24.06.2025 / Publications

Authors: Ștefan Cibian, Oana Lup, Edi Beserman, Ianis Rușitoru, Claudia Șerbănuță, Laura Vișan, Ruxandra Mocanu, Maria Năstase, Daniela Langusi, Ioana Onea

This publication presents an in-depth analysis of how the Ambulance for Monuments project – a Monumentum Association initiative – activates local communities by securing endangered heritage buildings.

Active in ten Romanian regions (nine at the time the research was conducted) and with over 100 interventions carried out, the project engages volunteers, experts, local authorities, and community members in a shared mission: protecting architectural heritage.

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the project’s mechanisms and impact, using quantitative and qualitative methods, alongside social network analysis, to highlight how the Ambulance for Monuments fosters civic engagement, trust, and community cohesion. Findings reveal that while the project’s core focus is on architectural conservation, its social outcomes are substantial and long-lasting. The report concludes with a set of recommendations on how to leverage this community-building potential for further program development.

This study was funded through a grant awarded by the Romanian-American Foundation. The opinions, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Romanian-American Foundation.

The Făgăraș Research Institute (FRI) does not express official positions through its publications. The views expressed in FRI publications are those of the authors. The Făgăraș Research Institute is not responsible for how the content of its publications is used.

Departments: Research Department; Educational Programs Department; Făgăraș Research Institute Publishing House.

Regions: Romania.

Themes: Architecture and Urbanism; Arts and Culture; Cities; Civic Engagement; Civil Society; Education; Heritage; History; Interdisciplinarity; Philanthropy and Community Development; Research Methods.