Preparation of Guidelines

Development of Criteria for Assessment of Heritage at Risk and Preparation of Guidelines. An assessment of the nature and degree of the problems related to heritage at risk will be undertaken by developing Criteria for assessment relevant within the area, which will be used to develop Guidelines to provide a basis for determining what constitutes risk, what level of action may be required to alleviate risk, what are the likely resource implications, and what opportunities may exist for improvement/regeneration.

Heritage can be at risk not only through physical neglect but also for reasons relating to ownership, absenteeism, political factors and many other components all of which combine to produce desolation and neglect. The Project will develop criteria which can be generally used throughout the SE European Region but which is also capable of being adapted to take account of the cultural situation relevant to each country. Preparation of the criteria will be developed through a working group comprising experts from each of the participant countries, and with specialist input from the UK based English Heritage, The Council of Europe, Unesco and the Swedish National Heritage Board.

The lead NGO for each country will be responsible for assessing Criteria relevant to its situation and to developing draft Guidelines which will then be collated and adapted to provide Guidelines which can be used throughout the region. The work will be presented, together with the Situation Report, at the International Conference to be held in Dubrovnik in May 2009.