Greece Stars At E.U. Awards

Greece received the “European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/ Europa Nostra Award” for 2009 for the Sustainable Aegean Program run by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and the Cultural Heritage.

Greece was once again amongst the grand prize winners that received the “European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/ Europa Nostra Award” for 2009 at the award ceremony that took place last month at the Teatro Antico in Taormina, Sicily (Italy).

Seven winners were chosen from the previously selected 28 applicants (singled out from the original 138 awards entries) that spanned 24 European countries, for demonstrating outstanding heritage achievements across Europe. Each winner received the grand prize, which was the sum of 10,000 euros.

Greece was awarded in the category for education, training and awareness-raising for the Sustainable Aegean Program run by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and the Cultural Heritage.

According to the European Commission and Europa Nostra (the Pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage), Greece’s sustainable Aegean Program’s pedagogic approach was appreciated.

“The (sustainable Aegean) program combines the mobilization of the local population to protect its own heritage through ongoing initiatives that integrate aspects of environmental protection with controlled building development within the urban spaces and by creating an alternative dynamic for the regional economy,” said an announcement.

The European Commission and Europa Nostra jointly launched the awards in 2002 to celebrate extraordinary initiatives within the field of Europe’s cultural heritage with the aim to promote high standards and high quality skills in conservation practice.