Europa Nostra and a group of relevant partners, including the Europeana Foundation, Eurocities, ICLEI and KU Leuven (see full list below), have been selected for EU funding for the implementation of a pilot project establishing a European Heritage Hub. This ambitious project will gather diverse expertise and pool resources to mobilise and strengthen the cultural heritage-driven movement in Europe. This project, funded by the European Union, will run from May 2023 to April 2025. The kick-off meeting will be held on 10-11 May 2023 in Brussels.
The European Heritage Hub pilot project will establish and develop an autonomous advocacy and knowledge platform bringing together a large array of cultural heritage stakeholders, contributing to a more sustainable, innovative and inclusive future for the wider field of cultural heritage. It will foster synergies and cooperation between existing heritage initiatives and actors, and create new ones when relevant. The Hub will be at the forefront of advocacy for holistic and integrated policies at all governance levels and will support heritage professionals and volunteers in sharing and acquiring the necessary skills to build their resilience by adapting adequately to the triple transformation of our society – digital, environmental and social.
Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: ”Heritage is not only a common treasure to protect, but also an asset for the green transition of our societies. Europa Nostra has developed over the last decades a unique experience allowing heritage to be protected and to play a pivotal role for the greening of territories. The pilot project establishing a European Heritage Hub will bring concrete means to the consortium to make positive impact at local level. I would like to congratulate all members of the consortium for their commitment in a new endeavour!”
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra, stated: “We are delighted that we are embarking on this new European venture in 2023, the year which marks the 60th anniversary of our organisation. Europa Nostra is very proud to act as coordinator of the setting up of a future European Heritage Hub which will bring our long-standing partnership with the European Union to the next level. This is a most challenging task which we are glad to take on together with a fantastic group of European and regional partners. We shall seek to involve the widest possible range of heritage stakeholders, including members of the European Heritage Alliance and of the Climate Heritage Network and the young generation of heritage professionals. The European Heritage Hub should be beneficial to all! It will help us to further demonstrate the relevance of cultural heritage as a strategic resource for the future of Europe and as an invaluable vector for achieving many priority goals of the European Union and its key partners in Europe and beyond”.
The project will strongly connect and actively engage the respective extended networks of all partners through innovative tools and creative advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns. Ultimately, it will reach out to citizens at large. A special emphasis will be put on capacity building and the involvement of the younger generation of heritage students and professionals.
The Hub will build on the success of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 and on the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage, established by the European Commission with the aim to capture and scale-up the success of the European Year and to ensure its lasting impact, through an ambitious set of 60 actions. It will also carry on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 and contribute to the European Year of Skills in 2023.
European Heritage Hub: Project Leader and Partners
On the basis of its extensive expertise and experience of enabling and coordinating an ever-growing movement and network of heritage professionals and volunteers covering the whole of Europe, Europa Nostra will take the role of the project leader. The project will bring together relevant partners reflecting at the same time all levels of governance (EU, national, regional and/or local) and the priorities of the project (such as capacity-building, research, communication, etc.). Europa Nostra shall lead and coordinate all the activities with the invaluable input and cooperation of the partners.
The key European partners (co-beneficiaries) of the project are
- Europeana Foundation
- Eurocities
- KU Leuven – (via HERKUL – KU Leuven Institute for Cultural Heritage)
- ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
These four European partners have relevant Europe-wide expertise and experience working with the topics of the pilot-project – with a special focus on climate action, social inclusion and digital transformation. They have already cooperated with Europa Nostra, either in their capacity as members of our network, of the European Heritage Alliance, or as part of other EU-funded projects.
Other strategic partners of the project include:
- The Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage (as operator/coordinator of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe);
- ELLINIKI ETAIRIA – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (as operator/coordinator of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for South Eastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean);
- Cinquantenaire 2030 (as a newly established organisation, which will contribute to the operation of the European Heritage Hub at the heart of EU-decision making in Brussels);
- Centro Nacional de Cultura (as country representation of Europa Nostra in Portugal, which stands ready to become the operator/coordinator of a future European Heritage Hub outpost in Lisbon);
- Hispania Nostra (as country representation of Europa Nostra in Spain, which will coordinate the youth-related activities of the European Heritage Hub); and
- European Music Centre (in its capacity as coordinator of the European Musician Museums and Houses Network, which will coordinate the music-related activities of the European Heritage Hub).
These partners will take responsibility for coordinating the activities of regional outposts of the European Heritage Hub or activities with a horizontal dimension, such as youth-related activities and music-related activities.
Several associated partners will support the strengthening or creation of new regional heritage hubs, namely the Organisation of World Heritage Cities (based in Canada), the City of Kraków (Poland), the City of Athens (Greece) and the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage (Portugal).
Other partners supporting the project are the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO).
