EU rewards 27 groups for services to cultural heritage

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Wednesday, May 7 2014.

The winners of the 2014 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage have been presented with their awards for excellence in conservation and heritage-related work.

27 groups from across Europe have been recognised for the calibre of their work in the cultural heritage field, ranging from conservation to education and training. From among 160 entries, panels of experts picked 6 projects as Grand Prix winners:

a project to restore the vernacular architecture of the late-16th to mid-19th century Walser Houses in Alagna Valsesia, Italy

the conservation of 8 wine-making cooperatives in Catalonia, Spain, built in the early 20th century in the Modernist style and still in use today

research into Roman building methods in the Peloponnese, Greece

Kempen Landscape heritage association, which has devised a unique way of conserving and managing 800 hectares of a historic landscape in Belgium

a project to raise awareness of the cultural heritage of Miskolc, Hungary, a city with a rich history that has fallen into decline since the 1980s

the restoration of 17th century frescoes covering 900 square metres of wall at Dragomirna Church, Romania. This project also won the Public Choice Award after an online poll involving 10 000 voters.

Each of the winners received a trophy at the Vienna ceremony on 5 May, presented by opera tenor Plácido Domingo, president of Europa Nostra. The Grand Prix winners were also awarded €10 000 each.

Europe’s cultural heritage

Launched in 2002 by the EU and Europa Nostra - a citizens’ movement to safeguard Europe’s cultural and natural heritage - the awards aim to

promote and inspire excellence in this field

highlight the beauty and socioeconomic value of Europe’s cultural heritage

encourage the sharing of best practices.

From 2007 to 2013 the scheme was supported by the EU Culture Programme, which invested almost €40m in heritage-related projects. Its successor is Creative Europe, which has a budget of €1.5bn to support the cultural and creative sectors over the next 7 years.

Aside from its intrinsic value, cultural heritage is a valuable resource for tourism, sustainable development and social cohesion.

Press release - presentation of EU Cultural Heritage Prize / Europa Nostra Awards

Europa Nostra

EU Cultural Heritage Prize / Europa Nostra Awards

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