Helena Vaz da Silva Award Ceremony 2025 – Lisbon and online
The Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires received the Helena Vaz da Silva European Award for Raising Public Awareness on Cultural Heritage 2025 at a ceremony on 1 November at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal. This European recognition pays tribute to Maria João Pires’ exceptional aptitude for communicating European culture and values through music.
Maria João Pires © Belgais – Centro para o Estudo das Artes
The Helena Vaz da Silva European Award was established in 2013 by the Centro Nacional de Cultura in collaboration with Europa Nostra and the Portuguese Press Club. It has the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Tourism of Portugal.
During the event, the Portuguese winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025 were also be celebrated.
The event was live streamed in English.
Programme
18:00 CET
Master of Ceremonies: Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra
Film screening
80th Anniversary of Centro Nacional de Cultura
Opening remarks
Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins, Trustee of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Maria Calado, President of the Centro Nacional de Cultura and President of the Jury of the Award
Margarida Balseiro Lopes, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports
Tribute to the Winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025 from Portugal
Category Conservation & Adaptive Reuse
National Museum of Resistance and Freedom – Peniche Fortress
João Barros Matos, Architect, Project Leader
Category Education, Training & Skills
“Saber Fazer” Programme
Américo Rodrigues, Directorate-General for the Arts
Category Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising
Almalaguês – Weaving the Future from the Tapestry of Time, Coimbra
Maria Carlos Pêgo, Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Municipality of Coimbra
Helena Vaz da Silva Award Ceremony 2025
Laudatory speech by Paul Dujardin, Council Member of Europa Nostra and President of Europa Nostra Belgium
Presentation of the Award to Maria João Pires, renowned pianist from Portugal
Acceptance speech by Maria João Pires
Closing Remarks
H.E. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic of Portugal (video message)
