European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards.

Deadline for submission is the 1 October 2016.
Contact person in DG EAC for this initiative is Ms Emilia APPIOU
BACKGROUND INFO
The EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards was launched in 2002 by the European Commission and has been organised by Europa Nostra since then. The Prize celebrates and promotes best practices related to heritage conservation, management, research, education and communication. In this way, it contributes to a stronger public recognition of cultural heritage as a strategic resource for Europe’s society and economy.
It recognises the best restoration projects; the most impressive research; the mos dedicated heritage professionals and volunteers; and the finest awareness raising, training and educational programmes.
This top heritage award is open to architects, craftsmen, cultural heritage experts, professionals and volunteers, public and private institutions, and local communities.
The Commission has a long history in supporting policies and cooperation in favour of cultural heritage: it is a major source of economic growth through its direct and indirect economic potential, including the capacity to underpin cultural and creative industries and inspire creation and innovation, attract massive tourism and generate jobs. It plays an important role in the EU’s foreign policy as a part of the inter-cultural dialogue between nations and people; the protection of the world’s cultural heritage is a common goal for the EU and UNESCO.
The Commission also recently announced that it will propose to the European Parliament and the Council to organise a European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018.
In the programming period 2014-2020 the EU provides significantly funding to cultural heritage projects in the field of conservation, digitisation, infrastructure, research and skills
Over the years the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards have been given to remarkable examples of conservation, management and interpretation of Europe’s heritage: many of the awarded projects illustrate the links between heritage and other fields, such as education, urban regeneration, and research and also show the role cultural heritage plays when it comes to social inclusion and spurring on economic development.
In 2017, up to 30 heritage achievements from all over Europe will be awarded. Of those, 7 projects will receive a Grand Prix and � 10,000 each; one will be granted the Public Choice Award, chosen through an online poll conducted by Europa Nostra. All the winners will be celebrated at the European Heritage Awards Ceremony which will take place in June 2017 in Turku, Finland.

http://www.europanostra.org/