The TRANS MARIS project – TRANSmitting MARitime Intergenerational Skills for a sustainable cultural tourism development model officially began with an online kick-off meeting held on 9 April, marking the beginning of cross-border cooperation aimed at the transfer and revitalization of the maritime cultural heritage of the Adriatic.
The project is implemented by the Ecomuseum-Ecomuseo "Batana" (Institution Kuća o batana – Casa della batana) as the lead partner, in collaboration with the Municipality of Cesenatico. Associated partners are also involved in the implementation, including the Associazione Giochi Antichi, in collaboration with the communities of the Venetian Lagoon, and the Ruđer Bošković Institute – Center for Marine Research in Rovinj.
The project is implemented in the period from 1 February 2026 to 31 July 2027, and its focus is on the intergenerational transfer of traditional maritime knowledge and practices as the basis for the development of sustainable cultural tourism. The central element of the project is a structured mentoring program for youth, through which traditional knowledge holders pass on skills such as rowing, sailing, sailmaking, and vessel maintenance to new generations.

The overall objective of the project is to involve young people in Cesenatico, Rovinj and the Venetian Lagoon in the preservation of maritime intangible cultural heritage and to empower them to develop innovative and environmentally sustainable tourism content based on this heritage. With this approach, the TRANS MARIS project seeks not only to preserve endangered maritime skills, but also to position them as a source of creativity, employability and cross-border cooperation, strengthening links between coastal and hinterland areas. One of the key results of the project will be the development of a transferable mentoring model, intended for further implementation within a wider partner network, including the Association of Mediterranean Maritime Museums.
The total value of the project is EUR 197,904.00, of which EUR 158,323.20 is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg Italy-Croatia programme.
The kick-off meeting brought together the partners with the aim of harmonizing the activities, timeframe and implementation steps, with a special emphasis on cooperation with local communities and long-term sustainability of the results. The presentation for the public and media will be organized as part of the Rovinj Regatta, which will take place from June 12 to 14, 2026.