2011 Yearbook

40 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 1 1 PRACTICAL CONSERVATION TRAINING IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE LOST CAUSE OR NEW BEGINNING? DAVID BAXTER Due to social and political change many historic buildings throughout South East Europe are in a state of severe neglect. Their former importance in helping to define the values of the society in which they were set is in danger of being lost. This represents a major threat to the cultural history and diversity of the region. For the countries of the region, understandably, social priorities have been uppermost in the recent past. But now there is a clear recognition that cultural priorities, especially those related to the built environment, need to be addressed. *U JT XJUIJO UIJT DPOUFYU UIBU XF must assess the relevance and performance of heritage skills training in South East Europe. This article focuses on Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Hungary and Romania. TRAINING AND CIVIL SOCIETY In each of the countries referred to BCPWF UIF NJOJTUSJFT GPS DVMUVSF PS UIFJS FRVJWBMFOU IBWF EFWFMPQFE heritage policies based on western European precedent. Progress on implementation and enforcement has been slow, and training initiatives have been few. The result has been that civil society, through the work of non-governmental organisations /(0T IBT UBLFO UIF JOJUJBUJWF UP raise the profile of heritage issues. SKILLS TRAINING AND THE ROLE OF NGOs Heritage skills training embraces QSBDUJDBM USBJOJOH GPS DSBGUTQFPQMF BOE TQFDJmFST BXBSFOFTT SBJTJOH GPS UIF QVCMJD MPDBM BVUIPSJUJFT BOE JOTUJUVUJPOT NBOBHFNFOU BOE NBJOUFOBODF JTTVFT GPS UIPTF responsible for implementation BOE DBSF BOE FEVDBUJPO GPS TDIPPMT BOE VOJWFSTJUJFT The South East European )FSJUBHF /FUXPSL PG /(0T www. seeheritage.org IBT NFNCFST JO the region. Not all are fully active in training but there are a few initiatives which are worthy of consideration and comparison with the situation in the UK. Many operate at a local level but have aspirations to work at BO JOUFSOBUJPOBM MFWFM 'PS FYBNQMF UIF #VUSJOU 'PVOEBUJPO B #SJUJTI based foundation which operates JO "MCBOJB IBT B DMFBS PCKFDUJWF UP protect the Roman remains at Butrint JO "MCBOJB CVU JU BMTP IBT BO FYUFOTJWF educational and awareness raising QSPHSBNNF &YQFEJUJP JO .POUFOFHSP has significant local influence and Direct tuition on achieving simple pro#les on the stonemasonry course (All photos: David Baxter, Transylvania Trust)