Second Mobility – Sümeg , Hungary (September 2025)
The second mobility of the UNDER – Underground Navigators Exploring and Revealing project took place in Hungary from 24 to 27 September 2025, marking the continuation of the project's European journey into underground heritage. Building on the foundations set during the first mobility in Orte, this stage—funded by the Erasmus+ programme—focused on work-based learning, social inclusion, and community development, all within the framework of subterranean cultural heritage.
Participants from Malta, Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic came together for four days of immersive activities, professional exchange, and intercultural dialogue. The programme combined site visits, practical workshops, and team-based learning to expand participants' understanding of underground heritage interpretation, tourism development, and skill-building within local cultural sectors.
Programme Highlights
The mobility opened in Budapest with a study visit to the renowned Hospital in the Rock, an underground museum telling stories of medicine, war, and resilience. Alongside a guided tour, participants attended a dedicated session on the museum's mentoring and training programme for young guides. This provided valuable insight into on-the-job learning, safety procedures in underground environments, and professional development strategies in cultural institutions. The experience set a strong educational tone for the mobility.
The group then travelled to Sümeg, a medieval town dominated by its historic hilltop castle. Here, participants explored the castle's heritage and took part in a series of creative team-building activities inspired by medieval traditions. Divided into teams, they engaged in archery challenges, problem-solving games, archaeological-style puzzles, and even a playful "castle dungeon" escape scenario. These activities encouraged collaboration, intercultural understanding, and communication—key skills for young professionals working in cultural heritage.
The programme continued with a field visit to Tapolca and Balatonederics, where participants undertook an extraordinary speleological experience inside the Csodabogyós Cave. Equipped with helmets and lamps, they descended approximately 100 meters underground and navigated a 900-meter route through interconnected passages shaped over millennia. The activity offered not only a unique adventure but also an opportunity to reflect on the balance between exploration, environmental protection, and responsible heritage interpretation.
On the final day, participants gathered in Sümeg for a structured reflection session. They shared impressions, key learnings, and ideas for future collaboration across partner organizations. This final meeting highlighted the role of vocational education, teamwork, and cross-border cooperation in strengthening local communities and developing new approaches to underground heritage.
Learning Outcomes
Throughout the mobility, participants:
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explored work-based learning practices relevant to cultural tourism and underground heritage;
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deepened their understanding of mentoring, safety, and management in subterranean environments;
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strengthened collaboration, teamwork, and creative problem-solving through interactive group activities;
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enhanced intercultural communication and developed new professional networks;
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reflected on the relationship between underground spaces, community engagement, and sustainable tourism.
Impact
The Sümeg and Budapest mobility significantly enriched the professional and personal development of participants. By combining educational visits, hands-on experiences, and intercultural exchanges, the mobility strengthened cooperation across partner organizations and expanded participants' perspectives on heritage management, tourism, and social inclusion.
This second stage also reinforced the project's commitment to community-oriented cultural development, providing transferable skills and new models of learning that can be applied in local contexts and future initiatives.
Next Steps
The insights gained during the Hungarian mobility will contribute to the creation of training materials and guidelines within the UNDER project. The next and final mobility will take place in Znojmo, Czech Republic, where participants will explore sustainable and rural tourism—bringing the project's European pathway of shared learning one step closer to completion.
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