Success of Corvo Ecomuseum depends on partnerships between different actors, says Avelino Meneses
The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture said the "success" of Corvo Ecomuseum project is "largely dependent on" the ability of the Government and its technicians to establish a "partnership work" with different agents.
Avelino Meneses spoke Wednesday on Corvo during the signing of the consignment agreement for contract work for the restoration and adaptation of a building to a Museum of Time, included in the Ecomuseum. The government official said this partnership work involves citizens, local authorities and schools; the latter is responsible for "an important action in heritage education."
With this investment of nearly 310 thousand Euros, the Government of the Azores implements "policy towards the creation of a museum on each island" and fulfils an old aspiration," said Avelino Meneses.
In his speech, the Regional Secretary stressed that the Corvo Ecomuseum "already belongs to the Regional Network of Azorean Museums." This entity is "in charge for the characterisation of the territory, the people and the history of the community in order to safeguard and recognise the value of the cultural identity of Corvo islanders."
Through this project, which combines "human beings with nature," the island of Corvo "is transformed into a living museum," Avelino Meneses said, noting that the "Ecomuseum is not a building with artefacts on display."
"The exhibition is Vila do Corvo itself and the actors are the local population," the government official stressed, adding that the Ecomuseum aims to promote "a dynamic conservation of heritage, whenever possible 'in situ,'" said the government official.
The Regional Secretary stressed that the Azores did not have, until now, "a museum institution whose main activity might occur outside the museum walls," particularly in the rehabilitation of public spaces "to halt the degradation of the older urban centre" and "promote the importance of environmental resources."
All this, stressed Avelino Meneses, has the purpose of "improve the quality of life of the population and promote the influx of quality tourism."