2026 Autumn Newsletter – Message by the Executive President and the Secretary General

As an introduction to the Europa Nostra Newsletter issued on 23 October 2026

Dear members, partners and supporters of Europa Nostra,
Dear colleagues and friends,

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Europa Nostra Newsletter! As you will read, the last  months have been marked by important advocacy action and impactful events held all over Europe, including numerous activities organised as part of our EU-funded European Heritage Hub project which are shared with you through dedicated newsletters.  

 

Most recently, Europa Nostra joined the many voices of the European cultural and civil society community who have expressed deep concern over the cuts to the AgoraEU programme proposed by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU on 10 October. If adopted, this newest plan would reduce the AgoraEU programme’s budget from the European Commission’s proposed €8.6 billion to €6 billion in current prices — amounting to a decrease of around 30%. For this reason, we shall join a wide protest gathering to be held on 29 October at the heart of the EU quarter in Brussels to stand up and speak up for culture, media and democracy in Europe. 

Indeed, an adequately funded AgoraEU is essential to ensure that culture and cultural heritage can contribute fully to Europe’s democratic, cohesive and sustainable future, fully in line with the historic Joint Declaration “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe” signed last June by the Presidents of three key EU Institutions.  

 

These policy and funding concerns were discussed during our Council  gatherings in Geneva from 8 to 10 October. On this occasion, the Europa Nostra Council reiterated its call for our shared cultural heritage to be recognised as a cornerstone of Europe’s future strategy: a shared resource for strengthening democracy, solidarity and a sense of belonging across generations and borders in Europe and beyond. This call responds to the European Commission President’s appeal for a new vision for Europe, which she launched in her 2026 State of the European Union address (SOTEU), ahead of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome in March 2027. 

The meetings in Geneva also provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties with our Swiss members and partners, including our founding member organisation, the Swiss Heritage Society, and our important partner organisation, the ALIPH Foundation, as well as other heritage associations and foundations based in the city. The exchanges demonstrated the breadth of Switzerland’s heritage community and the different ways in which civil society, public institutions, research bodies and philanthropic foundations contribute to conservation, public engagement, education and sustainable development. Furthermore, we undertook enriching visits to cultural heritage sites in Geneva and Jussy, four of which received Europa Nostra Awards. The visits demonstrated how the impact of the Awards extends far beyond the moment of recognition, continuing to inspire, engage and enrich Geneva’s cultural heritage landscape today.

The last months offered many moments for celebrating heritage excellence across Europe. We invite you to embark on a journey – from Iceland, Italy and Latvia, to Malta, Montenegro and Ukraine – to take a glimpse of the moving ceremonies organised in situ by the proud winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2026.

Keep scrolling for the latest updates from Europa Nostra’s activities and opportunities to get involved. If you have not yet done so, today is the last day to submit a nomination for the next edition of the 7 Most Endangered Programme; discover the newly launched 7 Most Endangered Impact Stories series, which highlights the path to recovery of four iconic heritage sites – in Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany and Italy –, focusing on the people, communities and organisations behind each site; and delve into our European Heritage Masterclass video series with our Executive President, Hermann Parzinger, which explores how cultural heritage can strengthen democracy, dialogue and practical action over 12 lessons. Find more information below and disseminate these key initiatives through your own network and communication channels.

To end, we wish to pay tribute to our great friend, ally and advocate from the United Kingdom, Sir Donald Insall (1926-2026), who passed away on 10 October at the age of 100. Donald Insall was a pioneering and visionary conservationist, architect, planning consultant, author and teacher. He and his office, Donald Insall Associates, one of Britain’s leading conservation practices, received as many as 17 Europa Nostra Awards from 1983 to 2026, having left an indelible mark in the storybook of our organisation. We shall cherish and carry forward Sir Donald’s immense legacy. 

Cordially yours,
Hermann Parzinger, Executive President
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General

 

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Europa Nostra 2026 Autumn Newsletter