Ceremony for School of Renovation held in Piran, Slovenia
On 17 September 2026, a special ceremony was held in Piran, Slovenia, to celebrate the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award 2026 received by the School of Renovation in the category of Education, Training and Skills.
The School of Renovation provides hands-on training in traditional building techniques through workshops held at heritage sites across Slovenia. Since its establishment in 2015, the initiative has trained more than 1,000 participants, helping to preserve traditional craftsmanship and pass on the knowledge and skills needed to care for historic buildings to younger generations.
The historic town of Piran was chosen as the setting for the celebration in recognition of the municipality’s significant heritage restoration projects in recent years. The day opened at the City Hall, where Mateja Hafner Dolenc, Secretary General of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia, and Manuela Rojec, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Piran, welcomed the attendees.
The ceremony continued at the Pastoral-Cultural Centre Georgios in Piran’s historic centre. Around 60 participants participated in the event, including representatives of the local cultural heritage sector and members of the community.
Viljem Leban, Acting Director-General of the Cultural Heritage Directorate at the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia, praised the value of the initiative and the significance of the Award. “The School of Restoration helps to preserve nearly forgotten knowledge and strengthens a sense of identity. The special value of this programme lies in the fact that it brings together a wide range of institutions and individuals. Congratulations to all the participants in this programme,” he stated.
Elena Bianchi, Programme Manager of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, represented Europa Nostra and highlighted the School’s contribution to preserving and transmitting the skills essential to ensuring that heritage can endure over time. “A building is never protected by a building alone. It is protected by an owner who cares, by a craftsperson who knows the material, by an architect who understands the character of a place, by a conservator who can guide difficult decisions, and by communities who recognise the value of what they have inherited. The School of Restoration brings these people together around a very simple principle: heritage survives when knowledge is shared,” she highlighted.
A symbolic moment of the celebration was the presentation of the Award plaque to representatives of the institutions partnering in the project. On their behalf, the plaque was received by Jernej Hudolin, Director General of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia; Aleksander Ostan, Architect and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana; and Staša Florjančič, Headteacher of the Secondary School of Civil Engineering, Land Surveying and Environmental Studies in Ljubljana together with Mateja Hafner Dolenc.
The event also celebrated Piran’s rich cultural traditions through a musical performance by local musicians. Drawing inspiration from the town’s musical heritage, closely associated with the renowned composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini, the performers blended traditional influences with contemporary electronic music.
The ceremony concluded with a special visit to the Church of St. George and Piran’s historic centre, offering participants an opportunity to discover the heritage of the historic town.
