Med Art – The internationalization of the restoration sector in Turkey
Transnational Cooperation for Cultural Heritage Preservation is a project promoted by Assorestauro and sponsored by Regione Emilia Romagna, within the programme “BRICTS 2012”, aimed at boosting the internationalization of local businesses in emerging markets.
By directly involving Assorestauro and all its members, Med-Art is a project focused on the internationalization of the Italian businesses working in the sector, to help them penetrate the restoration market in Turkey. A valuable partner in the project is the Società Roncucci&Partners (based in Bologna), a company specializing in business consulting throughout the development of the internationalization steps.
Med-Art is an ambitious initiative aimed at promoting cooperation in the Mediterranean area in the field of conservation of the cultural heritage. From Turkey, the future aim of the promoters is to expand the project to Morocco, a country now experiencing fast growth.
Assorestauro, involved in promoting the exchange of professional skills in the sector of monument restoration by means of partnerships between businesses and institutions of foreign countries, already worked in Turkey in 2008 for the conservation works of the Clock Tower in Istanbul.
The beneficiaries of the project are the manufacturers, service providers and engineering practices working in the sector of restoration of art and monuments.
Steps of the project: starting public-private partnerships with the organization of institutional meetings; check-up meetings with the participants; workshops on the target country; scouting; institutional and business mission in Turkey; study for the development of an association similar to Assorestauro in Turkey; mapping the available opportunities in the target country; customer satisfaction analysis; diffusion of the results; follow-up action.
Main promotional actions: APRIL 2013 Mission to Istanbul to attend “Yapi Fuari” Exhibition (April 24th-28th, 2013); NOVEMBER 2013: Mission to Antalia to attend YAPEX Exhibition and Mission to Istanbul to organize B2B encounters for the participants in the project.
Launched in the second half of 2012 with a number of following promotional actions over a period of eighteen months, Med Art formally ended at the end of 2013.
As planned, the on-site training action in Sheik Suleyman Mosque in Istanbul followed.
Med Art followup
Once Med-Art project formally ended, the planned follow-up action was started in October 2013 with the sponsorship of ICE and the protocol of understanding with VGM T.R. Prime Ministry General Directorate of Foundations, i.e. the leading Turkish body for the conservation of the cultural religious heritage of Turkey.
The signature of the official protocol for the restoration of Sheik Suleyman Mosque in Istanbul launches a number of theoretical and practical educational actions directly addressed to the Italian companies involved in the project, with a view to starting and implementing an action of on-site training.
Med Art Follow up consists in a training programme to be held in Turkey and in Italy, as follows:
- 1th training session in Turkey (30.09-11.10.2013)
- 1th training session in Italy (15-21.12.2013)
- 2nd training session in Turkey (10-13.02.2014)
- 2nd training session in Italy (22-28.06.2014)
- Symposium in Istambul (3-4.11.2014)
The restoration works of the Mosque are currenly in progress. The restoration of the outer facades and roof and the structural consolidation of the building have been completed.
Current works consist in the restoration of the interior decorations and in the adjustment of the existing functions and installations. The works are expected to be completed by mid-2016.