In Maribor, Zavod Aspira organized a workshop as part of the IMPACT for VALUES project, funded by the CERV program. The session was designed to inform rural communities about the importance of participatory budgeting in local decision-making. During the workshop, the Slovenian team also presented key takeaways from the training course “Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development: A Global Perspective” in Prague.
By linking both projects, participants explored how civic engagement and heritage conservation go hand in hand. The team highlighted the role of youth in shaping decisions that affect cultural identity, local landscapes, and sustainability practices.
Workshop Goals
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Promote rural intangible heritage through youth-led storytelling.
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Connect participatory budgeting to cultural preservation.
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Raise awareness about sustainable practices and civic responsibility.
Key Activities
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Field trip to a nearby village to collect folklore and observe community planning.
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“Legend-to-Action” exercise: turning local stories into ideas for sustainable development.
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Presentation of best practices showing how citizen participation supports heritage conservation.
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Discussion on integrating cultural values into municipal budgeting.
Participant Reflections
“We didn’t realize that taking part in local decisions could help protect our stories and identity. This changed how we think about civic action.”
Outputs
A printed storybook of local legends paired with youth interpretations was created and shared with schools and libraries. Participants also proposed ways to include cultural heritage considerations in future local budgeting discussions.