We are pleased to announce the Global Heritage Fund Sustainable Community Development Program supported by The Intrepid Foundation, the not-for-profit arm of Intrepid Travel. This partnership aims to protect cultural heritage through grassroots capacity building, enabling communities to thrive and become their own best stewards for cultural heritage protection.

The initial phases of the GHF Sustainable Community Development Program will focus on the archaeological site of Sagalassos, Turkey, and nearby town of Ağlasun. Through skills development and training, this multi-year partnership will build on our established community training programs to expand local capacities and support sustainable development and preservation of the archaeological site.

Local workers will train in making mudbricks, learning skills vital for the preservation of Sagalassos’s fragile archaeological remains. The partnership will also support community development programs that revitalize intangible crafts and practices. Through special workshops, craftswomen will learn to create and market regional products to international markets.

At Global Heritage Fund, we know that communities are integral to the success of our programs. We are committed to protecting cultural heritage by supporting community development and capacity building. From China to Turkey to Morocco, we create new opportunities that enable people living in and around historic sites to thrive and build ecosystems for long-term sustainability.

Engaging women is especially important for effective and sustainable protection of historic sites. Many of our programs emphasize women’s leadership, and we recently celebrated Women Leaders in World Heritage at St James’s Palace in London. “Women are critical to cultural heritage protection and the success of our efforts around the world,” says Global Heritage Fund’s Executive Director Nada Hosking. “When we invest in women and girls, whole communities benefit.”

We are thrilled to support women and community development in partnership with The Intrepid Foundation, which is committed to improving livelihoods – particularly for women – through sustainable travel and community-led tourism. The Intrepid Foundation has led the charge with supporting women in the travel and tourism sector at all levels, from increasing the number of women on its board of directors to doubling its number of female tour leaders in less than two years.

“The challenge is making sure the benefits of tourism are spread as evenly as possible, in particular to women and other marginalized groups who haven’t traditionally had access to the same opportunities,” explains Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid Travel’s Regional General Manager for Europe, Middle East and North Africa. “Women make up the majority of the tourism workforce globally, but tend to be in the lowest paid jobs and often perform a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses.”

Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company, offers sustainable small group tours for responsible travelers. In 2020, Intrepid Travel will offer itineraries that visit the Global Heritage Fund Sustainable Community Development Program.

This partnership is another important step in our mission to support community-driven conservation and protection for heritage sites around the globe. In addition to activities in Sagalassos, we are also looking to extend our partnerships to our other projects throughout the world.

Our work is possible thanks to the generous support of organizations such as The Intrepid Foundation and donors like you. Thank you for your support.

Global Heritage Fund and The Intrepid Foundation Partner to Protect Cultural Heritage

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