The intention of the HERMES project is to promote and to support sustainable regional development by innovative interactions of cultural heritage and the new electronic media. In particular, the project aims to upgrade regional identity by improving the perception of heritage with the help of new media tools and to maintain historical sites by new uses. All HERMES activities are based on a completely new approach of interaction between urban, cultural and media spaces. The following main activities will be carried out: - Trans-national feasibility studies and pilot projects as a basis for media promotion and tourist use of common European Heritage Roots (Ancient Greece, Byzantine culture, Romanesque/Gothic, Classical Period, Industrial Heritage, Deformation of European Cultures by Fascism and Totalitarianism, Modern/ Bauhaus); - Preservation and redevelopment of cultural heritage sites based on trans-national concepts by introducing new utilisation and settling of SME, especially in the field of new media; - Promoting the attractiveness of cultural heritage sites by electronic forms of presentation and communication, (i.e. Heritage-Internet-Cafés); - Building up a CADSES Heritage-Internet-Radio with the involvement of radio stations from 8 countries, developing new tools of Internet Live-Streaming as well as presenting CADSES Heritage-Media-Bridges (virtual cultural routes); - Providing CADSES-wide open educational and qualification offers for young experts and multipliers; - Establishing a sustainable, long term HERMES network as future tool of communication and co-operation within the CADSES space. Achievements: In August 2004, the first HERMES summer course brought together young experts from the participating regions working on "Cultural heritage and regional development". The next summer school in August 2005 covered the topic "Heritage and New Media". In November 2004, the HERMES Heritage Internet Radio (HRN) started with its first test broadcasts (www.heritageradio.net), with contributions from the following radio stations: Radio Kraków, Bulgarian National Radio, Croatian Radio, Hungarian Radio, Slovak Radio and Radio LOTTE in Weimar. Supported by HERMES, in Weimar, Germany, a new media concept for the Wieland Museum Ossmanstedt was developed. This museum opened its doors to the public on 25 June 2005. A virtual museum of the Argonauts and a new city museum is under construction in Volos, Greece. In March 2005, the only European heritage film festival presented 15 selected films from all over Europe in Toblach, Italy, as part of the HERMES project (www.heritagefestival.it). The scientific framework, co-ordinated by the Bauhaus University Weimar (www.uni-weimar.de/urbanistik), has started an international network of specialists on "Culture, heritage and regional development". In June 2005, the first of four international symposia were held in Ossmannstedt, Germany. Following the accession of the new EU Member States, HERMES successfully applied for a project extension for the Polish partners.