Message by the Executive President and the Secretary General
As an introduction to the Europa Nostra 2024 Autumn Newsletter issued on 12 December
Dear members, partners and supporters of Europa Nostra
Dear colleagues and friends
Starting with a memorable European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 in the vibrant and welcoming city of Bucharest, and concluding up with a symbolic end-of-year cultural evening in Brussels, the heart of EU policy and decision-making, this final quarter of the year was marked by intense activity on many fronts across Europe and beyond.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday evening. It was a true testament to the importance of preserving & promoting our shared #heritage. We look forward to a fruitful & strengthened collaboration between the new @EU_Commission & civil society in years ahead 🇪🇺🤝 pic.twitter.com/zYHJ4CZO0v
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) December 10, 2024
We were honoured to welcome the newly appointed European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport, Glenn Micallef, to the cultural evening at the iconic Royale Belge Building on 9 December. The event featured a local ceremony for the restoration of the European Heritage Award-winning Royale Belge Building, followed by the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation’s annual concert and a networking reception.
In his inaugural speech, Commissioner Micallef expressed his commitment to unlocking the full economic, environmental, and social potential of culture and cultural heritage, highlighting their vital role in fostering a common sense of European identity. We welcome this beginning towards a more resolute action in the upcoming EU legislative term and stand ready to help shape a holistic European Strategy and Action Plan for Cultural Heritage.
On behalf of civil society, we continue to advocate forcefully for the political, environmental, economic, and societal value of cultural heritage in Europe. A key outcome of the 2024 Summit was the Bucharest Manifesto – a call to European and national political leaders to prioritise quality as the cornerstone of cultural heritage policy and practice. The Bucharest Manifesto outlines 7 priorities to ensure cultural heritage remains authentic and resilient, safeguarding its value for society across Europe.
🆕 The #BucharestManifesto urges European & national political leaders & all stakeholders to prioritise Quality as the cornerstone of #CulturalHeritage policy & practice.
This collective call to action is a key outcome of the #PolicyAgora held in Oct 👉 https://t.co/MLtAsRMhpo pic.twitter.com/rD5pd8UhG4
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) November 27, 2024
Meanwhile, at the Conference “New European Bauhaus: Heritage & Transformation”, we introduced the Kraków Declaration, developed in partnership with the Architects’ Council of Europe and ICOMOS. Together, we call for a holistic, quality-driven, and culturally rooted approach in EU policies and funding programmes to shape the future of Europe’s built environment.
▶️ We are in Krakow & online for the #NewEuropeanBauhaus: Heritage & Transformation Conference. @RuthSchagemann from @Ace_Cae & our SG @SneskaEN set the tone, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary partnerships. Join the livestream 📽️ 👉 https://t.co/GqOimKLshw pic.twitter.com/P8xT4Xrtr5
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) November 28, 2024
On the topic of sustainability, in November, a delegation of culture and cultural heritage voices travelled to Baku, Azerbaijan, to attend COP29. Europa Nostra was represented by Andrew Potts, Heritage and Climate Action Advisor. Despite the concerted and decisive efforts from civil society (read our statement here) negotiators fell short of expectations. Our global call remains as strong as ever, advocating for the full integration of culture-based solutions in climate action at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
The 2nd High-Level Ministerial Meeting for Culture-Based #ClimateAction took place today at #COP29, another major sep forward towards addressing the “culture gap”. We call for decisive action in #Baku 🇦🇿 ahead of #COP30 in #Belem 🇧🇷
Full statement 📄👉 https://t.co/ncafm2wQwC pic.twitter.com/kyRJyoP3ee
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) November 15, 2024
Alongside our member organisations, Europa Nostra has campaigned for the safeguard of endangered heritage, in particular the architecturally and historically significant General Staff and Ministry of Defense Modernist Complex in Belgrade, Serbia, emphasising that its protection is also a matter of the rule of law and respect of public interest. We also expressed concern about the serious threats to the authenticity and integrity of the Nyborg Castle in Denmark due to the proposed construction of a new information centre.
We endorse the appeal of @europanostra_rs to Serbia’s Government to revoke its illegal decisions to cancel the protection of #Generalštab in Belgrade. This is a breach of the rule of law & an attack on the heritage protection system in Serbia. See also 👇🏼https://t.co/TSXxbDiUHf
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) November 22, 2024
Despite the challenges, this year has also offered moments of respite and celebration. We invite you to embark on a journey across Europe and get a glimpse of the wonderful ceremonies organised by the proud winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2024.
Additionally, in the latest podcast of the Holistic Heritage series, John Beauchamp from the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków takes a deep dive into the Awards, reporting live from the 2024 Ceremony in Bucharest. Happy listening!
We wish you a serene and joyful holiday season and a new year marked by strengthened togetherness, sustainability, democracy, and peace in Europe and beyond.
Cordially yours,
Hermann Parzinger, Executive President
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General
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Europa Nostra 2024 Autumn Newsletter
