The project “Together for Cultural Tourism – Cross-border Cooperation for Better Socio-economic Development and Preservation of Traditional Crafts” was implemented by the Association Bosnian Handicrafts BHCrafts in partnership with the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED), the association Ethno Network from Belgrade, and co-financed by the European Union (EU).
The main goal was to empower women to cooperate in making handicrafts using traditional techniques and to jointly create and place tourist products with typical ethnic motifs, thereby contributing to the development of cross-border tourism and the general socio-economic condition of the border area.
The founder of the organization BHCrafts, Lejla Radoncic, speaking about the results of the project “Together for Cultural Tourism – Cross-border Cooperation for Better Socio-economic Development and Preservation of Traditional Crafts”, highlights, as a result, first of all, the great satisfaction among the participants, both from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and from Serbia.
“As well as the opportunity to meet new people and places, to exchange knowledge and experiences through socializing in a creative atmosphere, to improve their skills in handcraft techniques, and to show that they are the living guardians of the traditions of both countries. Another, very concrete and significant result are souvenirs, designed and made during the project, inspired by motifs of the border areas, with the purpose of improving the tourist offer of Serbia and BiH. During the project, 200 products were made, each of which, after the project’s completion, was placed on the market,” she emphasized.
Radoncic says that 60 women from both countries were included in the project, with some only attending creative workshops, and some participating in handicraft colonies (a total of three were organized during the project – two in Serbia, one in BiH).
“The entire project was conceived as constant interaction, in the sense of exchange of knowledge and experiences among the partners and among the project participants, and we believe that the goal was fully achieved,” emphasized the founder of the organization, BHCrafts, Lejla Radoncic.
Speaking about the tourist offer that resulted from the work, Radoncic said that BHCrafts within the project used four traditional handcraft techniques – weaving, crocheting, knitting, and felting.
The result are two large dolls – Stevo and Ruvejda, three felt dolls with the characteristics of all three ethnic groups in BiH, a woven carpet/coaster, and a woven bookmark.
For all products, appropriate packaging was designed and made, and as she emphasized, the tourist and commercial potential of traditional handicrafts is huge.
When it comes to the sale of souvenirs created during this project, they are currently being sold in the souvenir shops “Zicara” (Cable Car) and “City Hall.”
Radoncic hopes that they will be included in the assortment of the Duty Free shop at Sarajevo Airport.
The president of Ethno Network, Violeta Jovanovic, said that the primary goal of the project was the socio-economic empowerment of women and the promotion of handicrafts as sustainable tourist products.
“Additionally, through the project, cooperation was established between related organizations, BHCrafts and Ethno Network, for joint action in preserving the cultural heritage of the border area covered by the project. The project provided an opportunity to build connections between expert teams and producers on both sides of the border and created the foundations for long-term cooperation in affirming women and cultural heritage.
In addition to specialized trainings, craft colonies, and the exchange of knowledge among producers, the result of the project is also a line of designed products with Beg’s pattern, which carries the symbolism of cultural identity and closeness of the peoples of Serbia and BiH. In this way, the foundations were created for the continuous generation of income and employment of dozens of women from the border area,” said in an interview the president of Ethno Network, Violeta Jovanovic.
She also emphasized that handicrafts have an economic perspective as a tourist product and a meaningful gift, if, as in Ethno Network and BH Crafts, they are made with a thought-out design, a story about the origin of the motif and the technique of making, and with packaging that accompanies each product.
The products created within the project “Together for Cultural Tourism” have crossed the borders of the region and reached as far as Japan – they became part of the exhibition of the Serbian pavilion at the World Expo Osaka 2025, which opened in April.
These authentic products, created as a blend of tradition and contemporary design, represent Serbia and BiH before the global audience.
International success was also confirmed during the exhibition, which opened on May 15th at the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade, within the event “70 Years of Friendship between the People of China and Serbia – Bridges of Cultural Heritage”, where the products from this project were presented as an example of preserving cultural heritage through cross-border cooperation.
“The handicrafts created within the project also won over the domestic audience, and since March this year, part of the assortment has been available in the permanent exhibition-sale collection of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade. Thus, the handicrafts made by women from Serbia and BiH during the project became part of the cultural offer of the Serbian capital, available to tourists from all over the world,” emphasized Jovanovic.
The president of Ethno Network, Violeta Jovanovic, said that Ethno Network and BH Crafts continue cooperation and exchange of knowledge, and are jointly preparing applications for new projects from EU funds and bilateral donors, and cooperating in the placement of handicrafts abroad through online platforms.
“The total value of the project we implemented is 322.205.89 euros, which includes the participation of the project holder (NALED) and institutional partners (cities and municipalities),” stated Jovanovic, Fena news agency writes.
