The European Commission and Europa Nostra announced the winners of the prize European Heritage Awards/ Europa Nostra Awards 2023, according to a press release. Among the 30 winners of this year there are two projects regarding heritage in Romania: ‘Via Transilvanica’ and ‘Pathfinders of the Waters’, according to ActMedia.eu.
Via Transilvanica
Via Transilvanica is a 1,400 km hiking trail, with 20 ethnical and cultural regions in approximately 400 communities of Romania and 12 sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage. The project was started by Tasuleasa Social, a NGO involved for over 23 years in educational, social, environmental and cultural activities.
At 1,400 km, the Via Transilvanica is Romania’s longest hiking trail which connects as many as 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites. It serves as a vital connection between local communities and diverse facets of heritage, encompassing both built and natural heritage as well as intangible traditions.
Via Transilvanica is the first long distance hiking trail of Romania. It was inaugurated in 2022 after four years of work with the involvement of the local communities and over 10,000 volunteers. In October 2022, the trail was officially launched in Alba Iulia.
The Pathfinders of the Waters, the Danube Delta
The project Pathfinders of the Waters uses an element of immaterial heritage specific for the Danube Delta – the traditional canoe known as lotca – as central point for raising awareness of the relationship between people and nature. The project includes a hands-on traditional boat building workshop, a comprehensive methodology, open educational resources, a digital platform and events dedicated to the network of the pathfinders of the waters.
At the helm of the project was Romanian rowing legend Ivan Patzaichin, who won 30 Olympic, World and European Championship titles.
The project ‘Pathfinders of the Waters’ aims at the children in the villages with limited access to cultural activities, using the lotca as a means to get new knowledge and abilities. The children learn how to reconnect to the local resources in their area and promote appreciation for the cultural and ethnic diversity.
The pilot project, implemented between 2018 and 2022, involved four Romanian localities in the heart of the Danube Delta, namely Mila 23, Sfantu Gheorghe, Sulina, Chilia Veche, as well as four others in Romania, connected to lakes or the Danube River: Drobeta Turnu Severin, Eselnita, Piscu and Comana. The results demonstrated the project’s potential for regional and European expansion.
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