- 22-05-2025 20:45
- Velizar Petrov
A Working Meeting in Stamboliyski under the
MYSTICAL DANUBE Project On 22 May 2025 at 1:30 PM, the
Municipal Information Centre in the town of Stamboliyski hosted an inspiring
working meeting, organised by the Regional Development Agency with Business
Support Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises – Plovdiv. The event
formed part of the implementation of the transnational initiative MYSTICAL
DANUBE – A Green and Mystical Danube Route for Storytelling, funded under the
INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme. Among the official guests were Mr
Dimitar Kostov, Deputy Mayor of Stamboliyski Municipality, and Mrs Vanya
Docheva, the municipal secretary. Alongside representatives of the local
administration, educational institutions, cultural centres (chitalishta), and
the business sector, they explored opportunities to develop a new model of
tourism – one rooted in the power of local narratives, cultural heritage, and
the natural riches of the region. The MYSTICAL DANUBE project seeks not
only to interlink Danube territories through sustainable, theme-based tourism
routes but also to empower local communities – including vulnerable groups – to
participate in the co-creation of authentic tourism experiences. In doing so,
the culture, customs, cuisine, and landscapes of smaller settlements are
transformed into a compelling draw for a new generation of travellers. The Bulgarian project partner is the
Regional Development Agency with Business Support Centre for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises – Plovdiv, with the Plovdiv Regional Administration acting as an
associated partner. During the meeting, expert Ekaterina Kostova presented a
series of inspiring examples demonstrating how community centres, folklore
ensembles, traditional crafts, and culinary festivals can serve as catalysts
for the economic and cultural revitalisation of rural communities.
The working meeting in Stamboliyski is
part of a broader series of events to be held across various municipalities in
the Plovdiv region. The team of the Regional Development Agency with Business
Support Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises – Plovdiv continues to
build bridges between people, nature, and the stories that make the Danube
region so unique. #MysticalDanube #DanubeRegion #RDABSCSME
#CulturalHeritage