Heritage without Borders: Redefining Cultural Values through the Built
Heritage of SE Europe
Project Outline
Introduction
The South Eastern Region of Europe has undergone many political, social and cultural changes during
the last 20 years through war, revolution and political manoeuvring, resulting in a redefinition of
boundaries, a redistribution of people and a need for clearer understanding between cultures at many
levels of society.
Within each of the regions of this project the built heritage has played a distinctive role in helping to
define the values of society. People attach value to buildings and to places. Buildings define local
distinctiveness, and identity, they can engender local pride and can reflect the quality of life of society.
Their architecture, design and use are an integral part of the cultural values of the society in which
they exist. On the other hand, they possess also a pan European value, a joint heritage, to be used and
enjoyed by all EU citizens.
Due to social and political changes many buildings throughout SE Europe are now in a state of severe
neglect. Their former importance in helping to define the values of the society in which they were set
are in danger of being lost.
The purpose of this project is to redefine the values attached to the Built Heritage to help
promote cross-culture understanding, to develop guidelines to assist in the retention of the
important built heritage, and to encourage the exchange of knowledge and expertise for mutual
benefit in the region of SE Europe to incorporate Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia,
Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania and Croatia.
General Theme
The project will seek to PROMOTE A CROSS-CULTURAL AND TRANSNATIONAL
UNDERSTANDING of how the built heritage has contributed to the cultural development of society
in the participant countries, and to develop that understanding as a means of identifying heritage at
risk. GUIDELINES will be produced, which will enable each country to produce a register of
Buildings at Risk which will be used to focus attention on the scale of the problem and to direct
resources to assist in regeneration.
“HERITAGE SURGERIES” will be established across the region to provide free advice to owners
on built heritage restoration, and to use the restoration process as a catalyst for cross-border learning
and dialogue. The project will involve NGO’s, specialist experts, universities and local authorities
from each of the participant countries, thus developing not only cross-border cultural understanding
but also a pool of expertise which can be made available throughout the region within and beyond the
project period.
Aims
 To promote a better cross-border understanding of the value of the built cultural heritage
between countries
 To raise awareness of the value of cultural heritage at an international level
 To facilitate international co-operation and exchange of knowledge and expertise in order to
identify and maintain a major cultural asset and as a means of encouraging inter-cultural
dialogue and promoting trans-national mobility within the cultural heritage sector.
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To develop guidelines to help identify the extent of heritage at risk in each of the participant
countries, to identify common themes which can be addressed at an international level.
To promote cultural understanding and partnership through the mechanism of regeneration
through cultural heritage.
To provide a means for facilitating the long term sustainability of cultural heritage through
education and awareness.
Practical Implications/ Actions
 Preparation of a Situation Report for each country, which would define what constitutes
cultural heritage. Buildings can be important not just for their architectural or historical quality
but also for their “association” with people or events. They often provide a reference to a sense
of place and help connect a community to the past, beyond adversity. It is essential to
understand the background as to why buildings are important within a particular context in
order to evaluate the cultural aspirations for their potential restoration. This will involve cooperation between professionals, and NGO’s, with input from international organizations such
as ICOMOS, Europa Nostra.
 Development of criteria for assessment of Heritage at Risk. Heritage can be at risk not only
through physical neglect but also for reasons relating to ownership, absenteeism, political
factors and many other components all of which combine to produce desolation and neglect.
The Project will develop criteria which can be generally used throughout the SE European
Region but which is also capable of being adapted to take account of the cultural situation
relevant to each country. Preparation of the criteria will be developed through a working group
comprising experts from each of the participant countries, and with specialist input from the
UK based English Heritage.
 Preparation of Guidelines based on the Heritage at Risk Criteria. The Guidelines will provide
a basis for determining what constitutes risk, what level of action may be required to alleviate
risk, what are the likely resource implications, and what opportunities may exist for
improvement/regeneration.
 Implementation of the Guidelines through a series of Pilot Projects; In Romania, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro . The pilot projects will involve the preparation of a Register
of Heritage at Risk in the nominated areas.(This is likely to be a region within each of the
countries, and not the whole country). This will involve co-operation between local and
international experts, students from architectural universities, international heritage
associations (e.g. ICOMOS), local authorities and NGO’s. A nominated NGO within each
country will lead this aspect under the guidance of the controlling group. It will involve a high
level of cross-border co-operation between participants, sharing the full pool of expertise
which will be established within the networks which will be established within the region.
 The Provision of Heritage Surgeries. These will raise awareness on the importance of
cultural heritage in each of the countries and will provide a free advice service in helping to
identify problems and offer solutions on the restoration of buildings of cultural heritage
importance. The surgeries will be staffed on a part-time basis, perhaps initially at least only
two or three surgeries per month on selected dates. (hence the need for good
dissemination/advertising).They will undertake a pro-active role in helping to persuade
building owners identified on the Heritage at Risk Register to recognize the value of their
heritage assets (personal value, local context value, business/economic value, tourism value),
and will provide advice on potential funding sources and practical restoration issues. The
Heritage Surgeries will be organised through the regional NGO’s and/or main Cultural
Heritage bodies under the guidance of the main Co-organiser . They will embrace an input
from Conservationists, Architects, Structural Engineers and Universities
The role of these
specialists would be to offer advice to owners on good practice, design and maintenance,
availability of craftsmen (it would also involve setting up a local database of craftsmen and
availability of traditional materials), and funding sources for restoration. The practical advice
and training offered through the Surgeries would be partly based on the BHCT model from
Banffy Castle , Bontida, and would involve:
1. Undertaking specialist training courses on historic building restoration using traditional
materials and techniques. (initially perhaps 1 or 2 courses per month between April and
October)
2. Training would involve a direct hands on approach led by local craftsmen in parallel
with craftsmen from the UK and Hungary and from the BHCT Centre at Banffy Castle
3. An initial step would be to run several special courses at Banffy Castle for craftsmen
from the various participant countries to prepare them for leadership of the training
programmes through the surgeries.
This approach will also help educate the NGO's in practical conservation delivery in order ensure
sustainability after the project period has ended. It will also facilitate extensive cross-border mobility
of specialists and encourage international dialogue at a high professional level.
Long Term Sustainability.
The Project will establish a system for preparing a Register of Heritage Buildings at Risk in each of
the participant countries and provide a mechanism for its continuous updating. The register is not an
end in itself, it will provide a means of focusing attention on a problem which is common to the whole
SE. European Region, and of helping to define priorities for intervention and for efficiently directing
scarce resources. It will help define a management strategy for resource development and provide an
effective means of monitoring progress.
The international co-operation required for the project will facilitate the provision of a network of
expertise and an exchange of knowledge and understanding which will help foster cultural
understanding in the region.
In parallel a network of expertise in practical restoration issues will be established through the
Heritage Surgeries, through which the value of international cultural understanding will be promoted.
Dissemination of Information
This will form a major element of the Project in helping to promote understanding of the cultural
values of the heritage of SE. Europe. Dissemination will include:
 the publication of the findings of the Situation Report
 Provision of a series of international conferences to raise awareness of the value of cultural
heritage and to publicise the project
 Publication of the Guidelines and Criteria for Heritage at Risk
 Develop a web site of Heritage at Risk in SE. Europe
Implementation
The approach to implementation will be a “bottom-up” approach. This will be achieved by involving
local NGO’s, Cultural Institutes, Universities at all levels of the project, from information gathering to
organization of practical training and dissemination of information, under the guidance and experience
of the principal co-ordinators. This will provide the widest possibility for intercultural exchange and
understanding, and provide the greatest potential for extending the capacity of the NGO’s to continue
to operate in this field beyond the project period.
Participants/Co-Organisers.
The Lead Organisor will be the The Transylvania Trust
Other groups who have already indicated that they would wish to participate as Co-Organisers are:
Cultural Heritage Without Borders
National Office for Cultural Heritage, Hungary
Other Potential Co-Organisers/ Partners
NGO’s in each country
Architectural Universities in each country
ICOMOS
Europa Nostra
British Council
Ministries of Culture
English Heritage
Costs
The overall cost is likely to be in the region of 300000Euro
Timescale
Revised to: Submit application October 2007
Start Date July 2008
Completion July 2010
Contact:
Transylvania Trust
Ms. Csilla Hegedus
cshegedus@heritagetraining-banffycastle.org
www.heritagetraining-banffycastle.org
www.transylvaniatrust.ro