U-Mar - Enhancing underwater archeology to make it an innovative tool for developing sustainable & creative tourism

From the need assessment on the enhancement and promotion of underwater archaeological heritage and the creation of sustainable underwater archaeological tourism products, carried out by the LP an...

The general aim of the project U-Mar was to develop the knowledge and the enhancement of heritage related to underwater archaeology, through the following specific objectives: 1) Training professional figures with specific skills in underwater archaeology, how to valorize it and how to manage these cultural sites. The project trained new experts capable of fostering the touristic offer of these sites from multiple points of view, thanks to an ad hoc innovative training course. 2) Developing sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism around underwater archaeology, improving the tourist-cultural offer and expanding the reference target of users. 3) Provide guidelines for organizations that want to develop strategies for enhancing the underwater archaeological heritage, with different possibilities of application depending on the context and with a particular focus on the creation of underwater archaeological itineraries, with their specific heritage and on the professional’s skills required. 4) Increase knowledge of the underwater archaeological heritage and the importance of its conservation and enhancement, not only by tourists, but above all by young people and local communities living in those territories.

The project objectives were achieved through the implementation of the following activities, organized into WPs: WP1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT - Coordination, technical & financial management WP2 - NEW TRAINING COURSE ON UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY FOR CULTURAL OPERATORS - Implementation of one Transnational Training for Trainers for the development of a New Innovative Training Course on underwater archaeology for cultural operators and the realization of 5 on-site testing training in PPs’ countries WP3 - DEVELOPMENT OF U-MAR E-LEARNING PLATFORM – Assessment & research activities, followed by the technical design of the Platform and a confrontation phase with stakeholders. Information was then collected and materials/contents uploaded on the Platform, making it ready for the launch. WP4 – CREATION OF INTERPRETATION CENTRES ON UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY – Starting from a Research on the state of art and collection of inputs/materials, PPs’ defined the learning pathways and storytelling, ending in the set up of the Interpretation Centres WP5 - COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION – Transnational & Local dissemination plans were realized, followed by the- implementation of the set communication activities and the organization of 5 multiplier events.

The concrete outputs and results of the U-MAR project are: R1. The creation of the NEW TRAINING COURSE on underwater archaeological sites for cultural operators. Explanatory videos were made for the first 6 learning units; for the 7th one, related to legislative topics, a descriptive pdf was made. R1.1. 5 on-site training courses, one in each PP country, to test the new realized training course R2. The E-LEARNING PLATFORM to access the U-Mar NEW TRAINING COURSE on underwater archaeological sites for cultural operators. The U-Mar platform, in addition to a general overview of the project itself, offers information on specific training opportunities on underwater archaeology in partners’ countries; on tourism offers to discover underwater archaeological itineraries in the various project partner countries; on best practices identified during the Project which have been included in the course. R3. The development of INTERPRETATION/LEARNING CENTRES on Underwater Archeology, one in each partner country, located along the Phoenicians' Route - Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Thanks to these 3 main results, the project also: - laid the groundwork for the formalisation of a specific training course for those who work or want to work in underwater archaeological sites, to be included in vocational training programmes or in other training institutions (already done by partners CEIMAR in Spain and ICUA in Croatia). - Promoted the accessibility of underwater sites to all types of visitors through the enhancement of digital tools.