‘ENtopia: Our Places in Europe’ website launched
A website dedicated to Europa Nostra’s new programme ‘ENtopia: Our Places in Europe’ was launched in Athens on 28 April 2015. For nearly two years, Elliniki Etairia has spearheaded the creation of this online platform, in close collaboration with the programme’s director, Philip Gheoghegan from Ireland. The website launch is a decisive step in promoting the ENtopia programme.
Aerial view of the island of Skyros, where, a massive majority of the population – with the support of the Hellenic Ornithological Society and Elliniki Etairia, Europa Nostra’s Representation in Greece – successfully resisted a proposal for 111 huge wind turbines.
The ENtopia programme – launched in June 2013, on the occasion of Europa Nostra’s 50th anniversary Congress in Athens – aims to celebrate the historic and cultural traditions and diversity of small towns, villages and landscape areas, and to foster greater appreciation, awareness and sharing between these communities of their distinct local identities, as an integral element of our wider European identity. By joining in this initiative/network, the communities will be able to share in the benefits of cooperation across the continent.
The website enables communities to present their places, in words and images, to a European audience of interested places. Early participants will help to explore local communication for promotion, funding and special projects within their places, as well as cooperating to develop the process nationally and transnationally.
The current website features 14 places from six countries: Shipcka Village in Albania; Amorgos, Chios, Sikinos and Skyros in Greece; Children of Lir country, the Georgian Squares of Dublin and Inis Oirr, Aran Islands in Ireland; Roșia Montană in Romania; Almaški Kraj, Belo Blato, Sirogojno and Silopaj in Serbia; and Port Carlisle in the UK.
Three places in Italy, two in Spain, one in Hungary, another in Romania and one in Turkey were recently approved and will be posted shortly on the ENtopia website. Future nominations from Belgium, England, France and the Netherlands are currently under discussion.
“The website is a vital tool to promote the programme. We expect that ‘ENtopia: Our Places in Europe’ will represent a growing network of local communities that will inspire many people across Europe – and indeed across the world – to visit, enjoy and learn from them,” stated Philip Gheoghegan.
