built heritage to fortify the future.

One of our strongest allies is Albert Kasi, a lifelong resident of the city. Mr. Kasi is one of Albania’s leading sculptors with art displayed in the National Art Gallery. He is equally passionate about the economic growth of his city. He believes that saving the spectacular historic architecture is a great means to improve his neighbors’ standard of living by supporting heritage tourism, creating jobs and improving living spaces.

Another strong local partner is GCDO – the Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organization. Started by motivated community members, their first meeting in 2001 brought 200 people to discuss how they felt about their community and its value as a cultural site. Now, working from a historic building in the heart of the old bazaar, this group fosters sustainable economic development by advancing the regions cultural life.

Our partner most active in hands-on training at our project site is Cultural Heritage without Borders. CHwB is a Balkan-based relief organization working to promote peace, recovery and development through the preservation of cultural heritage. With this great concept, they take students and professionals to historic sites throughout the Balkans to save a variety of heritages important to each project community.

All of our partners support AiP in demonstrating that through building conservation, we can create a greener more sustainable world.

Links:

• Fundraising this year leads to hands-on work in 2014