In Romania, historic monuments are protected by law, regardless of their ownership or state of preservation. The protection of historic monuments is a crucial aspect of sustainable future, based on social, tourism, urban, and spatial strategies at the national and local levels. The State should guarantee and ensure the protection of historical monuments through public administration bodies.
The purpose of this narrative article is to discuss the role of civic engagement in protecting cultural heritage goods, when public authorities fail to do so. The Romanian Law of Preserving Cultural Monuments is central to this discussion. It delineates the responsibilities of both governmental and non-governmental entities in safeguarding the nation's cultural heritage. Thus, the Herculane Project- situated in Baile Herculane, initiated by a Romanian NGO offers invaluable lessons on the dynamics between civil society, public administration authorities, and the preservation of cultural monuments.
The work presents a qualitative analysis of the mechanisms through which civic engagement has influenced the trajectory of the Herculane Project. It explores how local communities, NGOs, and grassroots movements have mobilized to advocate for the preservation of Baile Herculane's cultural heritage, challenging conventional top-down approaches to heritage management.
The conclusion of this paper aims to demonstrate the relevance of contemporary civil societies in preserving cultural heritage goods. It underlines how the best practices employed by the NGO in charge of the Herculane Project can be applied to other cases while taking into account the dynamics of cultural heritage preservation.