Imagining the craft sector many years from now: how can it develop sustainably - to encompass preservation of heritage, reflect identity, attract youth, and secure employment - thus contributing to social cohesion?
In an era of growing digitalisation and artificial intelligence, the crafts and creative industries are in need of specific support for preserving its peculiarities and added values. This sector is at the same time an important part of the labour market and represents the rich cultural heritage of the countries. It sustains the attraction of tourism and provides employment for young people and women, especially in rural areas.
As part of the initiative on the Future of Skills, the European Training Foundation organized a foresight event in Como, Italy (28/02-01/03) aimed at creating a vision and identifying specific recommendations for policy makers to support the sector sustainably on its way ahead. This initiative was run in partnership with UNESCO, the Michelangelo Foundation, UNIDO, Union for the Mediterranean.
The event gathered 25 participants from various backgrounds: policymakers, educators, craft practitioners and experts in the field. Guided by a team of professional moderators, participants were given an environment to exchange ideas, share knowledge and discuss the topic from multiple angles.
The discussion covered 4 main dimensions: Skills and education; Governance in the craft sector; Economic and social impact of crafts; Sustainability of crafts.
Additionally, two field visits to Contrada degli Artigiani and Museo della Seta were organized to provide a chance to interact with local professionals and students of crafts industry, as well as to get inspired by an age-old artistic traditions and heritage of Lombardian region.
After fruitful discussions on priority actions, aimed at preserving the heritage and beauty of local communities, participants produced vision and a list of concrete actions to be run in the short, medium and long term.
Conclusions and summary of the work will be later presented in a form of joint publication.
Stay tuned!
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