Ambassadorship in Southern Öland

In 2019 "The Mini Guides of the World Heritage site" was started as a collaboration between Mörbylånga Municipality and Naturum Otterby within the framework of DUNC, inspired by the Naval Museum in Karlskrona who also work with Mini Guides.

Alunskolan in Södra Möckleby, the school nearest to the World Heritage site, was chosen to take part in the project. Alunskolan is a village primary school.

The Process

Initial meeting with the teachers to introduce the project idea and for feedback. 7 teachers involved.
Meeting with the pupils to present The Mini Guides Idea. They were split into 2 groups:
1. Pre-school up to 8 years old (25 pupils)
2. 9-12 years old (27 pupils)
Meeting with teachers to plan the training of the Mini Guides and to have their input.
Training of the Mini Guides by an Öland Guide adapted to the pupils' areas of interest. She also told them about her job. The students have learnt that it is the story of the work of farmers for many generations that is the basis of the World Heritage designation and that the World Heritage site includes the villages, fields, the area Stora Alvaret and the coastland. It is thanks to farmers that the farming landscape can be experienced by new generations.
Bus tour with a guide to the Southern tip of Öland where they learnt about seals and Baltic Sea birds and migration, the lighthouse Långe Jan and the surrounding area, Ottenby bird station and the naturum centre as well as the World Heritgae site.
Second Bus tour and practice run of being Mini Guides and invited the local newspaper.
Guided tours by the older Mini Guides to parents, relatives and friends. In total over 250 people were shown what they had learnt at the Southern tip of Öland. The younger children created an exhibition in naturum about birds. They made models of birds found in the area of Paper Mache and had a vernissage to present their work which was declared open by the governor. The local TV, radio station and newspaper reported on the activity.
Lunch meeting with the teachers where the training and events were evaluated and suggestions were made for the training for 2020
The Mini Guides and teachers celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland becoming a World Heritage site as well as their training in becoming Mini Guides. The celebrations were adapted to meet the regulations imposed due to the Corona Virus. The children learnt more about the wildlife at the tip of Sothern Öland and the Light house. They also learnt about the other World Heritage sites in the DUNC project from the DUNC exhibition in the naturum centre. They also got to test Eli's Adventures puzzle book to give feedback and to learn more about Karlskrona.

The Mini-Guide training will now continue with the teachers and pupils deciding the themes for the next training period.

Training of Politicians and Civil Servants

Politicians and civil servants from different organisations in the Region were invited on a guided bus tour of the WH site on Öland which would have departed from the participants places of residence.

40 persons enrolled to take part in the training which included learning what is a WH site and all about the Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland. This was postponed due to the Corona virus.

Films that show Outstanding Values

In order to spread knowledge about our WH site films were made to show the Outstanding Values in an easy and informative way. They were shown at a Christmas market, the tourist office and on social media and are in both Swedish and English. The films are also part of a package with posters and postcards as information material for entrepreneurs. These postcards were sent to over 2000 recipients as a way to spread knowledge. During this information campaign, requests were also made for logos that entrepreneurs could use.

Branding Concept

New logos, texts and images have been developed for entrepreneurs and associations who want to use the World Heritage Site of the agricultural landscape of Southern Öland in their marketing. Inspired by the World Heritage Site the English Lake District, a concept has been developed with four messages:

"Welcome to the World Heritage site Södra Öland's agricultural landscape"
"Heart World Heritage Site Södra Öland's agricultural landscape"
"Experience the World Heritage site Södra Öland's cultivated landscape"
"Discover the World Heritage site Södra Öland's agricultural landscape"

The logos are free to use for entrepreneurs and associations. In addition to the new logos, there are short texts about the World Heritage site in Swedish, English and German and a picture material that they also can use. So, our local entrepreneurs are also our ambassadors spreading knowledge about our World Heritage.

Ambassador Walks

We have also developed Ambassador walks with different themes and made films of our local ambassadors to promote ambassadorship on Social media. Mörbylånga has worked a lot with the media to get articles in newspapers and stories on the radio and television. Which we have succeeded well in doing. It is especially important with well-prepared press releases for organisations working in rural areas.

South Baltic Presentation

What we also have done is to give people information about the other World Heritages at festivals and meetings for example at the harvest festival, and other happenings. We created a South Baltic Presentation to raise awareness of the sites in this region. This included a short film showing the 4 World Heritage sites in the project.

A South Baltic Sea World Heritage exhibition has been shown at Naturum Ottenby ,Öland. The goal was for visitors to be inspired and curious about these beautiful sites by learning more about them. Thereafter being able to pass on their knowledge to others.

We have lifted the world heritage sites in the project in several lectures over the years, for example with local community associations, schools and at other public events.