The winners of the 2013 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards were unveiled today by the European Commission and Europa Nostra. The 30 winners, selected from nearly 200 nominated projects, are honored for their achievements in four areas: conservation, research, dedicated service, and education, training and awareness-raising.
The award ceremony will take place on June 16, at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, in the presence of Karolos Papoulias, President of the Greek Republic, Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, and Plácido Domingo, the world-renowned opera singer and Europa Nostra President. The event is held under the auspices of the Greek President. Of the 30 winning projects, six will be named as grand prix laureates in Athens and one of the winners will receive the public choice award, based on an online poll conducted by Europa Nostra.
“My warmest congratulations go to this year’s winners, who exude the passion and professionalism which is the hallmark of Europe’s wonderfully rich and diverse cultural heritage. The past can teach us a lot about the present and the future, so we must ensure that our heritage can be appreciated by as many people as possible today and do our utmost to protect it for the benefit of future generations. The European Commission will continue to support this prize and other heritage projects through our new Creative Europe program, as well as through other EU funding,” stated Commissioner Vassiliou.
“In this 50th anniversary year of our pan-European movement, I pay tribute to these remarkable achievements which demonstrate the strong engagement of Europe’s citizens and communities. I am delighted that Europa Nostra’s golden jubilee coincides with the European Year of Citizens. This is the ideal occasion to stress the unique potential of cultural heritage to enhance civic responsibility and a sense of belonging to a wider European family. Heritage strengthens us all and inspires creativity and innovation. Therefore, we must work together to save and celebrate the treasures in our midst for the next 50 years and beyond,” added Plácido Domingo.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
