A brief history of approaches, methods and techniques of urban regeneration in historic centres Author: V. Ajder

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
• Distanţe:
Cahul – Chişinau - 175 km
Cahul – Odessa - 315km
Cahul – Ismail - 127km
Cahul – Reni - 60 km
Cahul - Galaţi - 60km
• Roads - 1057,9 km including:
- 170,37 km national roads
- 887, 53 km local roads.
• Transport networks:
- internațional harbour Giurgiuleşti
- Chișinău - Cahul – Giurgiuleşti railroad
- internaţional airport Cahul
Chișinău - Cahul – Giurgiuleşti national road

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

4. Towns and villages included in
project activities
Cahul
• 39000 inhabitants
• the only urban settlement in the District
• 175 km from Chisinau
• 6 km from the border with Romania
• 35 km from the Ukrainian border
• Important strategic position
• Little diversification of the local economy
Historical monuments: St. Archangels Mihail and Gavriil's Cathedral (1851),
the Russian orthodox old rite church "AcoperamantulMaiciiDomnului"
(1892), the house of the writer Alexandru Lipcan (1908), the Museum of
Cahul County (second half of the 19th century), the net of underground
cellars

5. ”B.P.Hasdeu” State
Iniversity in Cahul

6. ” Sf. Mihail și Gavriil” Church

7. Old rite orthodox church

8. Towns and villages included in
project activities
Colibasi
• the largest village in the District
• population 6030 people
• agriculture - the main economic sector
• industry limited to food processing, a wine making company
Arhtectural heritage:
• orthodox church Saint Michael (XIX c.)
• remains of a Roman defensive wall (Trajan wall)

9. Towns and villages included in
project activities
Slobozia Mare
• population 5960 (2004 census)
• agriculture - the main economic sector
• industry limited to food processing
• Well preserved intangible cultural heritage
• A museum representing the development of the settlement, its
history and culture

10. Towns and villages included in
project activities
Valeni
population of 3021 inhabitants
agriculture - the main economic sector
close to “Prutul de Jos” Scientific Reserve
a traditional bakery
a folk festival is organizad annually

11. Towns and villages included in
project activities
Borceag
• 62 north from Cahul
• 137 km from Chisinau
• population - 1602 inhabitants (2004 census)
• Well known “Grape Valley” wine making company (est. 1890)
• ...and old sellars built by French barons

12. Population
Cahul district’s population - 119 231, out of which:
• urban population – 39 000 people;
• rural population – more than 80 000 people

13. Landscape and environment

14. Protected areas

15. CAHUL RIVER FRUMOASA LAKE
BELEU LAKE PRUT RIVER
HALMAGEI VALLEY MANTA LAKES
RIVER
r. FRUMOASA

16. Intangible heritage
The most visible expression of the intangible cultural heritage takes
the form of various festivals, feasts and celebrations.
Cahul town and many of the District’s villages organize folk festivals,
some of them having long traditions.
The major festivals organized here are:
„Dumitru Botgros”, „Nufărul Alb”, „Bobocelul”, „Feţe de prieteni”,
„Horele bucuriene” şi „Dulce floare de salcâm”.
Besides, Wine festivals are organised in many places in Moldova,
usually in October.

17. ”Chipuri de prieteni”
”Bobocelul”
”Nufărul Alb”

18. ”Nufărul-Alb” Festival (Cahul)

19. SWOT of Cahul District area
Strengths
•Rich cultural heritage (folklore, handicrafts etc.);
•International festivals organized in the area;
•Geographical situation (border with Romania and Ukraine);
•Existence of an international harbor on Danube and an airport;
•High proportion of municipal ownership over land in the area;
•Rich natural heritage (Natural Park, protected areas, mineral waters and a Spa resort
(Sanatorium));
•Traditions in wine making, possibility to develop wine routes;
•Existence of a university in Cahul;
•Several minorities inhabiting the area who preserve their culture and language.

20. SWOT of Cahul District area
Weaknesses
•Very limited municipal budgets;
•Poor infrastructure;
•Short term vision of local administration;
•Fragmented ownership over the land;
•Lack of adequate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) experiences in any fields:
urban development, tourism or culture;
•Low economic activity and little diversification;
•Low degree of urbanization;
•Tourism potential in the region is almost unused;
•Often periods of political instability
•Urban development is rather chaotic, especially in smaller towns

21. SWOT of Cahul District area
Opportunities
•Economic recovery of the country;
•Free trade agreement with EU that will be signed in the near future;
•Raising FDI attractiveness of Moldova;
•Access for more EU financial assistance;
•Develop and capitalize the tourism and culture potential of the region;
•Territorial development through a regional policies approach

22. SWOT of Cahul District area
Threats
A new economic crisis;
National political instability;
Continuous emigration caused by social and economic
reasons;
Lack of continuity of local political agenda

23. Local stakeholders involved
1. Cahul county municipalities: Cahul, Valeni, Colibasi, Borceag,
Slobozia Mare;
2. Cahul County Council – Cultural Department;
3. Central/national institution dealing with territorial
development, cultural heritage and tourism issues - Ministry
of Construction and Regional Development;
4. Small and medium enterprises and business support
institutions dealing with heritage;
5. NGOs from Cahul region;
6. Cahul State University;
7. Cultural Associations

24. STUDIES, STRATEGIES
Local Strategies
• Programme for social and economical development of Cahul
District (2012-2015)
• Strategy for tourism development in Cahul District (2012-
2015)
• Strategy on Sustainable Development of Cahul municipality
„Local Agenda 21” (2005-2015);
• In villages only some short action plans exist;

25. STUDIES, STRATEGIES
National strategies, Programmes
National Program “Moldovan Village” (2005-2015). It’s major
objective is sustainable socially oriented development focusing on rural
areas.
The program was too ambitious compared to available means.
After independence, integrated urban development was totally
inexistent in government policies. To present day the Govermnet hasn't
formulated a spatial development srategy. Last document of this kind
were elaborated in 80s, during the Soviet era.

26. Other initiatives
Establishing the National Centre for Human Settlements
"Habitat Moldova Centre" (UNDP supported) in December 2005
Main activities:
• Capacity building of main actors at national and local level involved in
urban development process;
• Advocacy and awareness;
• Policy advice, consulting and technical assistance;
• Informational support (including “Urban Moldova” magazine);
• Monitoring and Evaluation (yearly bulletin “Cities of Moldova”:
informational base for policy makers, researches, and citizens, civil
society)

27. Concept on urban development
of Republic of Moldova - Project
"Mesmerizing Moldova" UNDP

28. Other initiatives
Kyiv Initiative: Pilot Project on the Rehabilitation of Cultural
Heritage in Historic Towns
Main activities:
1. Political and Technical Management
2. Heritage Assessment Reports
3. Priority Intervention Towns
4. Preliminary Technical File
Results:
• Setting up of political back up and technical management structures
• Publication of Heritage Assessment Reports
• Development of a regional network of professionals and towns
• Elaboration and implementation of the Diagnosis methodology
• Public Awareness / communication

29. Some other initiatives
Hist.Urban – Integrated revitalization of historical towns to
promote a polycentric and sustainable development (CADSES
Programme)
Main activities:
Developing and implementing integrated and practice-orientated
revitalization approaches (concepts, plans and guidelines). Through
transnational actions (conferences, workshops) they exchange their
experiences and results, linking the local activities.
Results:
The results of Hist.Urban are summarized in a transnational manual on
integrated revitalization approaches for historical towns, demonstrating
special revitalization strategies and instruments and giving advice to
decision makers on their successful implementation.

30. Some other initiatives
Project - Integrated Urban Development of Vital Historic Towns
as Regional Centres in South East Europe (ViTo)
Main activities:
Work Package 1 – Transnational Project management and Coordination
Work Package 2 – Communication and dissemination
Work Package 3 – Start-ups and analysis
Work Package 4 – Integrated planning process and approaches
Work Package 5 – Management of revitalization
Results:
An analytical framework for integrated and spatially embedded revitalisation
practices
Development of methods for planning and implementing revitalisation projects
Integrated revitalisation plans for historical areas/centres
Pilot projects pronouncing visible results
Etc.

31. Major challenges
• Ruralization of the country (urban population: 1990 -
47.4% 2011 - 41.0%);
• Huge discrepancies between vigurous economical and
social indicators in Chisinau and the stagnation in the rest
of the cities;
• Low attractivity of small towns (for investors, people etc.)
• Little atention of central authorities towards national
policies in integrated urban development
• Still imperfect legislation (limited fiscal descentralization,
no focus on cities with potentioal to become growth poles
etc.)

32. Possible solutions
• Elaborate a national long term strategy on urban development;
• Speed up reforms in administrative sector
• Adapt the legislation to facilitate an equitable development of
cities and towns on the whole territory of the country;
• To modify regional development strategies to include
integrated urban development at the core of regional
programmes;
• Allocate sufficient funds to implement those programmes;
• Focus on cities with greatest potential to become regional
growth poles;

33. Thank you for your attention!