Home News Europa Nostra strengthens ties with Swiss heritage organisations and partners during Council Meetings in Geneva

Europa Nostra strengthens ties with Swiss heritage organisations and partners during Council Meetings in Geneva

October 13, 2026 | Posted in Members

Europa Nostra’s Council Meetings in Geneva, held from 8 to 10 October 2026, provided an opportunity to meet with Swiss Member and Associate Organisations, as well as other heritage associations and foundations based in the city. The exchanges offered a valuable opportunity to share experiences and explore how civil society can contribute to safeguarding Europe’s cultural heritage.

We were especially delighted to reconnect on this occasion with the Swiss Heritage Society, one of Europa Nostra’s founding organisations. In 1963, Europa Nostra was established through the initiative of heritage NGOs from seven European countries: Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany and Ireland. This founding spirit of cross-border cooperation and peer-learning continues to underpin Europa Nostra’s mission today.

The exchanges in Geneva highlighted the diversity of Switzerland’s heritage community, spanning conservation and research, advocacy, craftsmanship, and the safeguarding of historic buildings in both private and public ownership. They also reaffirmed the importance of cross-border cooperation and the recognition of cultural heritage as a shared European responsibility.

The Council Meeting brought together 46 Council members, with 21 attending in person in Geneva and 25 participating online. Discussions focused on Europa Nostra’s strategic priorities and ongoing activities, with a special emphasis on our advocacy for heritage at the EU level, and on boosting Europa Nostra’s relations with members, thus further strengthening the collective commitment of our members to protecting and promoting Europe’s cultural and natural heritage.

Swiss Civil Society: a longstanding commitment to heritage

The meetings offered valuable insights into the work of Swiss organisations and their approaches to protecting, researching and promoting cultural heritage. Europa Nostra’s Swiss network includes 8 Member Organisations, 3 Associate Organisations, 64 Individual Members and one Partner.

The Swiss Heritage Society (Schweizer Heimatschutz / Patrimoine suisse), founded in 1905 and one of Europa Nostra’s founding organisations in 1963, shared its experience of more than a century of civil society engagement in safeguarding Switzerland’s architectural heritage. With approximately 27,000 members and donors and a network of 25 cantonal sections, it demonstrates the strength of a membership-based organisation rooted in communities across the country. Its activities include public awareness-raising, publications, technical advice, planning consultations and advocacy, alongside the Wakker Prize and the Schulthess Horticultural Prize.

The discussions highlighted how public participation, legal mechanisms and sustained advocacy can help ensure that heritage is considered in planning and development decisions. They also underlined the importance of finding new uses for historic buildings, preserving the memory of everyday life and recognising the contribution of heritage to quality of life.

The Swiss Cultural Heritage Network (Netzwerk Kulturerbe Schweiz) presented its role as an umbrella organisation connecting Swiss organisations active across the heritage field. Bringing together 47 organisations, it promotes cooperation, knowledge exchange and advocacy at national level. Its work illustrates the value of building alliances between organisations with complementary expertise and shared objectives, spanning built heritage, landscapes, archaeology, industrial heritage and living traditions.

Domus Antiqua Helvetica, the association representing owners of historic and architecturally or culturally significant residential buildings, explored the challenges of maintaining privately owned heritage. The exchanges highlighted the importance of providing owners with appropriate advice, support and funding, while raising awareness among public authorities of the specific responsibilities involved in conserving historic residences.

Other discussions focused on research, knowledge-sharing and the diversity of approaches to heritage preservation. The Society for Art History in Switzerland (SHAS) shared its work documenting and communicating Switzerland’s architectural and artistic heritage through inventories, publications and specialist guides.

The Association of Friends of Lake Geneva Steamships (ABVL) illustrated how fundraising and partnerships can support the restoration and continued operation of the lake’s historic Belle Époque steamship fleet, safeguarding both maritime heritage and traditional craftsmanship.

The meetings also showcased foundations based in Switzerland working at the intersection of heritage, craftsmanship, research and sustainable development. The Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship promotes excellence in traditional and contemporary craftsmanship, notably through its Homo Faber initiative. The Fondation Hardt supports international scholarship on Classical Antiquity, while the Fondation Etrillard promotes the preservation and rediscovery of European cultural heritage. The Fondation Braillard Architectes contributes to the protection of built heritage and advances architectural, urban and landscape culture through research, public engagement and ecological transition.

Discussions with institutional and philanthropic partners further highlighted the importance of collaboration and long-term investment. The ALIPH Foundation, based in Geneva, with whom Europa Nostra developed a valuable partnership, shared its commitment to protecting and rehabilitating cultural heritage threatened by armed conflict, climate change and natural disasters, working with local partners in crisis and post-conflict settings.

The Swiss Federal Office of Culture brought the perspective of national cultural policy, including the preservation of heritage and the promotion of high-quality, sustainable Baukultur (building culture), through the launch of the Davos Declaration on High Quality Baukultur and which led to the development of the Davos Alliance for Baukultur.

Together, these meetings demonstrated the diversity and 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. They also reflected a strong dedication of our members and partners from Switzerland to further intensify their relationship with Europa Nostra to jointly champion Europe’s core values and the benefits of European collaboration in the field of cultural and natural heritage.

Connecting local experience with Europa Nostra’s European mission

The exchanges provided an opportunity to reflect on challenges shared by heritage organisations across Europe, including securing sustainable funding, engaging younger generations, supporting owners of historic properties and ensuring that heritage protection is integrated into wider development policies.

These priorities resonate with Europa Nostra’s Strategy for 2026-2030, which recognises cultural heritage as a strategic resource for Europe’s future: a vector of sustainable transformation, social cohesion and dialogue.

Through advocacy, the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the celebration of excellence and solidarity with endangered heritage, Europa Nostra seeks to strengthen unity in diversity and champion the values of peace, democracy, the rule of law, sustainability and solidarity in Europe and beyond.

The meetings also reaffirmed the importance of Europa Nostra’s membership network. Member and Associate Organisations contribute local knowledge, specialist expertise and strong connections with communities, while strengthening the collective voice of civil society in European policy discussions.

By bringing together organisations with different experiences and expertise, Europa Nostra continues to strengthen the European heritage community and promote heritage as a common good and a resource for future generations.