Helena Vaz da Silva Award Ceremony
The renowned Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, the Grand Prix winner of the 2014 Helena Vaz da Silva European Award for Raising Public Awareness on Cultural Heritage, will receive the award at an official ceremony on 3 October 2014 at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. The Portuguese Art Historian José-Augusto França will be given a Special Award and the Dutch journalist Pieter Steinz will be granted a Special Mention. The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, will participate in the event.
The Helena Vaz da Silva European Award, established last year by Centro Nacional de Cultura in cooperation with the leading European heritage organisation Europa Nostra and Clube Português de Imprensa, acknowledges exceptional contributions to the communication on cultural heritage and European ideals.
“The Jury particularly appreciated the original way in which Pamuk succeeds in bringing the European values and ideals to life and in promoting them across borders through his literary work, which is deeply rooted in the history and culture of his country, Turkey. Not only is Pamuk one of the greatest contemporary authors, he is also an engaged citizen. He has made outstanding efforts towards raising awareness of the rich multicultural history and heritage of Europe, with Istanbul as one of its most iconic cities,” stated Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins, President of the Jury.
On this occasion, the two Portuguese winners of the 2014 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards – the Historical Route of the Lines of Torres Vedras (Conservation) and the ‘Encounters with Heritage’ Radio Programme (Education, Training and Awareness-Raising) – will also be honoured.
