Sighisoara and the Saxon Villages of Transylvania

Sighisoara and the Saxon Villages of Transylvania constitute one of the last pristine rural landscapes of Europe. The UK based “Mihai Eminescu Trust” (Royal Patron: HRH the Prince of Wales) asked GAIA-heritage to advise on its activities for the conservation of heritage in Romania and to act on the behalf of the Trust in its dealings with UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee. The main action consisted of preventing the construction of the ‘Dracula theme park’, which would have irreversibly damaged the region’s character and heritage. An alternative programme was consequently prepared to develop the region in accordance with its existing material assets and human resources, including a comprehensive cultural approach that identified project proposals on the one hand and funding opportunities on the other. This strategy was materialised through a stakeholders’ conference organised jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which took place in November 2004 in Sighisoara. It brought together more than 150 participants from the International Community, the Government and local NGOs. About 40 projects were presented during this event, some of which have now been successfully funded.

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