Interregional cooperation projectInterregional cooperation project

Cultural Heritage NetworkCultural Heritage Network

Sf.Gheorghe, 18 August 2007

AER Bureau meeting & General Assembly Udine, 7-9th November 2007Ref. agenda: VII.3.9 original in English

FOR INFORMATION

Covasna countyCovasna county

COVASNA COUNTYCOVASNA COUNTYCULTURAL CROSSING SPACECULTURAL CROSSING SPACE

Multi-cultural landscape

More cultures living together in the

same area.

The result being a complex and strong

local identity

Cultural heritageCultural heritage

Component of historical identityComponent of historical identity

Heritage buildings form an integrated Heritage buildings form an integrated

systemsystem

Characterize the landscape, impress the Characterize the landscape, impress the

collective memorycollective memory

Covasna county’s Covasna county’s cultural heritagecultural heritage

I. Szekler-Hungarian church fortresses

These strongholds were built as a result of increasing danger of Turkish conquest since the 15th century. These church fortresses were regular ground-planned buildings with defensive towers at the corners.

• Roman-Catholic Church-Ghelinta, valuable due to its age (1245), architectural style (late Romanesque) and inside wall paintings (painted in 1330);

• Reformed Church-Sfantu Gheorghe (14th-15th century); • Church Fortress-Ghidfalau (13th century), in Romantic style; • Fortified Church-Biborteni (15th century), it was painted in Italian Renaissance style,

preserving original fragments of the fresco; • Fortified Church-Olteni (15th century); • Fortified Church-Baraolt (1569); • Church-Aita Mare (1520-1541). • Church-Belin

Szekler-Hungarian church fortresses Szekler-Hungarian church fortresses

Land of mansionsLand of mansions

Is the place of the majority of noble family Is the place of the majority of noble family mansions due to specific socio—historical mansions due to specific socio—historical reasons. reasons.

Most buildings are uninhabited, so they Most buildings are uninhabited, so they are getting more and more uncared-for, are getting more and more uncared-for, others are populated by elderly people on others are populated by elderly people on low incomes, incapable of protecting the low incomes, incapable of protecting the substance of the buildings they own.substance of the buildings they own.

Land of mansions Land of mansions

Historical vestigesHistorical vestiges

Ruins of Balvanyos castle Ruins of Balvanyos castle (13th century) Ruins of Ika castle Ruins of Ika castle (13th century)

The problemsThe problems

Historical buildings are underused, not efficiently valorized, in degradation

Causes:• lack of promotion, • abandonment, • scarce resources (lack in public or private

funds)• changes in life-style• property issues

How could we How could we preservepreserve heritage heritage and how could we and how could we promotepromote it? it?

Identifying and listing items of heritage significance Identifying and listing items of heritage significance

Elaborating of an integrated strategy for conservation Elaborating of an integrated strategy for conservation

and development of heritage assets and sites and development of heritage assets and sites

Elaborating a Best Practice Guide on using Cultural Elaborating a Best Practice Guide on using Cultural

Assets for Place Marketing Assets for Place Marketing

EU financing programmeEU financing programme

INTERREG IV C - The Interregional Cooperation INTERREG IV C - The Interregional Cooperation Programme enables cooperation between Programme enables cooperation between regional and local authorities from different regional and local authorities from different countries in the EU27 countries in the EU27

Authorities exchange and transfer their Authorities exchange and transfer their experiences and jointly develop approaches and experiences and jointly develop approaches and instruments that improve the effectiveness of instruments that improve the effectiveness of regional development regional development

Project titleProject title

Cultural Heritage NetworkCultural Heritage Network

A network to identify and exchange innovative strategies for A network to identify and exchange innovative strategies for preserving cultural heritage, traditions and identitypreserving cultural heritage, traditions and identity

Project objectiveProject objective

The identification of the methodologies of restoration for The identification of the methodologies of restoration for each materialeach material

The creation of a manual of good practices of restorationThe creation of a manual of good practices of restoration Promotion of the territories involved in wide spreading Promotion of the territories involved in wide spreading

the project as much as possible at internal and external the project as much as possible at internal and external levellevel

Training and information seminarsTraining and information seminars Exchange of experiences and know-how between the Exchange of experiences and know-how between the

partners in matters of restoration and promotion of their partners in matters of restoration and promotion of their heritageheritage

Creation of an European network of restorationCreation of an European network of restoration

Project activities Project activities Cultural Heritage Network

II.Identification of the elements of local identity and the cultural assets

III.Development and implementation of innovative strategies for preserving cultural heritage, traditions and identity

IV.

Elaborating a Best Practice Guide on using cultural assets for place marketing

demonstration activities (studies on specific items of cultural heritage)

marketing strategy for attracting tourists

I.Management and coordinationEvaluation,Dissemination of results

Target groupsTarget groups

Planners and planning bodiesPlanners and planning bodies ArchitectsArchitects Local authoritiesLocal authorities Universities, schoolsUniversities, schools Cultural foundationsCultural foundations Research institutesResearch institutes Private and public investment trustsPrivate and public investment trusts Private owners, public organizationsPrivate owners, public organizations

Methodology Methodology

Determine the present situation by gathering Determine the present situation by gathering information form all of the partnersinformation form all of the partners

Exchange of experiences among partners to Exchange of experiences among partners to learn about the different restoration methods learn about the different restoration methods usedused

Determine the property and materials to be Determine the property and materials to be restored in each regionrestored in each region

Draft of a “restoration good practices manual”Draft of a “restoration good practices manual” Design of the cultural itinerariesDesign of the cultural itineraries Transfer of know how to all partners and any Transfer of know how to all partners and any

other organisation interestedother organisation interested

Expected resultsExpected results

Exchanges of good practices between the Exchanges of good practices between the participants of the projectparticipants of the project

Improve the knowledge of the restoration Improve the knowledge of the restoration methodologies by each partnersmethodologies by each partners

Detect gaps between the real necessities of the Detect gaps between the real necessities of the restoration and the present policiesrestoration and the present policies

Transfer of know-how between the partnersTransfer of know-how between the partners Creation of routes promoting the restored Creation of routes promoting the restored

heritageheritage

Budget Budget

Total: 1.500.000 EURTotal: 1.500.000 EUR

Grant: Max 75 - 85% Grant: Max 75 - 85% Cofinancing: 25 – 15 %Cofinancing: 25 – 15 %

Potential partners Potential partners Covasna county – potential Lead partnerCovasna county – potential Lead partner Covasna county’s partner regionsCovasna county’s partner regions

Baranya, Heves, Veszprem (Hu)Baranya, Heves, Veszprem (Hu)

Varmland (S)Varmland (S)

Maine-et-Loire (Fr)Maine-et-Loire (Fr)

Devon (GB)Devon (GB) Office of the Carinthian Government (A) Office of the Carinthian Government (A) Abruzzo Region (It)Abruzzo Region (It) Brasov, Harghita, Mures, Maramures (Ro)Brasov, Harghita, Mures, Maramures (Ro) Pazardijk and Vratsa (Bg)Pazardijk and Vratsa (Bg) AERAER Other interested partnersOther interested partners

Further steps Further steps Define clearly the project proposal Negotiate the partnership

from the part of Covasna County who will be involved (cultural institutes, architectures, county council, project team) - discussions

send project proposal to the partners, identify their roles negotiations and meetings define human and financial resources

Schedule and Programme Project Activities Contents/description of activities Logical programming Distribution of the responsibilities and tasks

Define the budget Project elaboration

Other possibilities for fundings Other possibilities for fundings at national level at national level

ERDF - Regional Operative Programme ERDF - Regional Operative Programme

Restoration and sustainable valorization of cultural heritage and setting up/ modernization of related infrastructure

EARDF (European Agricultural and Rural Development EARDF (European Agricultural and Rural Development Fund)Fund)

To preserve the local cultural heritage, in a manner which can contribute positively to the social, educational opportunities and also to the safeguard of the nation’s cultural heritage.

Conclusions Conclusions

Taking into consideration the know-how of the Taking into consideration the know-how of the more experienced EU member states it would be more experienced EU member states it would be helpful and useful to transfer these knowledge to helpful and useful to transfer these knowledge to the less experienced regionsthe less experienced regions

Transfer of know-how of experts in architecture, Transfer of know-how of experts in architecture, built heritagebuilt heritage

Place marketing strategy for the less-known Place marketing strategy for the less-known regions, creation of cultural tourism routesregions, creation of cultural tourism routes

Interreg programme – cooperation with more Interreg programme – cooperation with more experienced regionsexperienced regions

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!