European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 Flashback

Message by Executive President and Secretary General

As an introduction to the Summit Flashback Newsletter issued on 29 October 2024

Dear colleagues and friends

We are back from an unforgettable European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 in Bucharest, Romania. For four days, we brought together over 800 heritage professionals, volunteers and enthusiasts. Taking place exactly four months after the European elections, and with less than two months remaining until the Romanian elections, the Summit addressed some of the most pressing challenges of our time, where cultural heritage plays an important role.

The selection of Bucharest as the host city was carefully made. Our Romanian partners have consistently demonstrated their commitment to safeguarding heritage. We were honoured to mark the first evening of the Summit with a welcome reception hosted by the Mayor Nicusor Dan. On this occasion, we were pleased to see the launch of the publication “Europa Nostra & Romania” produced by the National Institute of Heritage.

The 26 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2024 took centre stage during the Excellence Day. It was a pleasure to have the very best heritage practices from across Europe in one room, and an even greater honour to celebrate the winners during the European Heritage Awards Ceremony, a high-level event held at the magnificent Romanian Athenaeum. A warm welcome once again to all who join this ever-growing network of heritage excellence across Europe.

The value of networks was clearly demonstrated as we gathered with our partners for the second Forum of the European Heritage Hub. Building on the success of last year’s forum on the Green Transformation, this year’s discussions informed a forceful Call to Action to ensure heritage holds a central place in Europe’s Digital Transformation.

Continuing the dialogue on Europe’s future, the Policy Agora offered a crucial space for heritage experts, policymakers and artists to engage in meaningful discussion on quality principles and policy priorities ahead of the new EU legislative period.

We were also inspired by the valuable contributions from both the younger generation and national representatives, who set the tone for our discussions through two key pre-Summit events: a Youth Forum and a roundtable on Romanian heritage. We applaud the Manifesto for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Romania which was adopted on the occasion of our Summit by over 60 heritage NGOs active in Romania. This document explains the rationale and proposes priority needs and corresponding action to be undertaken by the authorities.

The impactful messages from the Summit resonated far beyond the venues that kindly hosted us. We were delighted to see extensive media coverage across Romanian newspapers, broadcasters, radio stations and online media. A selection of some of our favourite stories are featured below.

The Bucharest Summit would not have been possible without the invaluable support provided by many partners and supporters. Special thanks to our main European partner, the European Commission, to the President of Romania, H.E. Klaus Iohannis, for granting his High Patronage to the Summit, and to all Romanian NGOs who worked hard with Europa Nostra to make this event so successful.

 

We are grateful for a wonderful ending to the Summit at La Mița Bicilista. It was a pleasure to connect, share, and dance with all of you one year more. We eagerly look forward to welcoming you in Brussels, Belgium, for our European Cultural Heritage Summit 2025. Until then, let us remain rooted in our commitment to preserving cultural heritage and in communicating its relevance as we respond to the many societal challenges we face today.

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

 

 

In the Media

 

Ceremony and Summit receive extensive media coverage across Romania

Between 6 and 9 October 2024, some 380 news pieces about the Ceremony and the Summit in Bucharest were published by TV, radio and online media outlets from Romania. The news articles reached a total audience of over 4 million people. 


You can find a selection of the top media articles about the Ceremony and the Summit below:

Interview of Hermann Parzinger with TVR Cultural, the cultural channel of Romania’s public broadcaster TVR, released on the evening of 14 October (in English)

 Short news piece broadcasted by PROTV, Romania’s largest private TV channel, on the evening of 8 October (in Romanian)

Long news programme broadcasted by TVR1, the main channel of the Romania’s public broadcaster TVR, on the evening of 7 October (in Romanian)

Short news piece broadcasted by Europa FM, one of the leading radio stations in Romania, on the afternoon of 8 October (in Romanian)

Interview of Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović with RFI Romania, the largest subsidiary established by RFI – Radio France Internationale outside of France, released on the evening of 19 September (in French)

 

Reminisce or discover the Bucharest Summit:

Flashback Newsletter
Instagram Stories

Latest articles about Awards

German photographer Thomas Struth receives Helena Vaz da Silva European Award for Raising Awareness on Cultural Heritage 2024 in Lisbon

European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025: Submit your application by 20 November 2024

Publication “Europa Nostra & Romania” presented at welcome reception hosted by Mayor of Bucharest

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