Hispania Nostra marks its 50th anniversary in 2026 with a series of events and initiatives across Spain

Hispania Nostra, Europa Nostra’s country representation in Spain, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Since 1976, the non-profit association based in Madrid has worked relentlessly to defend and campaign for cultural and natural  heritage through education and social collaboration. This commitment was recognised by the Spanish Congress of Deputies on 11 November 2025, with the adoption of a non-binding motion highlighting Hispania Nostra’s essential role and great achievements in the heritage field.

Hispania Nostra’s key initiatives

Since its inception, Hispania Nostra has evolved from running two programmes – the forum of associations, and the nominations from Spain for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Nostra Awards – to diversifying its activities through a wide variety of projects in different fields. Among its most significant initiatives is the Red List, created to empower the public to report heritage sites at risk of outright destruction, abandonment or fundamental loss of their cultural value, strengthening civic participation in safeguarding heritage. This was complemented by the Green List, which highlights successfully restored sites, and the Black List for those definitively lost. Currently, there are over 1,620 cultural assets included on the Red List, 264 on the Green List and 32 on the Black List.

With the aim of recognising exemplary initiatives, the Hispania Nostra Awards for Good Practices in the conservation of cultural and natural heritage were established in 2012. These Awards have already recognised 59 exemplary initiatives in three categories: interventions in the territory or landscape; initiatives relating to cultural heritage that drive economic and social development; and appropriate and effective information and dissemination of our cultural and natural heritage.

One year later, the annual Good Practice Seminar was launched, bringing together experts to reflect on a different heritage topic each year, presenting examples of good practices through successful case studies. So far, thirteen editions have been held in Madrid, thanks to the sponsorship of the ACS Foundation.

Another key initiative of Hispania Nostra was the launch in 2014 of a crowdfunding platform, through which citizens and institutions can propose maintenance and/or conservation projects for heritage assets, seeking individual or collective contributions and taking responsibility for their management and implementation. To date, Hispania Nostra crowdfunding platform has supported over 70 projects across Spain, raising more than €1,300,000, thanks to the contributions of nearly 11,000 participants.

In 2016, Hispania Nostra and Europa Nostra organised the European Heritage Congress in Madrid from 22 to 27 May. Hundreds of heritage players from all over Europe, including professionals, volunteers, decision-makers, partners and supporters, participated in this major annual event. The European Heritage Awards Ceremony and the Forum on Social Participation in Heritage Protection were among the highlights of the Congress, which attracted widespread media coverage in Spain.

These are the cornerstones of Hispania Nostra’s work. However, Hispania Nostra extends its activities through the organisation of exhibitions and events in various formats, such as round-table discussions, conferences, congresses and publications. Among those, the Hispania Nostra Magazine, launched in 2010, and the annual journal Cultural Heritage and Law, the only publication of its kind in Spain, which was awarded the Gold Medal for Fine Arts in 2023.

With the support of KALAM corporation, Hispania Nostra has also created the Social Participation Award in 2026 to recognise individuals, associations or private groups having excelled through their work in the defence, promotion or dissemination of cultural and natural heritage.

Hispania Nostra’s 50th anniversary events

To mark its 50th anniversary in 2026, Hispania Nostra has organised a series of  events across Spain throughout the year, including series such as The Value of Heritage at the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos, the conference The Evolution of Legal Regulation and the Concept of Heritage at the University of Jaén, and the conference Heritage, Identities and Territory in Asturias, which addressed different aspects of the association’s work.

In February, the Spanish National Lottery draw was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Hispania Nostra. Two important milestones were the official opening of the exhibition Hispania Nostra: 50 years committed to heritage on 28 April in Madrid, which will later tour other cities across Spain; and the release of the book Hispania Nostra 50 Years. A Journey Towards the Future, launched at the Congress of Deputies on 6 May, which traces the history of the association from its early stages.

On 26 June, Hispania Nostra will hold the Members’ Party in the Rose Garden of Parque del Oeste in Madrid. In October, the 45th Forum for Associations and Cultural Managers will take place in Valencia. In November, Barcelona will host the conference Heritage, Architecture and the Economy. And the grand finale to this year of celebrations will take place in November with the presentation of the Social Participation Award and the subsequent concert by the renowned Spanish group Tiento Nuovo, which will perform at the Royal Basilica of San Francisco El Grande in Madrid.

For 50 years, Hispania Nostra has advocated that heritage is not simply the legacy of the past, but a dynamic force that connects people, promotes diversity and tolerance and shapes our shared future.

For this reason, we will continue to encourage future generations to learn about and appreciate the wealth of our shared history, and to preserve and enhance it for the generations to come.