Heritage Sustainability Along the Danube: Small and Medium-Sized Cities

Abstract

This paper explores the transformative impacts of EU-funded projects, DANUrB+ DANube Urban Brand + (DANUrB+) and the educational project “Creative Danube: Innovative teaching for inclusive development in small and medium-sized Danubian cities" (DANUBIAN_SMCs), aimed at reshaping the cultural identity and heritage of the Danube region. Instead of just attracting tourists to big cities, these initiatives highlight the Danube's role in uniting diverse communities along its banks. The projects envision the Danube not merely as a historical, geographical, and cultural entity but as a river for connecting over 81 million people. They aspire to stimulate dialogue, creativity, and holistic development across the region. However, prevalent tourism practices often fail to capture the river's unifying essence, leading to disparities between thriving urban hubs and struggling smaller towns and medium cities. Thus, small, and medium-sized Danubian cities, despite their cultural richness, encounter economic hurdles due to the underutilization of their cultural assets in tourism. Varying relationships with the river characterize these cities, from vibrant port areas to declining industrial zones or neglecting river access. The impact of urban planning on public spaces and structures along the Danube plays a crucial role in nurturing cohesive and culturally vibrant environments. Prioritizing existing structures for harmonious growth and integrating them into the cityscape is vital for sustainable urban development. This paper emphasizes the importance of an inclusive approach that honours local identities and historical legacies, underline the values of the small and medium sized cities, some of them still unrevealed, while weaving them into a broader Danube narrative. Through these projects serving as transformational tools, it underscores the recognition and leveraging of cultural heritage to drive sustainable development in the Danube region.