Water heritage in the Mediterranean region reflects the way rural and urban populations coped with the scarcity of water and how they organised local structures around water management.

Today, most of this vernacular heritage is unprotected and recent developments, both societal and economic, including the mechanisation of agriculture, migrations from rural areas, and unruly urban expansion, threaten its survival. Legal protection runs short of meeting current needs and an awareness campaign targeting decision makers as well as the general public is necessary.

This project aims to promote the preservation of vernacular heritage linked to water management in the Euro-Mediterranean region; intensify public awareness, particularly among the youth, of the value of this heritage and the need to protect it; promote water management techniques linked to this heritage; and promote, together with local populations, local development projects based on the principle of valorising this heritage.

This project is based on the development of a common methodology for the protection and management of water heritage reosurces. It involves seven partners who are active in the field of mobilising civil society towards heritage preservation. It includes eight interrelated activities where the participation of local populations, particularly youth, is elemental.

• Promote the preservation of vernacular tangible heritage (architecture and the landscape) linked to water management among decision-makers and citizens of the Mediterranean
• Heighten awareness among citizens, particularly youth, to the preservation of this heritage
• Highlight uses and practices in traditional water management and its heritage
• Integrate water heritage in local development projects involving the populations and civil society of the areas concerned

• Office de l'Environnement de la Corse (OEC) (France)
  http://www.oec.fr
• CMEM - Centre Méditerranéen de l'Environnement de Marrakech (Morocco)
• Association pour l'Education Relative à l'Environnement d'Hammamet (AERE) (Tunisia)
• Association de Réflexion d'Echanges et d'Action pour l'Environnement et le Développement (AREA-ED) (Algeria)
• The Association of Friends of Gököva-Akyaka (Gas-Der) (Turkey)
• Mediterranean Centre for Environment (MKP) (Greece)
  http://www.medcenv.org/

• Conservation & Rehabilitation
• Cultural Tourism
• Intangible Heritage
• Landscape, Planning & Infrastructures
• Research/Education & Training

• A methodology for data-collection and inventory of water heritage
• 4 preservation and heritage valorisation activities at local levels
• 7 educational workshops on water heritage targeting youth
• 7 local exhibitions created by youth
• One collective exhibition and a guide in five languages
• A DVD Rom in 3 languages
• A virtual resource centre on water heritage

		Interview with Julie Payen, «REMEE-Redécouvrons ensemble les mémoires de l’eau» project For centuries, an entire landscape has been harmoniously shaped around the water heritage of the Mediterranean and where human activity, based on practices and traditional knowledge developed in equilibrium with nature. All this may now disappear with serious consequences for the environment and the communities in the region. However, a mobilising action is possible…