Europa Nostra Launches Costa Carras European Citizens Award for Safeguard of Endangered Heritage

Costas Carras at Europa Nostra’s Walks for the Heritage of Europe. Photo source: Europa Nostra.

Europa Nostra and the Greek Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (Elliniki Etaireia/ELLET) have announced the launch of the Costa Carras European Citizens award for the safeguard of endangered cultural and natural heritage. Europa Nostra is the European voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage and ELLET is its official representative in Greece.

The new award is presented in honor of Costa Carras, a visionary conservationist, historian, and scholar who was a prominent figure in the heritage conservation movement in Greece and Europe for over 50 years.

European Heritage Hub partners. Photo source: Europa Nostra.

According to Europa Nostra, the award will be presented annually to a European citizen, a group of individuals, or a civil society organization based in Europe for a successful and exemplary campaign to mobilize the public with the view of saving endangered heritage in their country or elsewhere in Europe.

The winner of the award will receive a monetary prize of 10,000 euros and a certificate.

Costa Carras, who passed away in 2022, was Vice-President of Europa Nostra from 1976 and was instrumental in building a pan-European heritage movement based on fundamental human rights and shared European values. His legacy also includes the establishment of the Elliniki Etaireia/ELLET, the non-profit, non-governmental association fighting since 1972 for the protection of the environment and cultural heritage in Greece.

Costa Carras speaking during an event on Kea. Photo source: Europa Nostra.

The Costa Carras European Citizens award will be presented at the end of April during the Delphi Economic Forum 2023 in Delphi, Greece.

Applications

Applications for the first edition of the award can be submitted by April 6, 2023, and will be examined by an international jury comprising representatives of Europa Nostra and Elliniki Etaireia as well as representatives of major heritage and environmental organizations from Europe.

“By naming the European Citizens award for the safeguard of endangered cultural and natural heritage after Costa Carras, we wish to pay tribute to a legendary hero of Europe’s heritage and values, and inspire European citizens and civil society organizations across our continent to follow his power of example,” Executive President of Europa Nostra Professor Hermann Parzinger said.

The Europa Nostra logo. Photo source: Europa Nostra.

The Costa Carras European Citizens award  is a continuation of Europa Nostra’s commitment to the protection and promotion of Europe’s cultural and natural heritage.

The organization celebrates excellence through the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, actively contributes to the definition and implementation of European strategies and policies related to heritage, and campaigns to save Europe’s endangered monuments, sites, and landscapes, in particular through the 7 Most Endangered Programme.