District Development Programs

The project activities are aimed at strengthening intercultural dialogue and increasing the tourist attractiveness and economic competitiveness of the Rokiškis and Pastavy districts based on shared historical heritage.

The total project budget is 625,756.44 euros. Of this, according to the terms of EU international technical assistance, 90 percent (587,480.80 euros or 6,432.9 million Belarusian rubles at the exchange rate according to the European Commission website as of 03.10.2012) are international technical assistance funds, and 10 percent (65,275.64 euros) must be contributed by project partners. The budget of the Rokiškis municipality is 373,456.67 euros, and the Pastavy District Executive Committee is 279,299.78 euros (3,058.3 million Belarusian rubles). The amount allocated by the EU to the Belarusian side is 251,369.80 euros (2,752.5 million Belarusian rubles), the contribution of the Pastavy District Executive Committee is 27,929.28 euros (305.8 million Belarusian rubles).

It is planned that as a result of this project, the Tyzenhaus alley in Rokiškis will be restored, and the Tyzenhaus palace in Pastavy will be partially restored.

It is also planned that a museum exhibition will be placed in the restored basement premises of the Tyzenhaus palace.

To study the cultural and historical heritage of the Tyzenhaus counts in Lithuania and Belarus, to record objects and places related to the activities of the Tyzenhaus counts, to collect items for museums, and to gather material for a scientific conference, two ethnographic expeditions were conducted. The first took place in Lithuania from 24-26.04.2012 along the route Rokiškis – Salos – Taujėnai – Kaunas – Vilnius, the second from 22-24.05.2012 along the route Pastavy – Grodno – Zheludok – Minsk – Luchai – Voropaevo.

Currently, work is underway to evaluate the results of the expeditions and systematize the accumulated material, so that based on the research, an international scientific conference will be held on July 5, 2013, where not only expedition participants but also scientists from Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland will present papers.

In July 2012, museum expert I.V. Kurzalov completed work on creating a design project "Exposition of the basements of the central and northern wings of the Tyzenhaus palace and the museum exhibition of the scientific taxidermy laboratory of Count Konstantin Tyzenhaus." In accordance with the project's action plan, the Pastavy District Executive Committee organized the procurement of exhibits, furniture, and equipment to furnish the reconstructed premises of the Tyzenhaus palace in accordance with the scientific museum concept.

During the project implementation, the contracting organization, the subsidiary communal unitary agricultural and construction enterprise "Rassvet Pastavsky," carried out work on preparing the semi-basement premises and plastering some of the rooms. Work is underway to improve the territory adjacent to the basements of the central and northern wings of the Tyzenhaus palace, remove old asphalt pavement, and prepare the base for laying tiles.

Future plans include opening a new tourist route that will combine the competitive advantages of the cultural and historical heritage of both regions, publishing an informational booklet in four languages, and other promotional activities.