Public Choice Award goes to Nuragic Sculptures of Monte Prama
The conservation of the Nuragic Sculptures of Monte Prama in Sardinia in Italy won the Public Choice Award 2015. The announcement made by HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the impassioned acceptance speech given by the project’s representative were among the highlights of the European Heritage Awards Ceremony held at Oslo City Hall on the evening of 11 June 2015. Over 5,500 people voted for their favourite projects from among this year’s 28 winners of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards. The online vote, which is in its fourth edition, was conducted via the Europa Nostra website.
“This is a great emotion. I hope that this recognition is given not only to the Nuragic Sculptures of Monte Prama and to Sardinia but also to archaeology and conservation; to all of us who strongly believe that archaeology and conservation are great means to help communities to progress socially and economically. I know how difficult it is to develop a career in these fields, to fight every day to solve simple problems; that is why an achievement such as this is so encouraging for us and for the culture of our Europe,” stated Roberto Nardi, Director of the Centre for Archaeological Conservation in Rome, after receiving the Public Choice Award from Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Denis de Kergorlay, Executive President of Europa Nostra.
The preservation of the Nuragic Sculptures of Monte Prama gained broad support from voters, many of whom posted messages on the Europa Nostra website. “This could be a great chance to show that Sardinia is not only about beaches, but also about culture and history. This award could be an excellent showcase to relaunch a piece of history in the Mediterranean that is still missing from the history books,” wrote an Italian citizen from Sardinia.
The project with the second highest number of public votes was the conservation of the Armenian Church and Monastery in Nicosia in Cyprus. “This is much more than a restoration, it is the rebuilding of a community through a shared commitment to preserve its multi-cultural heritage,” said Denis de Kergorlay in his introductory speech.
The Armenian Church of St. Giragos in Diyarbakir in Turkey took third place. “This restoration is an outstanding act of reconciliation for the city and its citizens and such a strong and hopeful message for the region and the world,” added the Executive President of Europa Nostra.
Public Choice Award sequence (01:43:05-01:52:20)
Ceremony trailer
