PROJECTS
SUPPORTED BY THE HONORARY CONSUL
Traditional Knowledge Initiative (TKI)
In January 2010, a new project was initiated by the Maria Nobrega Associatia with the short-term goal of establishing links between traditional knowledge legacies in Romania with the Traditional Knowledge World Bank in Italy (TKWB). Project director is Ms. Alex Carlsson. Based in Bucharest, she is a recent MA graduate of the Arts and Heritage Program at the University of Maastricht in 2009. Project advisor is Professor Ion Ghinoiu of the Institute for Ethnography and Folklore (Bucharest). He is the coordinator of the 5-Volume Ethnographic Atlas of Romania. A monumental 40-year long project, three volumes have been published to date.
"Knights of the Sky": Part II of Romania at War" (see)
This 50-mn documentary focuses on the air war over Romania's role in WW-II (1942-1944). The film will feature both U.S. and Romania sides of the war including the recent meeting between two opposing war 'aces': Col Barrie davis and Gnrl Ion Dobran (video). To be produced in partnership with National Geographic Magazine (Romania)
Global Romanian Students and Young Professionals Society (GRSPS)
The GRSPSociety is an open network of organizations and individuals committed to advancing Romania's development and modernization through civic involvement and professionalism. GRSPSociety has members in 12 countries and is currently expanding to include more students, professionals, and relevant groups. See interviews with participants of Conference at the Kennedy School (Harvard University - December 2009).
"Hill 789 - The Last Stronghold" (see)
A 50-mn documentary, Hill 789 focuses on Romania's role in WW-I (1916-1918) and is based on the memoirs of Dimitri Dimancescu cv who served as an officer during the war. His experiences inersected with Col Norton Griffiths (UK) who sabotaged the Ploesti oil wells and depots; and with Lt. Erwin Rommel whom he faced on Cosna Mountain (789) during the key battle of Oituz. In partnership with National Geographic Magazine (Romania) published Dec 2008 and shown on TVR1 Dec 2009; produced in collaboration with VideoDialog (Bucharest).
Maria Nobrega Association (Romania)
The Association was founded in 2008 to focus on the restoration and regeneration of cultural heritage skills in Archita. Its initial goal will be restoration work that includes creation of an international school for heritage skills. Founders of the Association are: Elizabeth Nobrega de Araujo Tsakiroglou
Col. Michael Carrington
Katherine Kuhns Dimancescu
Dan Dimancescu
The Association is linked to the Maria Nobrega Foundation (see).
Future World Leaders Summit
Candidates for participation in the FWLS (Washington, D.C. July 2009) were selected by the CODECS Foundation in Bucharest. Support for travel to the event was provided by thge Honorary Consul of Romania in Boston for Gabriela-Raluca Simbotin.
SEE 'Leaders for the Third Millennium' also: www.clublmt.ro
XO Computer Project - Bran See
The R&D Advisory Board of the Honorary Consul ate agreed to send a trial computer (XO) to Sihodol (Bran) in 2008. In 2009 six more computers will be sent to expand the experiment and the towen is being encouraged to write a proposal for buying 100 XO computers.
Promoting Romanian Arts in America
Assisting Global Arts, Inc., a Massachusetts-based non-profit see, in devising plans and projects that promote awareness of Romanian creative arts and sciences in the United States.
Romanian Ethnographic Atlas
The second of five volumes has been published by the Ethnographic and Folklore Institute. Three more remain to be printed and distributed. A program for presentation of the ATLAS series to leading U.S. universities and institutions is being sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Dimancescu including Harvard, Brown, Smithsonian, National Geographic Society, Cosmos Club, George Washington Univ. see
Educational Enrichment for Romanian Children, Inc
The purposes is to promote educational summer school programs in the Boston area for Romanian children aged 9-15. The program has been bringing Romanian children to the US for summer studies since 1997. The children are chosen from families who cannot afford to travel outside of Romania. They are fluent in English and they demonstrate excellence in many
academic fields. We aim at improving the lives of Romanian children by giving them the opportunity to appreciate a world without borders. (see)
Romanian Language Course (Harvard University)
At the initiative of Nicolae Done, undergraduate at Harvard Univ., a proposal to establish a Romanian Language Course has been formally submitted in 2008. Follow-up implementation discussions are underway.
I-CUBE / Innovation Incubator Initiative
The Innovation Competition 2006, modeled on the MIT $100K Competition, was launched May 18, 2006, in Bucharest. Coordinated by the student-founded I-Cube Association see, the project was first proposed by the R&D Advisory Group of the Honorary Consul. The goal is to encourage talented young entrepreneurs with fundable projects of interest to high tech investors. 2008 Winners: see
Protected Zones Legislation
An initiative to create a protected zone - based on themes discussed at the Nov. 2004 Sighisoara Conference see - is being promoted by the Pro Bran Association and the Office of the Mayor of the Bran Commune. INTBAU (England see) is providing professional assistance along with faculty and students from Timisoara and Bucharest universities. INTBAU planning workshops were held in Bran in 2005 and again in 2006. Ibn 2009 the commune voted to include the protected zone cncept intyo a revised urban plan (PUG).
"Faces of Romania" Film Series
A five-film series by Sorin Iliesiu (Bucharest) on individuals who have made a contribution to Romanian culture is being sponsored by D. Dimancescu in association with the Aspera Foundation (Lincoln, Mass. see).
Institute for Child Development
Founded by Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and SERA (Romania), the Institute reflects the work of Dr. Charles Nelson and his research on cognitive neuroscience (see).
Student/Teacher Internships/Exchanges:
Columbia University
- study of heritage-focused programs and institutions
Dartmouth College
- study of water quality in Bran commune
Harvard Business School
- study of SME investment capital in Romania
Kennedy School of Government (Harvard)
- study of the textile industry and clusters
- study of infrastructure investment - a case study (Bacau)
- study of tourism
Lawrence Academy and Mihai Viteazul National College
- teacher exchanges in culture, science and social sciences