Message by the Executive President and the Secretary General

 

As an introduction to the Europa Nostra Newsletter issued on 11 July 2024

Dear colleagues and friends

Welcome to the Summer edition of our newsletter. Following the European elections in June 2024, now is the time when we must further intensify and expand our advocacy work to put culture and cultural heritage at the core of Europe’s future strategic priorities and policies. Together with our partners Culture Action Europe and the European Cultural Foundation, we have issued, renewed and strengthened calls for a Cultural Deal for Europe, with a strong cultural heritage component. We invite you to read and share our important op-ed recently published in Euronews and add your voice to the call. We also welcome your comments and further suggestions for further sharpening our messages to European policy and decision-makers.

Today in @euronews w/@ECF_tweets & @actforculture, we call on future 🇪🇺 leaders to put #culture & #heritage at the top of Europe’s agenda.

✍️”The #CulturalDealEU must foster a wide cultural ecosystem that drives innovation, enhances wellbeing & strengthens our democratic fabric” https://t.co/5sFavX6T7a

— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) June 11, 2024

We invite you once again to join us in the common responsibility to save Europe’s endangered heritage by submitting a nomination to the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2025 by 15 September 2024. We equally encourage you to explore the 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2024, which need our solidarity and support to ensure their viable future in support of more sustainable, resilient, and peaceful societies.

The #7MostEndangered Call 2025 is open❗️Selected monuments & #heritage sites receive an @EIBInstitute grant of €10,000 each to help safeguard their future 🏛️ #7ME is run by @europanostra w/EIB & supported by @europe_creative ➕ info 👇 https://t.co/UXoW2JIYTm pic.twitter.com/pnB8rPXvPB

— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) May 14, 2024

We look forward to welcoming you in Bucharest, Romania, for the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 from 6 to 8 October. Together we will celebrate the winners of the European Heritage Awards 2024, recognising 26 outstanding heritage achievements from 18 countries. We are also pleased to host the second Forum of the European Heritage Hub as part of the Summit, together with our partner Europeana.

 

Unfortunately, we also have to bring you sad news as we bid farewell to two of the most dedicated and influential members of the vast Europa Nostra family: John Sell from the United Kingdom and Dineke de Koster from The Netherlands. Both John and Dineke are among the few European personalities who were granted the Europa Nostra Medal of Honour, our highest distinction, for their outstanding and generous contribution to the development of our organisation.

John Sell was a leading figure of Europa Nostra for three decades and a tireless champion of Europe’s cultural heritage and landscapes. In 1999, John became a most active Council member and was elected as Vice-President in 2004. Between 2009 and 2018, he led our organisation as Executive Vice-President. John also served as the Chair of the Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered Programme since its launch in 2013.

Dineke de Koster dedicated a great part of her life to the cause of Europa Nostra, continuing the legacy of her late husband, Hans de Koster, who was the President of Europa Nostra from 1984 to 1992. For over 40 years, Dineke made a huge contribution to our organisation, serving as one of the main benefactors, a full-time volunteer, and treasurer until 2007. She remained closely involved and committed until the last moments of her life. The legacy of the Koster family lives on through the Dineke and Hans de Koster Fund, enabling members and partners from Central and Eastern Europe to participate in Europa Nostra’s activities.

We shall continue to honour Dineke’s and John’s memory and carry forward their immense legacy.

Cordially yours,
Hermann Parzinger, Executive President
Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General

 

Find out more

Europa Nostra 2024 Summer Newsletter