2020 EUROPEAN HERITAGE AWARDS / EUROPA NOSTRA AWARDS

In 2020, the 21 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards from 13 countries were celebrated with a memorable online Ceremony, watched by over 1,000 people from all over the world.

The online Ceremony was co-hosted by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and Europa Nostra's Secretary General Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, here on this behind the scenes shot at the Europa Nostra headquarters in The Hague.

The 3 Grand Prix laureates, chosen from among the 21 winning achievements of this year, were selected by an independent jury of experts and the Board of Europa Nostra, and received €10,000 each. The 2020 Grand Prix laureates are...

On 6 April 2009, the earthquake that hit the region caused the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio to suffer extensive damage to its structure and its roof and dome collapsed.

The restoration of the Basilica required not only an advanced conservation, but also respect for its special place in the life of the community.

The Perdonanza Celestiniana celebrations did not need to be interrupted after the earthquake - even during the restoration works - thanks to creation of provisional structures and safe routes.

Alessandra Vittorini, former Superintendent for Archaeological, Artistic and Architectural Heritage and Landscape for L’Aquila and its Seismic Crater: "We hope that Collemaggio will continue to stand as [...] a symbol of hope in the face of adversity for the people who experience it.”

In December 2017, the recovery was completed, allowing the community to again gather and celebrate at the Basilica. According to the Board of Europa Nostra the project represents "the rebirth of the entire city and [...] an opportunity for the community to heal the wounds caused by the earthquake.”

Tramontana Network III is a celebration of the mountain heritage of Europe, an intangible heritage that is common across Europe in its richness of diversity.

This comprehensive study sought to safeguard, collect and promote this heritage through its documentation and broad dissemination through interactive online portals, workshops, and events and publications.

Project coordinator Luís Costa: "The most rewarding aspects of Tramontana Network III project were the partner meetings that took place in different rural locations which [...] showed how European rural areas share some common cultural aspects despite their geographical distance."

The Board of Europa Nostra: “The transborder and cooperative nature of the Tramontana Network III project is a strong example of the importance of research as a driver in equipping rural mountainous communities with the necessary tools to preserve and celebrate their heritage.”

Thanks to this exhibition, more than 7 million visitors are expected to learn about the complicated history of the largest German Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as how and why the Holocaust happened.

Luís Ferreiro, Director Musealia / Auschwitz Exhibition: "It is very encouraging that so many people, in different continents, are willing to face such a deeply problematic part of our history. It speaks about the responsibility many individuals share not only to remember the past, but also to critically analyse our present."

The exhibition is the result of the collaboration of two European entities, Musealia from Spain and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland. It has been supported and provided with artefacts by more than 20 museums and institutions.

In an innovative way, TYPA creates value for and preserves the values of historical printing and papermaking through the intersection of contemporary tools and traditional techniques.