Grand Prix winners of EU Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards announced

...  in the presence of Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, and Plácido Domingo, the world-renowned tenor and President of Europa Nostra. The ceremony was attended by an audience of 1200 people including Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal, and Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias.

The winner of the public choice award, chosen in an online poll from among the 28 overall laureates for 2012 are the fortifications of Pamplona in Spain.

The jury commented: "The restored fortifications are no longer a defensive wall, but a meeting place and a symbol of unity for the citizens and for the town."

The six Grand Prix winning projects (jury comments below) are for:

• Averof Building - School of Architecture, National Technical University, Athens, Greece
• Number 2 Blast Furnace, Sagunto, Spain
• Poundstock Gildhouse, Bude, Cornwall, UK
• Study on the Augustus Botanical code of Ara Pacis, Rome, Italy
• Dedicated service to heritage by Paraschiva Kovacs, Satu Mare, Harghita County, Romania
• An educational programme for a heritage site developed by the Norwegian Heritage Foundation, Vågå, Norway

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Commissioner Vassiliou commented: "For 10 years, the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards has become the most prestigious of its kind in Europe. I would like to thank all the winners for their energetic commitment to protecting our cultural heritage and Europa Nostra and the juries for their sterling work. The Prize has proven very effective in raising awareness among decision-makers and the public about the value of cultural heritage for European society and the economy and our responsibility for protecting it for future generations. This is why we intend to continue supporting cultural heritage through the Culture programme and the future Creative Europe programme."

Europa Nostra’s President, Plácido Domingo, added: "Our Award Winners stand for excellence, for passion and for dedication. They are perfect ambassadors of the power of our 'Creative Europe'. Europa Nostra and the European Commission are committed to unlocking the full potential of Europe's cultural and natural heritage. They are the key to social cohesion as well as for sustainable economic growth in Europe."

All 28 winning projects were honoured during the ceremony in Lisbon.

For more information:http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-programmes-and-actions/prizes/cultural-heritage_en.htm

http://www.europanostra.org