Follow the Vikings Project Launched

Steering Committee at the launch meeting. Image by Austin Taylor. enlarge Steering Committee at the launch meeting. Image by Austin Taylor. The €3.92 million Follow The Vikings project was successfully launched in Lerwick on Friday 10th July. Twenty-eight delegates from the 14 partners participated in the first Steering Committee and contributed enthusiastically to the planning for the various project work packages.

Jimmy Moncrieff, Chair of the Steering Committee and Destination Viking Association, said, “This is an auspicious start for the project. All the project partners were represented at the meeting and participated in the lively discussions regarding the work ahead. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Shetland Islands Council and VisitScotland for hosting a civic reception for the delegates whilst they were here in Shetland.”

The Steering Committee meeting was held in the same week that the Project Manager was also appointed. Helen Smith will take up the position on 17th August and, with her extensive project management experience, will be responsible for co-ordinating the various strands of the project.

The next Steering Group meeting will be held in Foteviken, Sweden coinciding with the first Project Seminar focussing on teaching techniques, including the use of living history, oral presentations and story-telling.

For further details or comments on the project please contact Shetland Amenity Trust, Garthspool, Lerwick, Shetland, UK, ZE1 0NY. Tel. 0044 1595 694688. E-mail: catrina.carter@shetlandamenity.org

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Additional Information:

Follow The Vikings is a 4-year EU Creative Europe project celebrating Viking heritage throughout Europe and has a particular emphasis on creativity and culture, including the creation of an international touring event. Key aims of the project include international networking opportunities, skills development, reaching new audiences, promoting borderless tourism and promoting Europe as a global tourism destination. The Lead Partner in the project is Shetland Amenity Trust.

The project is a Destination Viking Association initiative. The work carried out by the project will raise the visibility of the Council of Europe’s Viking Cultural Route which is managed by the Destination Viking Association.

The Destination Viking Association is an association of 41 organisations from 15 countries set up under Swedish law in 2007 to promote Viking heritage and borderless tourism.

 

The full project partners are:

Shetland Amenity Trust, UK;

Iceland Saga Trail Association, Iceland;

Waterford Museum, Ireland;

City of Upplands Väsby, Sweden;

Museum Vestsjaelland, Denmark;

Ab Bengtskär Oy, Finland;

Sør Troms Museum, Norway;

York Archaeological Trust, UK;

Dublinia, Ireland;

Lofotr Viking Museum, Norway;

Concello de Catoira, Spain;

Vikingveien in Vestfold, Norway;

Avaldsnesprojekt, Norway; and

National Museum of Denmark, Denmark

 

Associate Partners are:

Destination Viking Association, Sweden;

Manx National Heritage, Isle of Man;

Agency of Historical Projects "Ratobortsy", Russia;

Axencia Turismo de Galicia, Spain;

L'Association les Vikings an 911, France;

Jomsborg Vikings Hird, Poland;

Rogaland County Council, Norway;

L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site of Canada, Canada;

Trelleborgen History Museum, Sweden;

Orkney Islands Council, UK; and

Fotevikens Museum, Sweden