German experts from the Ruhr region of Germany propose to convert Donbas slagheaps and defunct mines into monuments of industrial culture, which they believe would contribute to the development of international tourism in the Donbas. “Cities are usually trying to advertise their beautiful places. However, the concept of the Ruhr region is to present our peculiarities,” the director of the project “Ruhr-2010 European Capital of Culture” Hans Schmidt noted in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
According to the German expert, Donetsk should not try to compete with Kyiv, Odesa, or Lviv by distributing photographs of its churches or luxury hotels. It must present what is unique to the city, says Schmidt. “The municipal authorities are now in position to adopt an important decision – not destroy the slagheaps, but rather make them into cultural grounds. The slagheaps are the feature that distinguishes Donetsk from other cities of Ukraine, and they could become an extraordinary sight, which would attract visitors and foreign tourists. This feature should be exploited,” says the German expert.
In the Ruhr, which is very similar to the Ukrainian Donbas regarding its infrastructure, slagheaps are used for art exhibitions, while local residents spend their free time there, organizing picnics, riding bikes or just strolling about. However, the German slagheaps look different from the Donbas ones. In the Ruhr, they are flat, while in the Donbas they resemble hills. “That’s why we call them ‘The Donetsk Alps,’” says Susanne Skipiol.
Of course, such projects require a lot of money, the German experts say. However, the most important thing is for the municipal authorities “to adopt a courageous decision” first, on the need to convert industrial zones, as it had once happened in Germany.
