[Research project] OLIVE4ALL, "Olive heritage for sustainable development: raising community awareness of a living heritage", winner of European funding

Julie Deramond, PhD in Contemporary History, Senior Lecturer in Information and Communication Sciences at Avignon University and researcher at the Centre Norbert Elias, has received funding from the European Commission's JPI CH programme (Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change) to run her OLIVE4ALL project until 2024. The OLIVE4ALL project is one of 6 selected and funded by international experts (out of 90 applications received).

The OLIVE4ALL project (Olive Heritage for Sustainable Development: Raising Community Awareness of Living Heritage) proposes to study how to place heritage and its enhancement at the heart of regional development proposals, in response to contemporary social issues. It focuses on the heritage of the olive tree in its many dimensions (natural, cultural, tangible and intangible) because it is representative of Mediterranean culture and identity.

The aim of the project is to combine the enhancement of heritage with regional development, with a view to sustainability in three countries: France, Portugal and Greece. The project was prepared in collaboration with the Routes of the Olive TreeItinerary of the Council of Europe and in partnership with various socio-economic players (Musée de Salagon, Mucem, Iter Vitis, International Olive Oil Council, DOEPEL, PMD, etc.).

It is divided into 3 phases:

• Drawing up an inventory of the heritage of the three countries and mapping the players involved;
• Raising awareness of the value of this heritage among stakeholders and the general public through a transmedia system (exhibition, tasting centre, documentary, etc.) focusing on narrative, sensory and multi-media dimensions. These systems will be the subject of audience surveys, for cultural mediation research purposes.
• Territorial development: the researchers want to see whether it is possible, by promoting this heritage, to develop more responsible forms of tourism. The aim is to see how heritage enhancement can help regional development. Surveys will be carried out in the field, while raising awareness among local players.

The aim of OLIVE4ALL is to demonstrate that by giving heritage a more prominent place in society, we can respond to the global challenges made all the more urgent by the current health crisis. Enhancing the value of food heritage in European societies helps to raise awareness of the human, social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

The project players

Julie Deramond is the " Project Leader "She is the instigator of OLIVE4ALL and its international coordinator. The project involves researchers from a wide range of disciplines (CIS, geography, anthropology, IT) and numerous partners in France, Portugal and Greece. At national level, she is leading the project on behalf of Avignon University and the Centre Norbert Elias.

>>> Find out more about OLIVE4ALL and its partners

Joint Programming Initiatives (JPI)

The JPI on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI CH: The Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change) is one of 10 Joint Programming Initiatives (J.P.I., or Joint Programming Initiativeslaunched by the European Commission in 2008 in its communication entitled "Towards Joint Programming in Research: Working together to tackle common challenges more effectively".

>>> Find out more about the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (english) 

>>> Joint programming initiatives (French)

>>> Results of the JPI CH call (english) 

>>> The JPI CH appeal (english)