After the signing of the agreement, Ms. Maja Uskoković said: “I am pleased that from today we will make the contents of the Maritime Museum in Kotor more accessible to all interested parties, especially visitors of Kotor”.
About the importance of the Blue Card, Mr. Jovan Ristic said: “The Blue Pass represents a significant incentive for diversification and digitization of the tourist offer of Kotor.”
The Blue Card is accompanied by the digital tourist guide Blue Pass EXCHANGE, which already shows the contents that can be seen in the Maritime Museum.
About the blue card. The Blue Card is a new tourist product, purpose-developed as part of the EXChAngE project for visitors to the cross-border area of Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro, which allows the purchase of discounted tickets for thematic routes.
About the digital tour guide. The digital tourist guide Blue Pass EXCHANGE enables exploration of the cultural and natural heritage of the cross-border area Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro, especially the cross-border aquatic biodiversity. To make it easier to read and navigate through the content, the guide is structured into sections – each dedicated toa thematic route. Each section has four chapters, representing (1) natural heritage, (2) cultural heritage, (3) one thematic route and (4) transportation to the site. Chapters are structured into thematic topics, keeping as similar as possible outline across the guide. The guide is available under name “Blue Pass – EXChAngE” for Android on Google Play and for iOS mobile platforms on the App Store.
]]>Video “EXChAngE Blue Pass SHORT” tells a short story about the main project output: a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass View this video on YouTube:
Video “Dubrovnik Aquarium Blue Pass” tells a story about the Aquarium Dubrovnik which you can visit at discounted rate with a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass. View this video on YouTube:
Video “Kotor Blue Pass” tells a story about the old city of Kotor which attractions you can visit at discounted rate with a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass. View this video on YouTube:
Video “Aquarium Boka Blue Pass” tells a story about the Aquarium Boka which you can visit at discounted rate with a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass. View this video on YouTube:
Video “Mostar Blue Pass” tells a story about the old city of Mostar which attractions you can visit at a discounted rate with a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass. View this video on YouTube:
Video “Hutovo Blato Blue Pass” tells a story about the Nature Park Hutovo Blato swamp which attractions you can visit at discounted rate with a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass. View this video on YouTube:
The “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE” project is implemented in the period of 27 months, 14th August 2020 – 14th November 2022, by the international consortium composed of five partners: (1) The University of Dubrovnik, the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (Croatia) as the lead partner, (2) Tourism Organization Kotor (Montenegro), (3) The Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro (Montenegro), (4) Tourism Organization of Herzegovina-Neretva County (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and (5) Nature Park “Hutovo Blato” (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The project’s main objective is to strengthen and diversify the tourism offer through exploring cross-border aquatic biodiversity and to enable better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage.
The project is supported within the Interreg IPA Cross–border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014 – 2020 and uses ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union. The total project budget is 1,7 M EUR with EU co-financing of 1,4 M EUR. The project duration is from 15th August 2020 to 14th November 2022.
]]>The University of Dubrovnik signed a Subsidy contract with the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds of the Republic of Croatia for implementation the EXChAngE project on 14th August 2020. The project main objective is to strengthen and diversify the tourism offer through exploring cross-border aquatic biodiversity and to enable better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage.
The project is supported within the Interreg IPA Cross – border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014 – 2020 and uses ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union. Total project budget is 1,7 M EUR with EU co-financing of 1,4 M EUR. Project duration is from 15th August 2020 to 14th November 2022.
The project is implemented by the international consortium composed of five partners:
- The University of Dubrovnik, the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (Croatia) as the lead partner,
- Tourism Organization Kotor (Montenegro),
- The Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro (Montenegro),
- Tourism Organization of Herzegovina-Neretva County (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and
- Nature Park “Hutovo Blato” (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Closing event of the project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE” was held on 10th November 2022 at Dubrovnik University, Croatia.
The project has developed a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass, which enables visits of new thematic routes: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and attracts more tourists in the area. Blue Pass ticket is available at EXChAngE project partners’ selling points.
]]>Dubrovnik, Croatia: Closing event of the project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE” was held on 10th November 2022 at Dubrovnik University, Croatia. After 27 months of implementation, main result was presented: a new tourism product – Blue Pass, which enables visits with discount rates of new thematic routes with improved infrastructure: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and attracts more tourists in the area. Blue Pass ticket is available at EXChAngE project partners’ selling points.
On the project main result, Dr Nenad Antolović, Project Director, said, “Blue Pass is much more than discount pass for five thematic routes in three neighbouring countries. It is accompanied with digital tourist guide and creates community for sustainable use of the cross-border aquatic biodiversity”.
The project is implemented by five partners: University of Dubrovnik, Croatia (leading partner), Tourist Organization Kotor, Montenegro, University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology, Montenegro, Tourist Community HNK/Z, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Nature Park Hutovo Blato, Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The project is supported under the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014-2020. Total project budget is 1,7 M Euro with EU co-financing of 1,4 M Euro. Project has started on 15th August 2020 and was lasting 27 months.
About Blue Pass EXChAngE Tourist Guide: Blue Pass EXChAngE Guide enables exploring cultural and natural heritage of the cross-border area Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro, in particular cross-border aquatic biodiversity. For easy reading and navigation through the content, the guide is structured in sections – each dedicated to one thematic route. Each section has four chapters, presenting (1) natural heritage, (2) cultural heritage, (3) one thematic route and (4) transportation to the site. Chapters are structured into thematic topics, keeping as similar as possible outline across the guide. The guide is available under name “Blue Pass – EXChAngE” for Android at Google Play and for iOS mobile platforms at App Store.
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Conference participants will present 84 papers on six Conference topics: Marine biodiversity and conservation, Freshwater biodiversity and conservation, Cross-border aquatic biodiversity, Aquatic alien and invasive species, Marine and freshwater pollution, and Sustainable use of marine resources.
On behalf of the host city of Kotor, all participants were greeted by his excellency Mayor of Kotor, Mr. Vladimir Jokić, who said, “The old city of Kotor is a gem of the Boka Kotorska Bay and one of the best-preserved medieval urban entities in the Mediterranean. The culture-Historical Region of Kotor is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. I am inviting you to climb the walls of the Kotor fortress, visit a number of churches and palaces, and enjoy traditional Boka cuisine. I am also inviting you to download the new mobile touristic guide Blue Pass, which was produced by the EXCHANGE international project, and implemented by the consortium in which two institutions from Kotor participate: Tourist Organization of Kotor and the Institute of Marine Biology with the Aquarium Boka. It is said: the walls of Kotor speak history, the Aquarium Boka speaks nature. The Blue Pass application brings both stories to you.”
Download the full speech of Mayor Jokić
Commenting expected Conference impact, Professor Vladimir Božović, the University of Montenegro Rector said, “the University of Montenegro is committed to international cooperation and implementation of joint research, through various programmes and scientific research projects. That is why this conference is important as it creates discussion and cooperation framework for our colleagues coming mainly from the Mediterranean but also other countries across the World.”
Download the full speech of Professor Božović
Of the Conference’s scope, Dr. Aleksandar Joksimović, Conference Scientific Committee Chair said, “We are happy in providing a platform to discuss how state-of-the-art research on Adriatic biodiversity protection, conservation of coastal and marine areas, and sustainable use of marine resources can contribute to policy- and decision-making. Our special efforts were invested in highlighting the valorisation of Adriatic biodiversity, both marine and freshwater, as tourism offer.”
Download the full speech of Dr. Joksimović
During the opening ceremony, the non-material cultural heritage of Kotor was presented by the folklore Ensemble “Nikola Đurković” from Kotor. They presented traditional songs and dances from the Boka Kotorska bay.
The EXChAngE project is presented to the conference audience in full scale. On plenary session T3, Dr Radoje Laušević from the Institute of Marine Biology Kotor and Dr Nenad Antolović from the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research Dubrovnik discussed with participants the cross-border aquatic biodiversity and presented main project outputs: Blue Pass mobile application and Blue Pass ticket.
On the Workshop „Touristic presentation in English“ Jovan Ristić and Dragana Samardžić from Tourist organization of Kotor discussed with participants how to efficiently use Blue Pass mobile application as a toll for guiding tourists.
The conference will last four working days, till 17 June 2022 in parallel sessions in Cultural Center “Nikola Djurković” and the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro.
The night before the official opening, the conference participants celebrated the opening of the conference exhibition “Water as inspiration”. Of the exhibition concept, Dr. Valter Kožul, a scientist and artist from Dubrovnik, Croatia, said “It is not just the case that this conference is starting with the exhibition opening. Water is essential for surviving all organisms and water is the environment for all Adriatic Sea species. There is a harmony of form between many natural objects and water is the most precious natural element. While the conference participants will discuss the water as the environment for organisms, we, the artists, are presenting the water as our inspiration.” The exhibition will be opened to public in the Gallery of Cultural Center “Nikola Djurković” in Kotor, Montenegro till 26th June.
Conference background
The Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro is implementing the project Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE. The project is developing a new tourism product – Blue Pass, which will enable visits to new thematic routes with improved infrastructure: Dubrovnik and Aquarium in Croatia, Kotor and Aquarium Boka in Montenegro, Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Aqua Path in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and attracts more tourists in the area. This conference is organized as a final project event dedicated to gathering all relevant national and regional stakeholders and securing closer regional cooperation in the Adriatic Sea region.
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It is not just by the case that the second International Conference: Adriatic Biodiversity Protection – AdriBioPro2022, started with this exhibition opening. Water is essential for surviving of all organisms and water is the environment for all Adriatic Sea species. There is a harmony of form between many natural objects and water as most precious natural element. While the conference participants will discuss the water as the environment for organisms, the artists are presenting the water as their inspiration.
Valter Kožul was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in 1967. He has been painting since 1990. He works in acrylic and oil painting techniques and watercolours. The dominant motifs in painting work are the sea and the underwater world and the vedutas of Dubrovnik and its surroundings. He has exhibited at two solo and numerous group exhibitions in Croatia and abroad. He has been a member of the Dubrovnik Association of Fine Artists (DULU) since 1998 and has been president of the same one since 2015. From the time of membership start to the present day, he organizes and participates in the realization of exhibitions and art colonies. He works as a scientific advisor in a permanent position at the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research of the University of Dubrovnik. He lives and creates in Dubrovnik.
Mile Abijanić was born in 1963. He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Nikšić, Montenegro, at pedagogical department, as an art teacher. He is engaged in painting, photography, video, and design. He had more than 30 collective and 26 solo exhibitions in the country and abroad. He has exhibited in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Thessaloniki, Zrenjanin, Trebinje, Banja Luka, Nikšić, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Tivat, Budva, Podgorica, Petrovac and other cities. He lives and works in Kotor.
Petar Martinovic was born in in 1972 in Kotor, where he completed elementary and high school. He studied biology and sociology in Belgrade, Serbia, and from 1999 he is exclusively involved in ceramics. In his work he relies on the technique of ceramics on the hand wheel and distortion of the acquired forms which he uses to build sculptures, combined with baking performed at temperatures of 1,250 C-1,280 C. In the work he uses icing prepared by his own recipes as well as commercial pigments and colors. The artist’s preoccupation is organomorphic forms derived by merging basic geometric bodies obtained by twirling on the wheel as well as fishy forms in fusion with a human face.
Bosiljka Bakočević is a visual artist from Montenegro. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, UoM, in Cetinje, under the tutorship of prof. Ratko Odalović, painting department. Her art is based on the research of ephemeral elements in watercolour painting with a special focus on light and water. Bosiljka’s work was awarded with several awards, and she had the opportunity to show her work at prestigious events. She was selected by the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro to participate in the IPA project MONET and the art laboratory at the Ribezzo Archaeological Museum in Brindisi, Italy. She has been a member of the Society of Visual Artists of Montenegro since 2021. She had one solo exhibition and participated in numerous collective exhibitions in Montenegro and abroad.
The Exhibition Water as inspiration is organized as event of the second International Conference: Adriatic Biodiversity Protection – AdriBioPro2022, supported by the project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE” (co-financed by the European Unio’s ERDF and IPA II funds). The exhibition is opened till 26th June.
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At the opening of the fair, the welcome words were delivered by: Mostar Fair Director Ms Dalfina Bošnjak, Mayor of Mostar Mario Kordicć, Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Fadil Novalić, Zoran Tegeltija, Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers. Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, and Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, who declared the fair open. Partner country of the 23rd International Economy Fair in Mostar is the Republic of Hungary.
Project partners
Project partners
EXChAngE project is implemented by five project partners: The University of Dubrovnik – Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (lead partner), Tourist Organisation of Kotor, University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology, Tourist Board of Herzegovina – Neretva Canton, and Public Company Hutovo Blato Nature Park, Čapljina. Representatives of all partners are present at the exhibition area of the project.
The main goal of the EXChAngE project is to strengthen and diversify the tourist offer through exploring of the cross-border aquatic biodiversity and to enable better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage.
Blue Pass
On the new cross-border tourist product – The Blue Pass, Dr Aleksandar Joksimović, director of the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro, said: “It is much more than discount voucher for four thematic routes in three neighbouring countries. It promotes cross-border mobility of tourists end exploring cross-border nature and cultural diversity. Each tourist with the Blue Pass ticket will become a member of growing community for supporting sustainable use of the cross-border aquatic biodiversity”.
Bue Pass – EXChAngE
On the exhibition boot of the project new mobile application for Android and iOS platforms – EXChAngE Blue Pass e-guide was launched. With this guide users are discovering a part of the cross-border area Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro.
On this e-guide, Mr. Jovan Ristić, director of the Tourist Organization of Kotor, said: “It enables exploring cultural and natural heritage of the region, in particular cross-border aquatic biodiversity. For easy reading and navigation through the content, the guide is structured in sections – each dedicated to one thematic route: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Mostar Aqua Path, and Nature Park Hutovo Blato Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina).”
Each section of the EXChAngE Blue Pass e-guide has four chapters, presenting natural heritage, cultural heritage, one thematic route and transportation to the site. Chapters are structured into thematic topics, keeping as similar as possible outline across the guide.
Implementation period and funding
The implementation period of the project is 15.08.2020 – 14.08.2022, and the total value of the project is 1,686,047.15 euros, of which 1,433,140.05 euros is co-financing of the European Union. The project is implemented through the programme Interreg IPA CBC Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014-2020, co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union.
]]>On this e-guide, Mr. Jovan Ristić, director of the Tourist Organization of Kotor, said: “It enables exploring cultural and natural heritage of the region, in particular cross-border aquatic biodiversity. For easy reading and navigation through the content, the guide is structured in sections – each dedicated to one thematic route: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Mostar Aqua Path, and Nature Park Hutovo Blato Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina).”
Each section of the EXChAngE Blue Pass e-guide has four chapters, presenting natural heritage, cultural heritage, one thematic route and transportation to the site. Chapters are structured into thematic topics, keeping as similar as possible outline across the guide.
To maximize the usefulness of this guide, all users are recommended to obtain a Blue Pass, a new touristic ticket which enables discounted visits of four mentioned thematic routes.
Launched guide and presented ticket are products of the project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE”, co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union through the programme Interreg IPA CBC Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro. EXChAngE project is implemented by five project partners: The University of Dubrovnik – Institute for Marine and Coastal Research, Tourist Organisation of Kotor, University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology, Tourist Board of Herzegovina – Neretva Canton, and Public Company Hutovo Blato Nature Park, Čapljina. The Blue Pass ticket is available at all project partners.
About the Tourist Organization of Kotor: TO Kotor’s main role is preservation, improvement, and promotion of authentic values of Kotor – one of the most charming and historical touristic sites of Montenegro.
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On this ticket, Dr Aleksandar Joksimović, director of the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro, said: “It is much more than discount voucher for four thematic routes in three neighbouring countries. It promotes cross-border mobility of tourists end exploring cross-border nature and cultural diversity. Each tourist with the Blue Pass ticket will become a member of growing community for supporting sustainable use of the cross-border aquatic biodiversity”.
Each Blue Pass ticket has unique code which entitles holder to purchase one discounted entry ticket for four thematic routes in the cross-border area. This ticket is product of the project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE”, co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union through the programme Interreg IPA CBC Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro. EXChAngE project is implemented by five project partners: The University of Dubrovnik – Institute for Marine and Coastal Research, Tourist Organisation of Kotor, University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology, Tourist Board of Herzegovina – Neretva Canton, and Public Company Hutovo Blato Nature Park, Čapljina. The Blue Pass ticket is available at selling points of all project partners.
About the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro: Core competencies of the Institute are focused on research in the fields of mariculture, marine conservation, ichthyology and marine fisheries, chemistry, general biology, neurophysiology and ecophysiology, and biochemistry. The Institute presents the marine biodiversity of Boka Kotorska bay and contributes to the integrated coastal zone management of Montenegro.
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Part of the Dubrovnik Aquarium in St. John’s Fortress has been renovated through the project EXChAngE (Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity). This project is developing a new cross-border tourist product – the Blue Card, which allows visits to new thematic routes: Dubrovnik and the Aquarium (CRO), Kotor and the Boka Aquarium (MNE), the Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, as well as the Mostar Aqua Path (BiH) and attracts more tourists to the area. The EXChAngE project contributes to the development of tourism and the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. In the Aquarium, three floor tanks, the largest swimming in the Dubrovnik Aquarium, were renovated- The value of this investment is about HRK 3.5 million. The total budget of the EXChAngE project is 1,686,047.15 euros, and the amount the European Union co-financing is 1,433,140.05 euros.
Monography the 70th anniversary of the Institute in Dubrovnik was prepared to mark the 70th anniversary of the Institute, which was officially celebrated in April 2019. This valuable scientific work is presenting the Institute from the beginning to the present day, including its role in the scientific community and society in general. “Bearing in mind that the Adriatic Sea, and especially the open sea of the southern Adriatic, is an ecosystem that significantly affects its remaining part, the still underexplored part of Croatia, there is still a lot of work ahead of us and the heirs. The need for such research is particularly emphasized in conditions of climate and other changes that are, in large part, due to human activity.” – the editors of Prof. Nenad Jasprica and Dr. Mirna Batistić.
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