First talks on European Heritage Congress 2019 held with local authorities in Sibiu, Romania

On 22 September, Europa Nostra’s Vice-President Piet Jaspaert met with the Mayor of Sibiu, Astrid Cora Fodor, and representatives of the city authorities for exploratory talks about holding the European Heritage Congress 2019 in Sibiu, Romania. He was accompanied by Irina Iamandescu, Head of the immovable heritage department of the Institutul Național al Patrimoniului (which is led by Europa Nostra’s Council member Ștefan Bâlici), her assistant Irina Leca and Ovidiu Baron, Deputy Executive Director of ASTRA National Museum Complex, which received a Special Mention in the 2017 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, for its competition ‘Traditional Artistic Crafts’ Olympiad.

Meetings with local authorities on 22 September 2017 in Sibiu, Romania

The Vice-President of Europa Nostra also met the President of the County Council, Daniela Cimpean, Ciprian Anghel Stefan, Director General of the Astra Museum, Doris Cristina Banciu, Counselor for International Relations, Alin Chipaila, President of the Sibiu Tourism Office and the new Director of the Sibiu Culture Department, Valentin Delca. All those interlocutors greeted with enthusiasm the prospect of holding in 2019 Europa Nostra’s annual Congress in the former European Capital of Culture 2007.

Upon his return from Romania, Piet Jaspaert said “I was overwhelmed by the positive reaction on all sides, especially from the Mayor of Sibiu and the President of the County Council, who have committed themselves strongly and enthusiastically to the organisation of Europa Nostra’s Congress in the framework of the European Region of Gastronomy, a title Sibiu will hold in 2019. My visit was also covered by local media.The very positive atmosphere during the talks and the availability of different heritage locations and interesting cultural organisations and initiatives offer great opportunities for the organisation of our European Heritage Congress 2019 in Sibiu”.

In 2019, the European Heritage Congress will carry forward the legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. It will aim to consolidate a stronger commitment to Europe’s shared heritage and values by Europe’s institutions and civil society. Holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first semester of 2019, Romania and the city of Sibiu will also provide the stage for a Special European Summit to be held on 9 May (taking place after the conclusions of the Brexit talks) as announced by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

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