Description
The project aims to promote the cultural and natural heritage of a multi-ethnic region that harbors many cultural and biodiversity hotspots in the SW part of Sălaj County, North-West Romania. The objectives of the project are: (1) identifying the cultural and natural heritage of the region, (2) building a database containing all the heritage of the investigated area; (3) investigating the human-nature interactions, e.g. traditional landscape management techniques; (4) identifying the specificity of each village – identification of the local brands; (5) promoting the values of the region both on local, national and international level, e.g. establishing touristic routes, editing catalogues; (6) promoting and strengthening intercultural communication through highlighting the positive aspects of cultural interactions among ethnic communities of the region; (7) and raising public awareness regarding the values of these regions. Through this project an unique transdisciplinary and transnational research group will be established for studies on cultural anthropology and landscape ecology. The University Museum of Bergen is partner in this project providing expertise in visual anthroplogy.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to promote the cultural and natural heritage of the SW part of S5laj County, North- West Romania. The region is multiethnic (Romanian, Hungarian, Slovakian and Roma populations inhabit the 32 villages of the area) and religiously mixed. Almost each village contains a heritage building, and high biodiversity characterizes the area due to still existing traditional landscape management techniques. This is a unique social-ecological system, which no longer persists in most part of Europe. Yet, the region is one of the poorest in Transylvania, a comprehensive evaluation of its values has never been carried out, thus it is not included in any touristic routes. The project promoter mapped all the natural and cultural values of the region and built a comprehensive management plan on these results. ln this way the project reached its objective and managed to raise awareness regarding the assets of the region both within local and national public. During the project implementation databases on the intangible and tangible cultural heritage were built, as well as on the natural heritage of the region, based on comprehensive studies in the fields of biodiversity, ethnography - cultural anthropology, archeology, art history and branding. The promoter formulated proposals for four new protected areas and a strategic proposal for the integrated management of the cultural and natural heritages.
Summary of bilateral results
Both project partners were actively involved in all stages of the implementation. The most important contribution during project implementation was the transfer of expertize in the field of visual anthropology. The partners attended the workshop organized in Romania where they hold a Keynote presentation on visual anthropology and its relation to cultural heritage.