Boosting regional economic development in the Balkans with the “Giro di Ciro” Greenway
The “Giro di Ciro” is a significant transnational initiative in the Western Balkans. It aims to convert the historic Belgrade-to-Adriatic arrow-gauge railway, originally constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a vital artery for trade and communication, into an 800+ km pedestrian and cycling greenway.
TRT was selected by the World Bank to support governments in the Western Balkans, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina, in helping move the Giro di Ciro from a promising concept to practical implementation. The project includes the following activities:
• Defining a shared transnational vision and narrative for the entire Giro di Ciro, including the preparation and graphic design of a promotional brochure, which also contains a cost-benefit analysis and an estimate of the project’s tourism and economic potential;
• Proposing a National Greenway Framework for the development and management of a greenway network in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Giro di Ciro, which was discussed with the country’s most relevant institutions;
• Preparing a Preliminary Study for a priority 150 km section of the Giro di Ciro in Bosnia and Herzegovina (starting from a detailed assessment of the current conditions of the former railway corridor and its surrounding context), together with a tourism development strategy for this section;
• Engaging stakeholders and disseminating results, including the organization of a high-profile event in Sarajevo.
