Publication “Europa Nostra & Romania” presented at welcome reception hosted by Mayor of Bucharest

On the evening of 6 October, the participants in the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2024 enjoyed a welcome reception at the Bucharest Municipality Museum, hosted by the Mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan. On this occasion, we were pleased to see the launch of the publication “Europa Nostra & Romania”, which was produced and financed by the National Institute of Heritage in collaboration with Europa Nostra.

What a fantastic finale to day 1 of the #EuropeanHeritageSummit 2024! 🥂 We enjoyed a welcome reception at the Bucharest Municipality Museum, hosted by Mayor Nicușor Dan. We commend the city’s commitment to #heritage preservation under his leadership 🤝 https://t.co/A5pATWkpry pic.twitter.com/2d802hXyW2

— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) October 7, 2024

We were honoured to mark the first evening of the Summit with a welcome reception hosted by the Mayor of Bucharest. We commend the city’s commitment to heritage preservation under his leadership.

Prof. Jacek Purchla, Vice-President of Europa Nostra, welcomed the participants to what promises to be a special European Cultural Heritage Summit. “The choice of Bucharest is no coincidence, standing out for both the richness and the adversity of Romanian heritage,” he stated.

On this occasion, the remarkable publication “Europa Nostra & Romania” was presented by Dr. Irina Iamandescu, Deputy Director for Historic Monuments of the National Institute of Heritage. The publication, featuring award-winning projects and successful campaigns to save endangered heritage, is a testimony to the deep and enduring bonds between Europa Nostra and Romania.

In the foreword to the publication, Europa Nostra’s Executive President, Hermann Parzinger, and Secretary General, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, write: “Romania’s rich cultural heritage, creativity, and civic spirit have been central to the dynamic collaborations we have enjoyed over the years. From passionate and competent individuals to engaged and effective civil society organisations, many in Romania have worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the unity in diversity of their cultural heritage, which is also an invaluable component of Europe’s shared cultural heritage. These efforts, combining local initiatives with European and international collaborations, have made a powerful and lasting impact.”

Some of these remarkable initiatives have been recognised by the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards. Romania stands out in this regard, having won 20 awards since its inception in 2002 – the highest number of any country in Central or Eastern Europe. Many of these award-winning projects exemplify civic action and sensitivity toward cultural heritage. One such project is the Ambulance for Monuments, which brought together experts, students, craftsmen, and local communities to save hundreds of heritage-listed buildings across Romania. Another noteworthy project, the Piscu School Museum and Workshop, set a valuable example of cultural education by engaging young generations in practical activities that blend tangible and intangible heritage.

Romania’s capacity for public mobilisation and citizens’ engagement is equally impressive when it comes to protecting endangered heritage. A powerful example of such mobilisation concerns the Historic Mining Landscape of Roșia Montană, which was included in the very first list of 7 Most Endangered in 2013. Local NGOs, with the support of national, European, and international heritage organisations, rallied to stop a large-scale, open-cast gold mining project that threatened the site. This determined resistance campaign ensured the site’s preservation for future generations in the spirit of sustainable and culturally sensitive development, including its inscription on the World Heritage List in 2021.

The publication “Europa Nostra & Romania” also features the winner of the first edition of the Costa Carras European Citizens Award for the Safeguard of Endangered Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Romanian NGO ARA – Architecture. Restoration. Archaeology. Established in 2023, this award honours ARA’s exemplary work in mobilising citizens to protect the outstanding heritage of Roșia Montană.

More information

Bucharest Summit:  instagram stories