The Role of the Private Actors in the Protection of the Cultural Heritage in the Region of Sibiu, Romania. A Case Study
The Role of the Private Actors in the Protection of the Cultural Heritage in the Region of Sibiu, Romania. A Case Study

Summary/Abstract: The villages from South Transylvania, inhabited mostly by Saxons, Romanians and Romani people, are well known for their rich cultural heritage: unique architecture, Saxon fortified churches, specific traditional customs. The need to preserve this endangered heritage (the Saxons have emigrated to Germany after the fall of the Eastern Bloc in 1989) and the fact that the Romanian State cannot assure the restoration of all the damaged monuments determined a substantial involvement of the civil society in the protection of the local heritage. The advantage of the private actors (individuals and non-governmental organisations) is that they can adapt easily to the local context, by performing creative and flexible activities. But many actors need advice and experienced partners. In this case study, I will explore the activity of a young architect from the village of Alțîna, known as one of the most important private actors from South Transylvania.Starting from the realization of a private ethnographic museum in Alțîna, inaugurated in 2013, the young architect currently performs activities, through the non-governmental organisation that he owns, meant to protect the cultural heritage in a larger area. We will show the diversity of the actions and the ways of his involvement in the protection of the local heritage, how he became a model for other private Romanian actors and also his role in the sustainable developement of the communities he works for, in the current economic and legislative context.

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