On March 19th, 2025, the Municipal Administration of Strelcha (Bulgaria) hosted the second local stakeholder workshop as part of the MED-GIAHS project. Organized by project partner PRA, the event focused on the unique rose production agroecosystem of the Valley of Roses, a candidate site for FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) designation.
The workshop brought together 15 participants, including municipal officials, local tourism and leisure professionals, representatives from the Local Action Group, and academics from the Agricultural University of Plovdiv. For this session, invitations were extended to national institutions, with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural University of Plovdiv attending and actively engaging.
Discussions centered on reviewing and refining two key project deliverables: the second versions of the Joint Guide for the Definition of Action Plans and the MED-GIAHS Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. PRA also introduced a presentation on Recommendations for Co-Creation of Touristic Experiences, initiating a collaborative process to identify three representative tourism experiences that reflect the unique biodiversity, culture, and identity of Strelcha’s potential GIAHS site.
Participants were invited to share feedback on these materials by April 30th via email. The PRA team will consolidate inputs and draft detailed Tourist Experience Product Info Sheets for the selected experiences, to be finalized and submitted to the Lead Partner by mid-May.
This participatory and co-creative approach ensures that local voices shape sustainable tourism development while highlighting the agricultural and cultural richness of the Valley of Roses.
