Paper short abstract:

Transhumance, as an actor of this relationship and unity Human-being-animal and territory is a major component of the Collective Inconscient, all the representations and beliefs underholding all the culture of the region built up all the amazing beauty of this nature/culture unity. At the heart of the cultural identity, pastoralism and transhumance may be part of future prospect sustainable development in a respectful reciprocity with development of ecotourism. Strategies must be set up, to give to it a sustainable living.

Paper long abstract:

Kelmend is a mountain region belonging to the Illyrian Alps, an agropastoral multimillionaire culture. These mountains offered a refuge to shepherd’s populations enabling preservation of an autochthonous culture in spite of all the invaders and a lot of particularities regarding their way of being, thinking and actions. All this underlies the very rich traditions and culture of this region. These mountains are also a space of circulation, exchange and communication which brings out a specific configuration with a very rich ecosystem. And there, the shepherd with his herd with all its transhumance traditions holds a specific role, having shaped the cultural landscapes in very specific ways, having accumulated traditional knowledge and ways of being, thinking, representing and acting   giving their own imprint and identity. Therefore, is offered to the world exceptional cultural and natural scenic values, within a unique interaction between people and the nature, giving sense to all this environment and all the beauty of the culture which is integrated. All the traditional values shaping Albanian identity are taking their source from this sociocultural dynamic of life which originates in very ancient time. This agropastoral culture is enhancing a geographic, agronomic, cultural and sociological organization that encompasses the basis and the heritage dimension of the pastoral identity of this region and cannot be erased. This intangible ecocultural heritage is a driving force for sustainable regional development. It owned to be part of the highest valued ethnocultural Mediterranean heritage.  Although this ecoculture is actually being threatened by many factors which I will analyse, nevertheless its inhabitants showed all through history resilience and adaptive abilities defending their ecocultural territories and beliefs, willingness to go on living in interaction and harmony, protecting and transmitting  to the world all this heritage And there within this chaotic irruption of modernity, the shepherd remains, with his deep listening attachment and respect towards life, his traditional knowledge, with all his quality of care to the animals, to the environment as well as to the entire society, an emblematic figure as actor of sustainable development creator of peace, harmony and stabilization. The region of Kelmend also began to welcome tourism. Such a fact can also help economic development of the region, but not at any price. It must be conjugated in harmony with this agropastoral traditional activities which is the identity of all this region and which merits all our attention, support and protection.  During my presentation, open to discussions with all of you, I will give some suggestions how we could advance therefore, together with them, within shared competences. 

Keywords: ecoculture, pastoral sociocultural, world heritage, traditional knowledge, shepherd