Territorial cultural systems - cahul (republic of moldova)_m. ajder, c. preda

Territorial Cultural Systems

CAHULRepublic of Moldova

Final Conference21-22th of November 2013

Sibiu, Romania

General data about Cahul District

• Surface -1545 km²55 settlements: 1 town, 54 villages• Population – 123 900 inhabitants:Urban-39 000, rural-84 900

• Distance:Cahul – Chisinau - 175 kmCahul – Odessa - 315kmCahul – Ismail - 127kmCahul – Reni - 60 km Cahul - Galati - 60km

• Transport networks: - international harbour Giurgiulesti - Chisinau - Cahul – Giurgiulesti railroad - international airport CahulChisinau - Cahul – Giurgiulesti national road

Towns and villages included in project activities

•Cahul•Colibasi•Valeni•Slobozia Mare•Borceag

Local stakeholders involved

1. Cahul District municipalities: Cahul, Valeni, Colibasi, Borceag, Slobozia Mare;2. Cahul County Council – Cultural Department3. Small and medium enterprises and business support institutions dealing with heritage4. NGOs from Cahul region5. Cahul State University6. Cahul Municipal Museum7. Cahul Environment Protection Agency8. Cultural Associations 9. Central/regional institutions - Ministry of Youth and Sports

Main activities • 3 Workshops;

• Elaboration of the Action Plan in a participatory process

• Signing the Local Pact by local stakeholders

• Selecting and implementing the Pilot Project

Workshop 1 – 5-6 November 2012

The event was the first of a series of 3 meetings with local stakeholders relevant to the project.

Main objectives and results: • To organise structured consultation with the partners through workshops. • To provide a better assessment of needs • To define challenges, strategy, priorities, resource allocation • To build of a strong local partnership and build the champions team from the selected stakehoders

Workshop 2 – March 20th 2013

Main objectives and results: • Validation of the VIVA EASTPART methodology • Validation of the Action Plan Draft based on the assessment of needs and the best practices report presented in the 1st Local Workshop • First selection list for the pilot project. Several ideas for pilot projects were defined • To consolidate a strong local partnership (administrations, cultural actors and entrepreneurs, local community)

Workshop 3 – June 10th 2013

Main objectives and results:

• to synthesize the results of the work performed during the first two workshops;• to present and debate the final draft of the Action Plan• to take the final decision on the pilot project ideas selected for implementation• Signing of the Local Pact, as a commitment reinforcing provisions agreed in the Action Plan

ACTION PLAN for CULTURAL TERRITORIAL SYSTEM

It addresses the identified strategic priorities in the participatory working approach with local champions team, conducted in two local seminars.

The priority fields identified were:

1. AGRICULTURE – TRADITIONAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES2. COMMUNITY – INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION INVOLVEMENT OF

COMMUNITY MEMBERS3. TANGIBLE, INTANGIBLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE – VALORISATION,

PROPER MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF THE HERITAGE4. INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF LAND EQUIPMENT / SERVICIES5. TOURISM – ADAPTED TO THE TERRITORIAL CONTEXT (NATURAL AND CULTURAL)

In order to solve these priorities and to develop a Regional Action Plan, two general objectives were determined, followed by the measures and actions further materialized in pilot projects.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE 1. Developing local capacity for integrated territorial approachesMeasure 1 - Transfer of international knowhow in sustainable territorial development through culture;Measure 2 – Establishment of a system of communication and information to increase awareness of the cultural values of the territory among the population / local communities and the visitors.Measure 3 - Develop a scheme /pipeline of priority pilot projects to implement the Action Plan of cultural territorial system;Measure 4 - Develop strategic partnerships in the allocation of financial resources needed to implement the pilot projects. GENERAL OBJECTIVE 2. Local economic development through territorial cultural systemsMeasure 5 – Enhancement of territorial cultural systems: territorial development through innovative tourism: geotourism;Measure 6 – Enhancement of territorial cultural systems based on the balance between traditional economic activities, local infrastructure development and the valorization of the natural and built heritage of the territory

List of selected pilot projects

Project 1: The creation of the implementation framework for the transfer of knowledge / knowhow in the Cahul district Project 2: Integrated system for the support and promotion of a cultural site - Văleni-Slobozia Mare- small-scale infrastructure for developing cultural events related to intangible heritage and exhibitions of locally-produced handicrafts, gastronomy and art;Project 3. Creating an integrated database for the Cahul district on the development potential in culture (natural, movable and immovable cultural heritage, natural and cultural) with intervention prioritiesProject 4. Promote public-private partnerships for the preservation and enhancement of the heritage: pilot project of connecting in innovative forms with the scientific reserve "Lower Prut" on the Lower Danube and Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (RO)Project 5. Conceptualization of a network of rural tourism by embracing innovative forms but European territorial context - geotourismProject 6: Evaluation of local agricultural products and inclusion in the wine trails network from 2014 to 2015, based on the creation of an infrastructure of rural protected areas

Pilot project implemented in Cahul area

Project 2: Integrated system for the support and promotion of a cultural site - Văleni-Slobozia Mare- small-scale infrastructure for developing cultural events related to intangible heritage and exhibitions of locally-produced handicrafts, gastronomy and art;

Specific actions:

"Create specific mobile endowment and equipment to enable local public authorities and their partners from Cahul district to organize festivals and other cultural events (on an itinerant basis)", in order to increase the visibility of the VIVA_EASTPART project and contribute to the preservation and valorization of the cultural heritage of the Cahul area.

.. and prepare the location “Golden Hills” to be more suited for cultural events organizing.

VIVA EASTPART Methodology and Territorial Cultural Systems in Republic of Moldova

“CULTURE, in a larger sense, is considered as a whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterize a society or a social group. It includes not only art& letters but also modes of life, fundamental rights of a human being, value systems, traditions and beliefs.

UNESCO, Mexico City, 1982 World Conference on Cultural Policies

VIVA EASTPART METHODOLOGY

CULTURE AND TERRITORY a broad definition of culture is linking it today to territories development. CULTURE enforces social ties, ensures attractiveness and competitiveness in a territory by

participating to economic and social development. AIM OF THE METHODOLOGY to valorize an ensemble of specific characteristics of the territory is acting on (CAHUL district

in our case) transform latent resources into active ones and preserve both nature characters of the territory - a material one (as built heritage, natural landscape, i.e.) and a symbolic one (as identity, authenticity or conviviality).

In order to determine the territorial vocations of localities involved in CAHUL project, a process of going over best practices at national and international level was the starting point for this approach.

“Moldavan village”- a national programme addressing development , landscape and heritage in its contents and vision (2005-2015, in action since 2010)

“ Safeguarding the Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Moldova” – a national programme creating a strategy, tools and partnerships for preserving cultural heritage and integrating heritage data into general urban plans

“Wine road - Rediscover Moldova “

International experiences tackled two chapters: urban and rural rehabilitation processes and socio-economic development.

In small city centers as Bayonne/ France or in Alba Iulia, Brasov, Medias, Sulina/Romania in the framework of “Beautiful Romania” UNDP programme.

Village revival and rehabilitation projects as best practices: Rimetea/Romania - awarded the Europa Nostra prize 1999 for the quality of the program implemented, Melnik and Kovatchevitsa/Bulgaria or the ethno-village of Moravski Konaci/Serbia.

Heritage was at the core of all these projects and enabled local communities to live better and to develop sustainably.

As a general rule, these programs and projects implied not large scale operations but a signal of good practice and the start of a larger process, of rehabilitation and socio-economic regeneration, a “network of places” implying local authorities, communities, national authorities and international bodies in working together to determine the priority projects to be implemented, to achieve a sustainable development of the territory.

Beautiful Romania ProjectSulina

Beautiful Romania ProjectBrasov

The Cultural Territorial System main goals for CAHUL district were

To improve the environment as well as the quality of life of rural inhabitants

To develop local economic activities in the area, heritage (tangible and intangible) projects adding value through the creation of a cultural network

To preserve valuable natural and anthrop landscapes by including them in the process of urban and territorial planning

To manage and monitor the activities for the implementation of priority development projects

Mapping of cultural resources - tangible, intangible heritage and landscape but also the socio - economic framework

Analysis through thematic seminars- participative process, synergy of all actors to determine a sustainable development through culture for local communities and their territory

Vision for the territory - future physical and social scenarios, strategic measures for reaching the general objectives of development

Action Plan for a better cohesion at spatial and community level Pilot project, a priority demonstrative project as node of a cultural

network in the territory of the district

Pilot Project “Golden Hills” cultural site