On the 13th of June, Cluj Cultural Center officially announced the start of the “Remarkable Romania” project in a meeting hosting representatives of various rural administrations from Romania and France, alongside specialists from development organizations of heritage, cultural institutions, architects and touristic development experts.
The guests present at the conference have contributed to the value and strength of the project through the sharing of precious information about the heritage from their firsthand experiences, perspectives and personal specialisations: Alexandru Pugna (Secretary of State of the Minister of Culture and National Identity of Romania), István Vákár (Vice-president of the County Council), Oana Buzatu (Spokesperson of the City Hall of Cluj-Napoca), Andrei Țărnea (General Commissioner of the “Romania-France Season” program), Ștefan Teișanu (Director of Cluj Cultural Center) Sophie Métadier (Mayor of Beaulieu-lès-Loches), Jonathan Fedy (Delegate of Cites & Cités Remarquables), Alina Zlati (Project Manager of Remarkable Romania, Cluj Cultural Center), Thierry Creteur (Culture Director of city, Auxerre), Marina Gingirof (Secretary of Rural Working Group, Architects order in Romania), Mircea Groza (Chef, Ethnologist and Culinary Archaeologist),
Tudor Sălăgean (Director of the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania), Răzvan Scurtu (Initiator of Smida Jazz Festival), Caroline Fernolend (Vice-President of Mihai Eminescu Trust), Cristina Iliescu (Representative of Destination Colinele Transilvaniei), Horațiu Răcășan (Coordinator of Rural Working Group, Architects order in Romania), Alina Zară (Founder of MândraChic).
Remarkable Romania is a project by Cluj Cultural Center in partnership with Sites et Cités Remarquables de France and with the support of the Cluj County Council (Consiliului Județean Cluj). “Our program will explore the authenticity of the Romanian village, searching for ways of making the heritage and culture a job for rural development. Together with local members and specialists of local development and heritage, we will try to answer this essential question – How can we contribute to the development of the village without affecting its authenticity, but using it as a start point instead?, said Stefan Teișanu, director of Cluj Cultural Center, at the projects’ launch.
This year, the program begins in 12 pilot villages, six from Cluj county (Beliș, Bonțida, Moldovenești, Poieni, Suatu, Vad) and six from other counties ,(Bârsana – Maramureș, Bogata – Mureș, Bucium – Alba, Fundata – Brașov, Plopiș – Sălaj și Valea Viilor – Sibiu). The program’s goal is to then extend itself to 25 communes by 2020 and in 40 settlements by 2021.
“We are happy to offer the heritage of the Cultural Minister and National Identity for this initiative of the Cluj Cultural Center. We will support the founders and organizers through their process of building a network of settlements from all over the country that have the intentions of keeping and valuing the local heritage.” Said the Secretary of State, Alexandru Pugna, representative of the Minister, present at the event.
The Remarkable Romania program also benefits from the heritage of the Minister of Culture from France and is developed through a partnership with the association with Sites et Cités Remarquables de France, the coordinator of a similar cluster with approximately 300 settlements.
“Member settlements of the Remarkable Romania network will have access to our forming program in heritage and local development, similar to the settlements from the French network, with whom we can start partnerships and city bonds. We will also create more cultural events, of heritage and tourism for our settlements and we will represent and promote them at national and international tourism and heritage fairs. Last but not least, we will also offer each settlement personalized support for identifying and expanding the opportunities the heritage and local culture brings for their development.” Declared the manager of the project, Alina Zlati from Cluj Cultural Center.
Remarkable Romania is an initiative of Cluj Cultural Center, developed with the support of the County Council of Cluj and the Sites et Cités Remarquables de France association, under the patronage of the Minister of Culture from Romania and France. The project is supported by the Cluj-Napoca City Hall, the “Sezonul România – Franța” and by partner of Banca Transylvania and Ursus.
