The project “Making Balkan Museums More Accessible for People with Disabilities” is designed as a program of international cooperation in the region (Balkans), through the exchange of knowledge and skills between museum professionals and representatives of organizations and associations in local communities, in order to improve the accessibility of museums and museum programs and involve the local community in creating, developing and implementing cultural programs.
The motive for the project, in addition to improving accessibility and strengthening the capacity of the institution through employee education and development of accessible and inclusive content, is the promotion of human rights, tolerance and equality of especially socially vulnerable and vulnerable groups and the establishment and further development of cross-border cooperation.
The project “Making Balkan Museums More Accessible for People with Disabilities” consists of several thematic units, as follows:
- Work on improving the accessibility and inclusive contents of partner institutions – museums through the preparation of an accessibility study and the creation of inclusive contents;
- Promotion of human rights, tolerance and equality through public advocacy and campaigns in the local community;
- Education of museum professionals and exchange of knowledge and skills through the organization of workshops, webinars and meetings;
- Strengthening the capacity of institutions through education, procurement of equipment and assistance in creating interpretive tools;
- Audience development and work with the local community through public events and debates;
- Development of social entrepreneurship programs through education and creation of digital promotional tools;
- Initiative for inter-sectoral connection and cooperation of cultural institutions and representatives of local associations and organizations in order to achieve sustainable economic development and strengthen the capacity of the local community.
These activities will be implemented in cooperation with museums and organizations/ associations in Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the project will be managed by an international team composed of experts and professionals in culture, members of the Balkan Museum Network. The project will be managed by MA Milena Milošević Micić, museum advisor art historian, member of BMAG / BMN employed at the Knjaževac Homeland Museum, MA Aida Vežić, general secretary of the Balkan Museum Network, economist and cultural manager, Dr. Irena Ružin, museum marketing expert employed in NU Institute and Museum in Bitola, and MA Aida Mia Alić, expert in the field of media practice for development and social change, project manager at the Museum of War Childhood in Sarajevo.
