IHBCinRomania Tangibleevidenceof internationalco-operation One of the outcomes of the 2001 Annual School was that, following my talk, I was invited to speak on IHBC's role in UK conservation training, at the 10th annual TUSNAD International Conference in Romania. Rob Parkinson was also a speaker, and he, Dave Baxter and I travelled together. This conference was organised by our partners the Transylvania Trust, and both the conference and the associated visits were very special experiences. We saw the finished outcome of the ACTT project at the Bethlen Gabor College at Aiud, and the amazing challenge being taken on, even as I write this, at Bontida, where the current practical training modules (being run with IHBC input) involve putting a new roof on the former kitchen wing of the Banffy Castle. One of the most inspiring aspects of both the 'fusnad conference and the work we saw on site was the strong co-operation between Romanians and Hungarians, within and across borders. What started with the work of a group of enthusiasts at the Technical University of Cluj (and what a privilege it was to be hosted by Balint Szabo, Dorottya Makay, Csilla Hegedus and their colleagues), leading to the Tusnad conferences and the foundation of the Transylvania Trust, has now been reinforced at national level in 1999 through a cultural annexe (agreement) between Romania and Hungary. One of the special features of Transylvania is its variety of ethnic groups; I was concerned as an outsider at the risk that the trust with its strong Hungarian associations might be perceived as a "single interest" group. This was clearly not the case, and one of the many promising outcomes of the conference was the developing close cooperation between the Trust and Pro Patrimonio (the recently-formed Romanian counterpart to the National Trust, represented at the conference by Sherban Cantacuzino). Rob Parkinson, Dave Baxter and I saw some of the most tangible results of this international co-operation, at the former mining village of Rimetea. Rimetea lies high in the mountains to the south-west of Cluj-Napoca. It has delightful traditional buildings; the rigours of the climate are reflected in CONTEXT 71 SEPTEMBER 2001 The repaired I 749 house (with shingled roof) at Rimetia. Photo by John Preston. the characteristic log construction with an outer coat of daub and render. The only Ceausescu-vintage blemish is an apartment block built on a corner of the market place. Although clearly intended to disrupt the harmony of its setting, it could have been much worse. Rimetea also has the only reel stars and hammer and sickle we saw during the visit, marking a small and overgrown Russian military graveyard. Conservation work in the historic settlements of Rimetea and the Szeckler village of Inlaceni is being helped through a unique international partnership agreement in which the Vth District of Budapest (Belvaros Lipotvaros) provides annual funding, channelled through the Transylvania Trust. The District provides around $40,000 annually, of which 67-75% goes to Rimetea. The scheme has been running since 1996, and was awarded a Europa Nostra Medal in 1999. None of the 200 traditional buildings in Rimetea is listed, and the trust has had to convince owners that conservation is worthwhile. The scheme started in 1996 with the trust's committee making a list of all the potentially eligible properties, and inviting applications. The Trust manages the scheme, awarding the grants and providing a free technical advice service (including professional consulting, planning, and surveys), and ongoing research and recording. The main grant scheme (A) works on the basis of annual financial contributions towards maintenance and repairs of $80-100 per property, backed up by legal agreements. 140 properties (71 in the similar scheme in Inlaceni) have received grants, and another 50 are waiting to come into the Rimetea scheme. Ninety-seven per cent of the grant-aided properties fulfilled their obligation to preserve their architectural features, more than matching the scheme funds from their own resources. To quote the trust's annual report: "One of the major achievements is that the attitude of the owners towards their historic buildings has substantially changed through the years. Today the owners understand the necessity and importance of the maintenance of these buildings. ...... The state of the buildingensemble has spectacularly improved and the maintenance has become permanent. It was quite unexpected that restoration works on 111 buildings were completed in 2000, and in the case of 20 buildings this has meant substantial facade restorations " Scheme B is for emergency repairs and major repairs; Scheme C (10 per cent of the total) covers the Transylvania Trust's administrative expenses, and Scheme D is for the trust's own repair works on 9
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