The Potential for Sustainable Local Development through Digital Communication and Digitization of Intangible Cultural Heritage Resources in Făgăraș Land, Romania

Abstract

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) strengthens community identity and represents a resource for sustainable community development. The current extensive access to the Internet has facilitated the digitization of communication, including ICH. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of both digitizing ICH and digital communication about ICH for local development. The results of a longitudinal research study on local ICH resources available on the official websites of Făgăraș Land administrative territorial units (ATUs) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the results of a content analysis on ICH on the social media accounts of the same ATUs, indicate the digitization of ICH as a sustainable local development resource whose potential can be better exploited. In Făgăraș Land there are also successful initiatives in the fields of both ICH digitization and digital communication about ICH local resources. The Museum of Canvases and Stories in Mândra ATU and the use of social media for communication about ICH in the case of Drăguș ATU are related to such initiatives and are presented as case studies in this article, highlighting the potential of ICH as a resource for sustainable community development in Făgăraș Land.