Author: Jagoda Żelisko

The cross-border interreg project FORT‑UNION is carried out by a coalition of partners: Municipality of Giżycko, Kaunas City Municipal Administration, Kaunas Fortress Park, Army Museum in Białystok, Boyen Fortress in Giżycko, Varėna District Municipality and associated organizations: Biebrza National Park, and Varėna’s Entrepreneurship Education Centre (among others). 

The project runs for 36 months — from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2028. Its total budget is €5,089,545.20, of which €4,071,636.14 is financed by the Interreg VI-A Lithuania-Poland Programme, and the remainder comes from other public contributions.

What FORT-UNION Is About: A Network of Historic Fortresses for Tourism

FORT-UNION aim is creating a network of cooperation and a common brand „FORT – UNION” in the cross-border area of Lithuania and Poland within the framework of the development of sustainable tourism products of Gizycko, Kaunas, Bialystok, Varena and Osowiec Fortress with the use of World War I fortification objects and related historical, natural and cultural heritage, in order to promote and popularize the area, affecting the improvement of the well-being of the cross-border community.

The main goals include:

• Promoting cross-border cooperation and cultural integration — leveraging shared heritage and natural landscapes to strengthen regional ties and support local communities.
• Preserving and revitalizing former World War I fortifications — converting historical barracks, forts and military sites into accessible cultural and tourist destinations.
• Creating a sustainable tourism offering: this includes restoring and adapting fortress sites (e.g. renovating Barracks No. 1 at Boyen Fortress, Fort No. 4 in Kaunas, and military-heritage exhibition at the Army Museum in Białystok), establishing tourist trails, digital tools (3D models, virtual/augmented-reality tours), cultural-educational programs, and a common website/platform under the “FORT-UNION” brand.

First Milestones: Renovation and Festival Kick-off

In October 2025, a contract was signed for the renovation of Barracks No. 1 and courtyard at Boyen Fortress under FORT-UNION. The renovation contract was worth 7,694,880 PLN (gross), with about 80% co-funded by the EU. Works are scheduled to complete by early 2027. 

In September 2025, the first joint event under the project — the Fort‑Union Festival — took place in Kaunas. The festival featured historical-reconstruction performances, cultural heritage exhibitions, workshops, photo exhibitions, fortress tours, and public visits to fortress sites, marking a symbolic start of the cross-border cooperation.

See more at: www.fort-union.eu  | https://www.facebook.com/fortunioneu/

Photos taken during the event dedicated to the project, which took place in Giżycko on 8 December.