Αετομηλίτσα: Από την κοινή διαχείρηση των βοσκοτόπων στην αξιοποίηση των υδάτινων και ενεργειακών πόρων από τις τοπικές κοινότητες.
Creators: name: The High Mountains Social Cooperative Enterprise
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: The presentation from August 27, 2022, titled "Aetomilitsa," focuses on the collaborative efforts of a social cooperative enterprise dedicated to a social and solidarity economy, aiming to decentralize and ensure viable living conditions in mountainous areas. It is part of the pilot Aoos "The Shared River" and INCULTUM project that aims to promote innovative cultural tourism in the European peripheries, particularly through the exploration and development of community-based approaches to managing natural and energy resources.

Key Points and Goals:



The initiative seeks to reshape conditions for repopulating villages, leveraging social economy business models, research, and technologies. The aim is to increase employment and collective benefits, facilitating a more balanced lifestyle in selected high mountain areas.

It emphasizes the collective organization of resources, such as common pasture lands, and the utilization of water and energy resources by local communities. This is showcased through the example of Aetomilitsa, a community that embodies traditional pastoral practices and the communal management of resources.


Cultural and historical aspects:



Aetomilitsa is presented through its cultural dimensions, including its Vlach tradition, language, arts, and way of life. The presentation highlights traditional systems like "Tseligato," an informal mountainous pastoral cooperative, illustrating how semi-nomadic shepherds combined their livestock for communal exploitation, management, and maintenance of common resources. This system prevented unauthorized use and ensured the effective and sustainable use of resources.

The presentation also touches on the traditional nomadic system, ensuring balance between livestock and natural resources, and providing fair access to communal pastures without individual ownership.


Tourism, Culture, and Energy:



The presentation discusses how tourism, culture, and energy intersect, exploring whether energy is part of the cultural and tourism narrative. It investigates the relationship between energy, specifically hydroelectric energy, and the cultural and tourist narrative of the region. It poses questions about how sustainable technologies, like hydroelectric power and DIY approaches, fit within the broader context of culture and tourism.


Conclusion:



The Aetomilitsa presentation underscores the interconnectedness of culture, tourism, and energy, illustrating how seemingly unrelated concepts are based on common resources. It reflects on how a deep understanding of local traditions, sustainable resource management, and innovative cultural tourism can contribute to the revitalization and sustainable development of mountainous areas.


This initiative represents a holistic approach to rural development, where cultural heritage, sustainable resource management, and innovative tourism strategies converge to promote a sustainable and balanced lifestyle in mountainous communities.