Project duration: 1. 3. 2026 – 31. 8. 2028
Programme: Interreg Slovenia Croatia
Lead partner: Municipality Labin
Partner countries: Slovenia, Croatia
The Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia is participating in the international project MINE STORY (Interreg SI-HR programme), which brings together partners from Slovenia and Croatia with the aim of preserving, interpreting, and presenting mining heritage in a modern way. The project builds on many years of cooperation between partners and represents an upgrade of the successfully implemented MINE TOUR project, in which we first connected the mining heritage of the Litija and Labin areas and shaped it into a joint tourist offering.
With the MINE STORY project, we aim to deepen this cooperation and enhance it with new content, modern digital approaches, and the joint development of a sustainable tourism product that will allow visitors to experience and understand the mining history of both areas in a more comprehensive and immersive way.
The Role of the Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia
The Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia participates in the project as a partner with extensive experience in tourism development and the management of tourist attractions. For several years, we have been managing the Sitarjevec Mine in Litija and actively co-creating the development of the tourist offer in the municipality and the wider region. This knowledge and experience form an important foundation for developing new content that will bring mining heritage closer to visitors in a modern and engaging way.
Within the project, we will develop digital and interactive content about the area of the former separation facility in front of the Sitarjevec Mine. Special emphasis will be placed on the digital reconstruction of this area, which—through the use of modern technologies and artificial intelligence—will give visitors insight into the former appearance and operation of the mine, as well as the lives of the people connected to it. This will complement a larger investment and the physical development of the park, which will be carried out by the Municipality of Litija, also a project partner.
The Cross-Border Tourism Product MINE STORY
One of the key values of the project is its cross-border character. Partners from Slovenia and Croatia will, in the coming years, develop an upgraded cross-border tourism product, MINE STORY, which will connect mining heritage, stories, and experiences on both sides of the border. The product will be based on shared content, coordinated interpretations of heritage, and modern digital solutions that will provide visitors with a richer and more connected experience.
The project thus brings not only new tourism content, but also long-term cooperation between partners and joint approaches to the promotion and development of sustainable tourism. In doing so, we aim to contribute to greater visibility of the area, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the creation of new opportunities for the local community.
Contact: tina.pregel@razvoj.si
