The European Heritage Days – supported by the European Commission – will once again attract around 20 million people in 49 countries to visit selected sites and monuments.
The European Heritage Days – supported by the European Commission – will once again attract around 20 million people in 49 countries to visit selected sites and monuments. In parallel, in Ljubljana on 22 – 23 September, experts at the Second European Heritage Forum will discuss the latest developments of digital techniques to guarantee access of the widest public to cultural heritage.
The Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel' said: " Europe is founded on a common cultural history; the heritage days are therefore an important way to foster European citizens' respect, love and care for our shared past. I'm very glad to see that people are more eager than ever to get access to cultural heritage"
The Second European Heritage Forum is held in this context on 22 – 23 September in Ljubljana, Slovenia, under the heading "Heritage, creativity and innovation". P rofessionals will discuss innovation linked to cultural heritage, in particular digital access of citizens to archives, libraries and museums across the continent.
The Forum's wider perspective shows that European Heritage Days are not only about monuments, but also about the contents of buildings, sites, archives, museums used on a daily basis. Far from being tucked away, heritage is all around us; and digital devices are making it more and more accessible.
Since 1999 the European Heritage Days have been run as a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe. On top of it, the European Commission awards every year the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Grand Prize which celebrate excellence and dedication by architects, craftsmen, cultural organisations, volunteers, schools, local communities, heritage owners and media.