Moldova strengthens cultural heritage protection through new reforms - EXCLUSIVE

The Republic of Moldova is intensifying efforts to protect and preserve its cultural heritage through a new set of national policies, institutional reforms, and international cooperation initiatives led by the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry outlined a broad programme of activities aimed at strengthening the protection, documentation, and resilience of cultural heritage, particularly in the context of conflicts, disasters, and other emergency situations.

This was said by Corneliu Cirimpei, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, in an exclusive interview with CE Report.

The measures, according to the Ministry of Culture, are aligned with the 2026 International Day for Monuments and Sites theme, “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters,” promoted by the ICOMOS.

According to the Ministry, the country has already approved the National Strategy for Culture and Heritage 2025–2035 and is currently preparing its 2026–2030 implementation programme. This programme includes a planned national study to assess and manage risks affecting cultural heritage, ranging from environmental pressures and natural hazards to armed conflict and other human-induced threats.

Institutional strengthening is also a key pillar of the reform process. The Ministry highlighted ongoing efforts to improve the protection framework for immovable cultural heritage, including the strengthening of the Monument Inspection Agency, established under Government Decision No. 189/2026. A new draft law on historic monuments is also being developed to modernize the legal framework governing identification, registration, conservation, and authorized interventions on heritage sites.

Education and youth engagement are central to Moldova’s heritage protection strategy. Students, young professionals, and academic institutions are being actively involved through educational programmes, thematic events, and partnerships with universities, museums, and institutions specializing in architecture, archaeology, history, and cultural heritage management.

A key upcoming initiative is the national training programme “Protecting Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict: Implementing the Hague Convention and its Two Protocols (1954 and 1999),” scheduled for 20–21 May 2026 with support from UNESCO. The programme will bring together representatives from cultural institutions, as well as law enforcement, emergency services, and border authorities, to strengthen coordination and clarify responsibilities in crisis situations, in line with the principles of the 1954 Hague Convention.

The Ministry also noted that cultural heritage protection is being integrated into the 2026–2030 implementation programme of Moldova’s National Defence Strategy for 2024–2034. Authorities are planning additional tools, including a micro-qualification programme for managing movable cultural heritage, a consolidated protection framework for cultural goods, and an information system to improve traceability and interoperability of cultural heritage databases.

Furthermore, Moldova intends to develop a list of immovable cultural properties of exceptional national value, which will be incorporated into national civil protection and risk management systems.

Through these initiatives, the Ministry of Culture aims to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response capacities, while fostering greater involvement of professionals, youth, and local communities in safeguarding the country’s cultural heritage across the Republic of Moldova.

PHOTO: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova