VIVA Final Conference Sibiu (Romania); 21-22 Nov. 2013

1. Territorial Cultural
Systems
CAHUL
Republic of Moldova
Final Conference
21-22th of November 2013
Sibiu, Romania

2. General data about Cahul District
• Surface -1545 km²
55 settlements: 1 town, 54 villages
• Population – 123 900 inhabitants:
Urban-39 000, rural-84 900
• Distance:
Cahul – Chisinau - 175 km
Cahul – Odessa - 315km
Cahul – Ismail - 127km
Cahul – Reni - 60 km
Cahul - Galati - 60km
• Transport networks:
- international harbour Giurgiulesti
- Chisinau - Cahul – Giurgiulesti railroad
- international airport Cahul
Chisinau - Cahul – Giurgiulesti national road

4. Towns and villages included in project activities
•Cahul
•Colibasi
•Valeni
•Slobozia Mare
•Borceag

5. Local stakeholders involved
1. Cahul District municipalities: Cahul, Valeni, Colibasi, Borceag, Slobozia Mare;
2. Cahul County Council – Cultural Department
3. Small and medium enterprises and business support institutions dealing
with heritage
4. NGOs from Cahul region
5. Cahul State University
6. Cahul Municipal Museum
7. Cahul Environment Protection Agency
8. Cultural Associations
9. Central/regional institutions - Ministry of Youth and Sports

6. 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

7. 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

9. 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 1 st 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)

11. 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

13. 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 ACTIVITIES
2. COMMUNITY – INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION INVOLVEMENT OF
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
3. TANGIBLE, INTANGIBLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE – VALORISATION,
PROPER MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF THE HERITAGE
4. INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF LAND EQUIPMENT / SERVICIES
5. TOURISM – ADAPTED TO THE TERRITORIAL CONTEXT (NATURAL AND CULTURAL)

15. 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 approaches
Measure 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 systems
Measure 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

16. 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 priorities
Project 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 - geotourism
Project 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

18. 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.

19. 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

21. 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).

22. 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 “

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. Beautiful Romania Project
Sulina

26. Beautiful Romania
Project
Brasov

27. 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

28.  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

30. Pilot Project
“Golden Hills” cultural site