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 20years through war, revolution and political maneuvering, 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 study 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 and Croatia.
General Theme
The project will seek to PROMOTE AN UNDERSTANDING of how the built heritage has
contributed to the cultural development of society within each of 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. A
“HERITAGE SURGERY” will be established in each country to provide free advice to owners on
built heritage restoration. 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.
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
 To develop guidelines to help identify the extent of heritage at risk in each of the participant
countries
 To develop a mechanism for regeneration of heritage through cultural understanding and
partnership.

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 to why buildings are important within a particular context in order
to evaluate the cultural aspirations for their potential restoration. This will involve co-operation
between professionals, 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 relation 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 3 Pilot Projects; One in Romania, and one in two
other participating countries. The pilot projects will involve the preparation of a Register of
Heritage at Risk in the nominated areas. 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.
 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. 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.
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.
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
Co-Organisers.
The co-organisers of the project will be
The Transylvania Trust
National Office for Cultural Heritage, Hungary
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Potential 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 250.000 Euro.