About Baltic Heritage Ideas

Baltic Heritage Ideas is the legacy of the DUNC project which ran from 2017 to 2021 and was supported financially by the European Regional Development Fund. DUNC stands for Development of UNESCO Natural and Cultural Assets.

The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed inland sea in Northern Europe which is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the North Sea, Kattegat Strait and the Skagerrak Strait.

Tourism is one of the Baltic Sea region's fastest-growing economic sectors which contributes greatly to economic growth and job opportunities particularly in more rural areas. However, it is also a major contributor to negative environmental impact, degradation of the visited locations and problematic seasonal visitor patterns.

In-line with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UNESCO Sustainable Tourism guidelines, DUNC has been working on behalf of the World Heritage sites across the South Baltic region to connect people and develop tourism strategies that help build inclusive communities, provide "future-friendly" economic growth and safeguard heritage assets for future generations.

The project partners and associated partners included World Heritage sites and Biosphere Reserve Areas in the South Baltic region who face similar conservation, preservation and social challenges. Over the project lifetime, DUNC have addressed these challenges by facilitating networking and clustering of tourism stakeholders, raising awareness about responsible behavior and working with businesses to create quality activities that help to prolong the tourist season.

Project Partners

Associated Partners

Green Pointers = UNESCO sites
Blue Pointers = Non UNESCO sites
Black Pointers = Associated UNESCO sites

UNESCO's World Heritage Statement

"Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations.
Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration."

UNESCO – About World Heritage

Contact Information

This website is administered by the Municipality of Karlskrona. If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

Pia Holgersson, EU and International Coordinator, 0046 455 30 30 45 or pia.holgersson@karlskrona.se