Italian and Croatian areas are essentially composed of two very different, but interrelated, parts of territory: the hinterlands and the coastal belt. Inland areas are affected by marginalization processes which lead to an abandonment and decay of local resources.

Natural and cultural assets of inland areas strongly needs to be valorised to revitalise local communities and preserve hinterlands from a number of threats such as hydrogeological risks, loss or depletion of biodiversity, collective services, traditional know how, infrastructures and facilities.

On the other hand, coastline ecosystems, as primary economic development drivers and the most important elements of territorial brand, are overexploited and threatened by strong human pressures such mass-tourism, urbanization, land use conflicts. While natural environments of high ecological importance and scenic value, traditional arts and crafts, forestry and organic farming, rural tourism represent the most evident part of the unexploited capital that could contribute to the redevelopment of inner regions, opposite and counterproductive phenomena, as littoralization processes and seasonal/massive tourist flows, have already changed the coastal landscapes and are threatening natural and cultural assets survival.

MADE IN-LAND is focused on the protection and the valorization of cultural/natural assets of the hinterlands areas by developing a new cross-border strategy that unleashes their potential through their inclusion in wider networks and markets. The cooperation with coastal areas through common and innovative means of integrated management, marketing and promotion foreseen by the project, gives such opportunity to the inland areas and the project regions as a whole.

Nine public institutions are involved representing 5 different regional territories in Italy and Croatia: Marche Region, University of Camerino, Municipality of San Leo, Municipality of Riccia, Molise Towards 2000 consortium, University of Zadar, ZADRA NOVA - Zadar county-development agency, Authority for management of parks and biodiversity of Romagna and AZRRI-Agency for rural development of Istria Ltd Pazin.

The regional event will be an opportunity not only to present MADE IN-LAND, its contents and activities to local stakeholders but also to involve them in a permanent Local Committee that will support MADE IN-LAND partners all along the project implementation.