Abstract:
Engaging communities in the protection of heritage means that the communities living around the heritage sites are involved in
the process of identifying issues that affect the conservation of these sites and can propose ways by which they can be addressed. Cultural heritage is a shared resource and forms part of the cultural identity of communities and individuals.
Citizen participation in the protection of cultural heritage helps to increase awareness about the value of cultural heritage as a
shared resource. It empowers communities and fosters community cohesion. Increasingly, EU funded programmer encourage a people centered approach, and citizen participation is also supported by Interreg Europe. The situation in the Republic of Moldova is difficult because the community is not interested in getting involved, the citizens don‟t know well what it means to participate,
to get involved.