EU supports Europa Nostra’s network project “Sharing Heritage – Sharing Values” for the next four years
Europa Nostra, one of the leading civil society organisations for cultural heritage in Europe, has been selected for EU funding for the implementation of its ambitious network project “Sharing Heritage – Sharing Values”. Hence, Europa Nostra is among the 28 selected European networks active in the field of the cultural and creative sectors to be co-funded and will continue its partnership with the European Commission. In view of the upcoming European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, the evaluators stressed the relevance of Europa Nostra in mobilising key players in the field of heritage and acknowledged the high quality of the project proposal which scored 89 out of 100 points.
“Europa Nostra is honoured to continue its partnership with the European Commission through its new network project ‘Sharing Heritage’. We are very pleased that our project will be co-funded; as this will enable us to mobilise our resources for the benefit of the European Year. After the successful application of our first network project, this is a recognition of the high quality of Europa Nostra’s work and its overall positive contribution to the cultural sector. Europa Nostra just launched its civil society campaign for the Year “#Heritage4Europe #Europe4Heritage”, which seeks to ensure that civil society remains fully engaged,” said Denis de Kergorlay, Executive President of Europa Nostra.
The “Sharing Heritage – Sharing Values” project will kick off in September 2017 and run for four years. It seeks to structure and strengthen civil society in the field of cultural heritage, to engage more specifically with the wider region of South-East Europe, to put heritage into a global perspective by deepening the dialogue with global organisations; and to better link the heritage world with the world of the arts, especially music.
“‘Sharing Heritage’ – a title inspired by a report produced by the Reflection Group “EU and Cultural Heritage” and by a concept paper prepared by our partner German Cultural Heritage Committee – is a very ambitious project. Europa Nostra has been part of that civil society movement that put cultural heritage onto the political agenda as reflected in the Rome Declaration, adopted on 25 March by the leaders of 27 Member States and of EU institutions, and in the Florence Declaration, adopted on 30 March at the first ever G7 summit dedicated to culture. Europa Nostra has been a part of that movement that put cultural heritage onto the political agenda in Europe: in Rome and in when the first ever G7 culture meeting took place. Thanks to the dedication and expertise of our members, Europa Nostra has already much achieved. Now we are looking forward to ‘sharing heritage and sharing values’!” stated Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Europa Nostra’s Secretary General.
Building on the strength and success of its current network project, Europa Nostra will transform its annual congress into true European Heritage Summit, the first of which will take place in June 2018 in Berlin during the European Year of Cultural Heritage. Europa Nostra will strengthen its role as a platform for civil society organisations in the heritage field and also continue to act as coordinator of the European Heritage Alliance 3.3, which now counts 43 members. In an ambition to foster cooperation between associations and foundations committed to heritage, Europa Nostra will further build a heritage platform for European foundations. Other important activities include capacity building, communication and outreach. Last but not least, Europa Nostra remains committed to safeguarding heritage through its “7 Most Endangered” programme – whose 5th anniversary will be celebrated next year. Besides the network project, Europa Nostra will continue running the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards in partnership with the European Commission.
