Explore, Restore, Connect: My Blue Heritage Volunteering Camp

(July 5th - July 11th)

 

Where Stories Return Home

Some journeys move forward.
This one moves deeper.

My Blue Heritage is a 7-day cultural immersion and heritage stewardship experience for Romanian diaspora youth (ages 15–21) who want to reconnect with the roots that shaped their families and perhaps their future. Set in a Transylvanian village near Făgăraș, this program invites young participants to step into living history, not as observers, but as contributors.

SIGN UP HERE PAY HERE

Why This Experience Matters for Diaspora Youth

For many young people growing up in the diaspora, Romania can sometimes feel distant, a place connected to family stories but not always fully experienced.

Over time, heritage risks becoming something abstract.

My Blue Heritage changes that.

This program allows youth to move beyond visits and holidays and experience Romania as a living culture, through its villages, its architecture, its stories, and the people who continue to shape it.

Participants will not simply learn about the past.
They will help document it, restore it, and carry it forward.

For many diaspora youth, experiences like this become defining moments:

  • understanding where their family stories fit into a larger history
  • discovering the beauty and resilience of rural Romania
  • forming friendships with peers from the Romanian diaspora
  • realizing they are part of a global Romanian community

In a world where identity can feel fragmented, My Blue Heritage offers something rare: a real connection to roots, culture, and purpose.

 

How to Apply

📅 Complete the sign-up form by April 30th

SIGN UP HERE

A Village. An Archive. A Generation.

Between 1860 and 1930, thousands of Transylvanians left for America. Many returned. Some did not. Their stories remain in photographs, letters, objects, and fragments of memory.

Participants will contribute to a growing Village Archive Project, helping to:

  • Identify and document historical photographs
  • Connect names to family stories and migration paths
  • Prepare cultural materials for local exhibitions
  • Explore Romanian–American migration history
  • Reflect on their own family heritage

This is not volunteering as busy work.
 It is the preservation of memory.

 

Mapping the Blue Houses

Participants will also contribute to the mapping of the historic Blue Houses in the region, a distinctive architectural heritage of the villages around Făgăraș.

Together with local partners, youth will:

  • Document traditional blue-painted houses
  • Map their locations and historical context
  • Collect stories connected to these homes
  • Contribute to a cultural heritage map of the region

This work helps preserve the visual and historical identity of rural Transylvania.

 

Immersion, Not Simulation

Youth will live within the rhythm of village life:

  • Shared accommodation in cultural houses or local homes
  • Simple, structured rural living
  • Hands-on restoration work on the village’s summer theater and other historic monuments
  • Cooking, shared meals, and community engagement
  • Evening discussions about identity, heritage, and belonging

This experience prioritizes authenticity over comfort.

 

The Final Day: Walking Together

On the final day of camp, participants will join the RUF Angels 😇 Retreat on the Via Transilvanica.

Together, youth and Angels will walk:

Paltin → Poiana Marului · 15 km

This shared hike brings together generations of the Romanian diaspora, youth discovering their roots and leaders investing in Romania’s future.

It is both symbolic and deeply meaningful.

 

What Participants Gain

Participants will leave with:

  • A deeper understanding of Romanian–American heritage
  • Practical experience in cultural preservation
  • Meaningful friendships with diaspora peers
  • Exposure to mentors and community leaders
  • A lived experience of rural Transylvania
  • A stronger sense of identity and belonging

 

Who This Program Is For

  • Romanian diaspora youth (ages 15–21)
  • Teens curious about heritage and history
  • Young people open to rural immersion and meaningful contribution
  • Future community builders and leaders

Cost

$600 per participant

Includes:

  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Program activities and workshops
  • Cultural immersion experiences
  • Final-day Via Transilvanica hike with RUF Angels 😇
  • Local logistics and coordination

(Flights not included.)

SIGN UP HERE PAY HERE

Contact Information

 

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Romanian United Foundation

About

RUF unites the global Romanian diaspora to foster strategic change through philanthropy, innovation, and community-building. By connecting leaders worldwide, RUF positions Romania as a dynamic force in the global economy for future generations.