European Investment Bank releases essay “Togetherness: A New Heritage Deal for Europe” by Hermann Parzinger
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As Europe is still facing the immense challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time preparing its recovery from this unprecedented crisis, and as the Conference on the Future of Europe is about to be launched, we need to rediscover, rethink and reclaim our common ground and purpose. We also need to come up with innovative and bold proposals and solutions for a better and more sustainable future together. “A New Heritage Deal for Europe” is our answer to these huge challenges ahead of us. It advocates the need for an imaginative and comprehensive heritage-led transformation of Europe’s society, economy and the environment. This is also our initial contribution to the ongoing debate on the New European Bauhaus initiative.
These are the key messages of the seminal essay “Togetherness: A New Heritage Deal for Europe” written by Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra, and recently published by the European Investment Bank (EIB). This visionary essay, which is part of the EIB’s “Big Ideas” series, can be read and downloaded on the EIB website in six languages.
Francisco de Paula Coelho, Dean of the EIB Institute, explains: “In this first “Big Ideas” essay on cultural heritage, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger shows us how deeply cultural heritage is embedded in our society and how the proposed “New Heritage Deal” could build a more sustainable and inclusive Europe. This message fits perfectly with the mission of the EIB, the Bank of the European Union, to foster European integration and the balanced development of the Union. This essay is yet another example of our successful and positive cooperation with our long-standing partner, Europa Nostra.”
Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra, comments: “I am very grateful to the European Investment Bank for providing us the platform to share our bold proposals for a “New Heritage Deal for Europe” with a wider audience. If we want Europe to be a beacon of hope and solidarity in a vulnerable world, we have to rediscover and reassert our common ground and our shared foundation – our Togetherness. Europe’s cultural heritage can and must be used as a catalyst for this process in building a better future, together. I hope many people across Europe and beyond will read this essay and reflect upon it. We welcome comments and further ideas and suggestions.”
The World Heritage Town of Segovia (Spain) is famous for its remarkably well preserved Roman aqueduct. Credits: Felix Q Media
This is the fifteenth essay in the “Big Ideas” series created by the European Investment Bank. Since 2018, the EIB has invited international thought leaders to write about the most important issues of the day. These essays are a reminder that we need new thinking to protect culture, heritage and the environment, promote equality and improve people’s lives around the world.
Since 2013, Europa Nostra has been running the 7 Most Endangered Programme among its key activities, in partnership with the European Investment Bank Institute.
