European Heritage Awards 2023
Two Romanian projects have won the highest award for heritage in Europe
Roxana Vasile, 15.06.2023, 13:50
From Norway to Portugal, from France to Ukraine… 30 projects with outstanding heritage achievements from 21 countries have received Europe’s top Heritage Awards. The 30 projects were selected by a jury composed of heritage experts from across the continent. Among the winners this year are two from Romania: Pathfinders of the Waters and Via Transilvanica. Pathfinders of the Waters from the Danube Delta, is set in villages along the Danube with limited access to cultural activities.
Through the Delta’s traditional craft – the wooden fishing boat known as the lotca – the value of local heritage and the acquisition of new skills are promoted among children. More specifically, through these boat building workshops, children better understand the value of heritage, learn to reconnect with local resources and appreciate the cultural and ethnic diversity of the area where they live. The basis of the project was the legend of Romanian canoeing, the athlete Ivan Patzaichin (1949-2021), winner of 30 titles at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships.
As for Via Transilvanica, with its 1,400 kilometers, it is the longest hiking route in Romania. It crosses 20 ethnic and cultural regions, around 400 communities, as well as 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Inaugurated in 2022, after 4 years of hard work, with the involvement of local communities and over 10,000 volunteers, Via Transilvanica crosses Romania from the northeast to the southwest and can be traveled on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The project was established by Tășuleasa Social, an NGO involved for over 23 years in educational, social, environmental and cultural activities.
Reacting to the announcement of the 2023 winners, Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, who is currently in charge of Culture, stated: By honouring these achievements, we also reiterate our firm commitment to protecting our shared cultural heritage, because it is vital for our sense of togetherness as citizens and communities of Europe.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Palazzo del Cinema in Venice on September 28. During the ceremony, the Grand Prix laureates and the Public Choice Award winner, chosen from among this year’s winners and entitled to receive €10,000 each, will be announced. Heritage supporters are therefore encouraged to discover the 30 winners and vote online to decide who will win the Public Choice Award. (MI)
