Şirince Village

A mystical story unfolds in the prophecies of the Maya. Every 26,000 years a great event takes place, they speak of a cosmic event known as the “photon belt”. This time it is said to adorn Şirince, untouched by its magnetic pull, awaiting a celestial ship and the presence of Jesus Christ, heralding a Golden Age.

The attraction of Şirince goes beyond prophecy. The stone houses, reminiscent of Greek architecture, and the heritage of viticulture attract tourists. They can taste different fruit wines and savour local delicacies such as jam, molasses and dried fruit made from olives, figs, apples and walnuts, all nourished by the fruits of the land. It is a place where tradition meets mysticism, where explorers seek earthly pleasures.

Why is it regenerative?

History represents a cycle of renewal. The Mayan prophecy speaks of a cosmic event and a spiritual rejuvenation, while the preservation of traditions and the attraction of Şirince for tourists show how culture and nature continually refresh this place, offering both mysticism and earthly pleasures.

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Project partners met in Aveiro on the 14th and 15th of September 2023. It was the perfect opportunity to visit the destination with regenerative glasses on, to understand its many assets but also some of the challenges the destination is facing. Face to face project meetings always provide the partners with the unique opportunity to learn about the work of the hosting partner and get valuable insights about the destination. In this case partners were hosted by the dedicated team of management and tourism professionals of the University of Aveiro who shared a wealth of insights about a city that was new to many of the participants.

The Enforce project is well on track when it comes to the project work plan, which means that after having completed the Best Practice collection of innovative examples about storytelling for regeneration and also the Storyteller’s Guide, partners used the meeting to discuss the development of the Enforce Training Programme.

For the next few months partners will be working on developing the content in line with guidelines provided by the University of Usak, our project partner from Turkey.
The course should be available for piloting in January/February 2024 and will also be available in the partner languages once all translations are finalised.

The ENFORCE team met in the beautiful city of Luxembourg for its kick-off meeting. It took place at the premises of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg (also known as CCIL), which opened its doors to warmly welcome all partners.

The team was aware of the importance of this first meeting and approached it with the same enthusiasm, as it plays an important role in building strong bonds that will contribute to the success of the entire cooperation. With the common goal of building a solid foundation, the participants discussed in depth the first steps required for the project ENFORCE.

During this visit, the project objectives were discussed in depth to ensure that each partner has a comprehensive understanding of the overarching goals. The outcome of the kick-off meeting was extremely satisfying for all partners and generated enthusiasm among the team. It was a success and left everyone inspired and energised.

The journey of ENFORCE has officially begun and with the collective expertise of the committed partners, there is no doubt that it will thrive and achieve remarkable results.

Project N: 2022-1-LU01-KA220-VET-000089887