On 17 March, two creative-educational workshops were implemented as part of block teaching within the art programme at the secondary school “Knez Aleksandar Karađorđević” in Kragujevac. The workshops engaged students in the exploration and interpretation of the cultural-historical and industrial heritage of the City of Kragujevac and the Šumadija District.

Through a hands-on and interdisciplinary approach, students produced artworks by modelling with recycled materials, thereby integrating the concepts of cultural heritage preservation, sustainability, and circular economy practices. The activities contributed to strengthening students’ creative capacities, while simultaneously raising awareness of the importance of safeguarding and valorizing local heritage assets.

The workshops were carried out in the frame of the project “Šumadija CONNECT – Fostering Territorial Development through Valorisation of Cultural Heritage and Innovation”, funded by the European Union under the EU PRO Plus programme and implemented by UNOPS. Within the territory of our region, the project is implemented by the Regional Economic Development Agency for Šumadija and Pomoravlje.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to sustainable territorial development and to enhance the positioning of the Šumadija District as an attractive and competitive region within Serbia and the European Union. This objective is pursued through strengthening the territorial urban identity, advancing the protection and valorisation of cultural-historical heritage, fostering linkages with the culture and education sectors, promoting green economy principles, and supporting innovation and the development of cultural and creative industries.