Is there a greater compliment to one of the many European projects dedicated to heritage preservation than the fact that it has awakened an interest in cooperation in a member of the younger generation? Just such a beautiful story in which the main role is played by young people 25-year-old ship modeler from Verona, Andrea Belfanti (@mudsailor), rounded off the numerous project activities by creating a traditional boat Adriatic PorTLand Interreg Italy-Croatia dedicated to the heritage and tourism connection of maritime and fluvial shipbuilding and navigation.
Following the numerous activities of the project that brought together partners from both sides of the Adriatic (the leading partner is the Institution "Kuća o batana-Casa della batana" from Rovinj-Rovigno, other partners are the Municipality of Mošćenička Draga in cooperation with the Ecomuseum of Mošćenička Draga and the Chair of the Čakavian Parliament of the Municipality of Mošćenička Draga, the Italian municipality of Cesenatico and its Maritime Museum, and the TVB (Traditional Venetian Boats) association from the Municipality of Battaglia Terme), the young guardian of the heritage of traditional Adriatic shipbuilding has become acquainted with numerous examples of good practice.
These were presented by the partners during the project through events (regattas) and theoretical-practical workshops (Exchange Lab) and consolidated in short films and a joint strategy. Its goal is to integrate the tourist offers of the coast and hinterland with inland waterways through the valorization of cross-border traditional navigation.
Interested in connecting with project partners, he took the initiative and introduced himself to the partners, expressing his desire for cooperation, which was achieved by ordering the creation of the striking batana Vanessa, a traditional boat from the Maritime Museum in Cesenatico. The batana Vanessa was built in 1962 in Cervia, and will be in the arsenal of the museum in Cesenatico in 2020 as part of the EU project Arca Adriatica Italy-Croatia, with the funds of which it was restored. Since then, it has been put into operation as a demonstration boat, presenting the Adriatic maritime heritage at many sea festivals and exhibitions, and also hosting mainsail sailing courses.
As part of the Adriatic PorTLand project, the batana Vanessa participated in the Rovinj Regatta for the first time, sailing the Rovinj waters with her Rovinj "cousins", and this connection of the two coasts was symbolically crowned by the creation of a model that was entrusted to the young ship modeler Andreja Belfanti.
– The Adriatic Portland project caught my attention during my visit to the Maritime Museum in Cesenatico, which fascinates me with its interior and exterior display of traditional ships with mainsails. I was particularly intrigued by the topic of the project because for the first time, shipbuilding and navigation on the sea and rivers of Italy and Croatia are being connected and valorized for tourism. As I live and work in Verona, I am extremely interested in including our area in such projects because we have traces of traditional river and lake navigation on Lake Garda and the lakes of Mantua., he says Andrea Belfanti.
Since he started modeling ships during the coronavirus pandemic, he found it as a break from everyday life and a contact with the incredible wealth of traditional shipbuilding, which, as he says, inspired him to refine his boyhood love of ships with skill and knowledge. At first, he dealt with classic models, frigates and galleys, but seeing that many modelers were dealing with them, he decided to change his area of interest and specialize in traditional ships of the Adriatic and the Po Valley.
Two years ago, the Batipai association approached him with a commission to build a model of the Freccia Azzurra, the last burci that had sailed the waterways that entered Venice from the hinterland for hundreds of years and which they decided to restore. In this task, he needed help, which he wholeheartedly provided from Maurizio Ulliana, president of the TVB (Traditional Venetian Boats) association, also one of the partners in the Adriatic PorTLand project.
Working on the Freccia Azzurra model deepened Andrea's interest in the Adriatic nautical tradition and directed his focus towards traditional ships with mainsails like the batana Vanessa, which in turn brought him closer to the Croatian shipbuilding heritage.
– Although my greatest fascination is with trabaculi, I am extremely happy to have had the opportunity to make the Vanessa batana, which I exhibited for the first time at the Model Expo Italy in Verona on March 8th and 9th, and which I will present in October of this year, at the invitation of the Ecomuseum “Batana”, at an interesting workshop in Rovinj. During the making of Vanessa, I created a new network of contacts with the partners of the Adriatic PorTLand project, which led me further, towards researching traditional boats from the Croatian coast and encouraged me to expand my expertise beyond Italian waters. I was delighted by the book “Centenarians from Our Mula” by Nenad Bojmić, co-published by the Croatian Maritime Museum Split and the Museum of Betina Wooden Shipbuilding, and especially the gajeta, a boat that I am currently intensively studying. I hope that my example will inspire enthusiasm in other young people to get involved in heritage preservation with the same passion as mine, but with as strong support as possible, notes Andrea.
– When it comes to preserving heritage, there is often talk about the necessity of transferring knowledge and skills to younger generations. At a time when young people are accustomed to modern technology and instant results, this represents a great challenge. All partners in this project are trying to encourage love and interest in heritage in younger generations from kindergarten age onwards, and I would highlight this as a priority. It is a great thing when young people love heritage to such an extent that they encourage us, as Andrea Belfanti did. His initiative and proactivity can truly be a good example, and therefore we are pleased that he first demonstrated his skills on a type of traditional boat that is so important to us, but also that connects us with the other side of the Adriatic and our Italian partners with whom we have established fruitful cooperation on the Adriatic PorTLand project.
We are very pleased that the first participation in a regatta of the batana Vanessa took place for the first time at our 18th Rovinj Regatta of Traditional Boats with Main and Latin Sails, which beautifully symbolizes our connection. The joint strategy will connect us even after the end of the project, as we will continue to strengthen the role of culture and heritage in the development of sustainable tourism, especially in terms of reducing seasonality and excessive number of guests at coastal destinations, he says about this inspiring cooperation and the Adriatic PorTLand project, project manager and director of the Institution “House of Batana-Casa della batana” Nives Giuricin.
The collaboration with Andrea Belfanti will continue in Rovinj-Rovigno, at a workshop as part of Children's Week, where the Ecomuseum "Batana" will present an interesting guest from Italy to children, along with a theatrical performance in Croatian "Batana and the Parrot". Andrea Belfanti will present his work using a model of the batana Vanessa, and will also introduce them to other traditional Italian ships, both those that sailed at sea and those that sailed inland waters in the past.
It will also be an opportunity to recount Vanessa's adventures, of which there have been many. Children will be very interested to hear about her guest appearances throughout the Emilia Romagna region, then at the Festival of the Sea in Orleans, France, regattas in Rovinj-Rovigno and Mošćenička Draga, and even one of the "main roles" in Disney's historical comedy "Rosaline". In this way, the small traditional boat will connect generations, coasts and heritages and open up new opportunities for the continuation of the activities of the successful EU project Adriatic PorTLand, the results of which are available at official project website.
– The Adriatic PorTLand project, implemented within the framework of the Interreg Italy-Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2021-2027, has stood out as an example of good practice in promoting maritime and fisheries heritage. The project has strengthened cooperation between Italian and Croatian partners who share a common maritime tradition, while at the same time encouraging new collaborations that open up opportunities for the dissemination of results to other areas of the Adriatic and the involvement of young people like Andrea Belfanti in the preservation of valuable maritime heritage. As a Programme, we recommend the continuation of such initiatives that link cultural heritage with sustainable economic development, as well as further strengthening cooperation between different stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability and impact of the results achieved, said Renata Marušić, Communications Manager of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2021-2027 program.
The Adriatic PorTLand project lasted 18 months - from July 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. The total value of the project was EUR 249.670,00, and 80% (EUR 199.736,00) was co-financed by the Interreg Italy-Croatia cross-border program.
