CONSIDER Kick-off Meeting

CONSIDER Kick-off Meeting

On 16th of October 2021, the Kick-Off Meeting of the CONSIDER Project titled “Sustainable Management of Industrial Heritage Sites as a Resource for Urban Development” funded by the EU Horizon 2020 MSCA RISE Programme will be hosted by the Zollverein Foundation at the UNESCO World Heritage site Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, Essen.

CONSIDER, coordinated by the Kadir Has University, aims to develop a sustainable management model for industrial heritage sites for the benefit of the local communities as a resource for strengthening collective identities, improving the urban landscape, promoting eco-friendly solutions, and contributing to the urban economy and a sustainable future of the city. As a Research and Innovation project, the CONSIDER brings 12 academic and sectoral institutions in six countries together. Coordinator of the Project being Kadir Has University (TR, UNESCO Chair on Management and Promotion of World Heritage Sites), Newcastle University (UK), Ruhr University Bochum (DE), Central European University (AT), Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design (IL, UNESCO Chair on Urban Design and Conservation) represent the academic institutions while Kadikoy Municipality (TR), Newcastle City Council (UK), Tyne and Wear Preservation Trust (UK), Zollverein Stiftung (DE), Eutropian (AT), Haifa Municipality (IL) are the sectoral partners. The Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN, UNESCO Chair on Industrial Heritage) acts as Third Country (TC) partner.

As a prominent member of the CONSIDER consortium, the non-profit Zollverein Foundation was founded in 1998 by the City of Essen and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, and is sponsored by the Landschaftsverband Rheinland. In addition to the promotion of culture and the preservation of historical monuments, the foundation’s central task is to preserve, secure and develop the existing buildings and facilities of the UNESCO World Heritage Coal Mine and Coking Plant for future use, in line with monument preservation requirements. The Zollverein Foundation is the owner of the buildings and above-ground facilities and operates the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site in Essen. In 2001 the “most beautiful coal mine in the world” was inscribed in the World Heritage List. Since then, the coal mine and coking plant of Zollverein have been retained as an identity establishing monument, simultaneously offering cultural highlights such as museums, concerts and events. With more than 1.5 million visitors per year Zollverein is the biggest tourist attraction in the Ruhr area and a growing economic hub with about 150 businesses from the creative and cultural industry.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held in the form of a hybrid event.