Under the auspices of the Øresunds Committee’s Cultural Forum in autumn 2003 the need for supplementary training of cultural administrators and workers on both sides of the Sound (sundet) was debated.  That discussion led to the examination of best practice in neighbouring countries with regard to the role of culture in local and regional planning.  A few local authorities in southern Sweden have already had positive experiences with the method.

In May of 2004 introductory workshops were held between the Danish and Swedish project partners after which a project application was prepared concerning the development of a joint Øresund region training course in cultural mapping and planning in the Øresund region.

Overall cultural planning and mapping offers an integrated approach to local and regional development with the possibility to:

• Relate culture to other aspect of economic and social life
• Strengthen a joint holistic approach to the planning process in the Øresund region
• Strengthen the economic development of the Øresund region
• Advance awareness of cultural difference as well as cultural similarities in the Øresund region as a link in the development of a common Øresund regional identity.

The basic idea is to regard the local community as living ecosystem consisting of many different resources which are necessary to map and acknowledge in advance of the political decision making process.  Herein lies a more democratic way of allowing local and cultural resources to step forward in all spheres which will both strengthen the planning process and encourage the development of a cultural identity in the Øresund region through more integrated and holistically oriented network of collaborators.

The prerequisite for realising this is, however, increased skills in cultural mapping and cultural planning.  The purpose of this project is, in co operation with educational centres and universities, to supply those skills to the local authorities in the Øresund region.