AUTHOR
Marta Lozano Molano
Heritage, Social Economy and Rural Areas
Extremadura is a rural south western region of Spain that borders Portugal. This rural land, like so many rural, peripheral and depopulated areas of Europe, is a region with great contrasts of scarcity (of population, employment, infrastructures…) and abundance (rich cultural and natural heritage) that make this environment a unique place. SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” is aimed to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and the target 11.4 can make the difference in rural areas like Extremadura as it is focused on strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
In order to protect the cultural and natural heritage of Extremadura and prioritise its inhabitants, the social cooperative working with Social and Solidarity Economy & Creative Cultural Industries to generate positive impact in rural areas Wazo Coop is implementing DESOPAEX, a programme for the sustainable development of Extremadura’s heritage which boosts the sustainable development of rural areas in Extremadura in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda through the social valorisation of heritage and the social and solidarity economy.
DESOPAEX has three main objectives:
● Rural Sustainable Development: To promote sustainable development in rural areas by meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
● Social Valorisation of Heritage: To facilitate the social valorisation of the tangible and intangible heritage of the rural environment to satisfy needs and reduce inequalities.
● Well-being of people and the planet: To prioritise the well-being of people and the planet by promoting the social and solidarity economy as a tool for social cohesion, rural development, decent work and economic growth.
The program is based on three pillars: Creative and Cultural Industries, Social and Solidarity Economy and 2030 Agenda; and 4 areas for intervention: Culture, Social, Environment and Economy. In order to achieve the mission of DESOPAEX, Wazo Coop is implementing activities of Research (Cooperative open source map including heritage, cultural, touristic and social local resources; Diagnostic reports on the state of the art; Collection of effective, sustainable and replicable good practices…), Dissemination (Podcasts, Webinars, Online platform, Stakeholder campaigns…), Training (lectures, workshops, books, tools…) and Promotion (Thematic publications, Concerts, Sustainable Heritage Prize Awards and Ceremony…).
The cooperation is key in DESOPAEX, that’s why Wazo Coop is looking for stakeholders to support the implementation of this Programme for the Sustainable Development of Extremadura’s Heritage. It is aimed to:
● Individuals and institutions that implement strategies and activities to raise the visibility and value of cultural and natural heritage as a driver of sustainable development in rural areas.
● Individuals and institutions wishing to promote SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and target 1.4: increase efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
● Individuals and institutions interested in supporting the European Commission’s Social Economy Action Plan, New European Bauhaus and Rural Action Plan among others to promote stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas.
● Heritage lovers with enthusiasm and interest in boosting the enormous potential of Extremadura’s wonderful cultural and natural heritage.
European rural communities need our support to turn rural heritage into a driver for sustainable development. Let us protect our heritage. Let’s put people first. Let’s make Europe’s rural areas prosperous. Support DESOPAEX.
ABOUT WAZO COOP: Wazo Coop is a non-profit social cooperative working with Social and Solidarity Economy & Creative Cultural Industries to generate positive impact in rural areas.
ABOUT DESOPAEX: DESOPAEX is the Programme for the Sustainable Development of Extremadura’s Heritage promoted by Wazo Coop, which boosts the sustainable development of rural areas in Extremadura in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda through the social valorisation of heritage and the social and solidarity economy
CONTACTS: Marta Lozano Molano, President of Wazo Coop. Email: marta.lozanomolano@wazo.coop | Mobile phone: +34 678860976
