Prize Winner speech by Mrs Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of EUROPA NOSTRA

Mr President of the Hellenic Republic,
Mr Chairs and Members of the Governing Board and the Advisory Council of the Theophano Foundation,
Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues and Friends,

What an evening! What a place! What a company! What a Prize!
And what an honour to sing tonight a “duet” with Europa Nostra’ Executive President, on this unique heritage stage under the dome of Galerius’ Rotunda.

As a woman who have had the privilege to steer the Europa Nostra ship for quarter of a century, let me start by honouring the memory of Empress Theophano. More than 1000 year ago, she became a symbol for enlightened female leadership, bridging the East and West of Our Europe, through culture, education and diplomacy.

As a person who was born and raised in a millennia old city – Belgrade, it is a special emotion to be tonight in another millennia old city – Thessaloniki, one of the greatest historic cities in this part of Europe, where lie the roots also of my own family. Tonight, I feel here the presence of my ancestors. Just as I hear the voices and the music of different languages, cultures and religions that have left a mark on this majestic Rotunda during the many centuries of its history.
More than 30 years ago, I moved from Belgrade to The Hague, to marry my Dutch husband. I did not know that only few months later a tragic war would start, causing so much suffering and the death of my country – Yugoslavia. At that moment – when I felt hopeless and helpless, watching in disbelief the shelling of the World Heritage city of Dubrovnik – , I met Europa Nostra. Alas, I lost my native country, but through Europa Nostra I was lucky to find a new one. From then on, I always perceived Europa Nostra’s mission as an antidote to the poison of nationalism and any form of extremism.

Today, when Europe is again facing the demons of the past, this core mission of Europa Nostra is needed more than ever. We celebrate – through the care for Europe’s shared cultural heritage – the very motto of the European Union – its “unity in diversity”! In varietate CONCORDIA! And tonight, let us affirm together – Europa Nostra and the Theophano Foundation – that our cultural heritage is not a mere ornament, but a fundament of our common European House.

For more than 60 years, Europa Nostra has been championing these vital messages. We have done this on many interconnected fronts.

Already in 1978, we started promoting the Power of Example! We launched the Europa Nostra Awards which gradually became the European Oscars for Cultural Heritage, since 2002 organised in partnership with the European Union! We honoured and gave Europe-wide visibility to thousands of “success stories” in the field of conservation, adaptive re-use, research, education, training, citizens engagement and communication. These examples offer living proof that Europe’s shared heritage is not only about reviving our past but about enlightening the path to our future.

We also promote the Power of Solidarity! A prime example of such action is our 7 Most Endangered Programme, organised with the support of the European Investment Bank Institute. When a heritage site of European importance is at risk, Europa Nostra needs to speak up… in solidarity with all those who are mobilised to save these sites: from a threatened monastery or mosque in the Balkans to an abandoned industrial landmark in Belgium, from a neglected thermal baths in the Carpathians to the buffer zone of the still divided city of Nicosia, and to the priceless cultural landscapes of the Cyclades. Since 2013, we have thus “adopted” more than 60 sites in all parts of Europe. Many of those sites are today saved, while many more battles are still ahead of us. They shall hopefully become our next success stories.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This evening, as we celebrate the power of heritage to bring Europe closer together, we must be aware that our heritage is facing many threats. In times of war and in times of peace.

Speaking about the times of war, we must recall the tragic loss of so many heritage sites in Ukraine. We therefore applaud the creation, only 3 days ago in Copenhagen, of an international Ukraine Heritage Fund. And we call upon the European and international community to stand up in solidarity with heritage professionals and volunteers who risk their lives to save those cultural treasures.

The same is true for the neighbouring region of Middle East, where significant heritage sites, with undeniable links with Europe’s own history and heritage, have been destroyed or damaged. Here at the shores of the Aegean, we launch an appeal, together with our partners from Jordan, for an ambitious cultural programme under the motto “MARE NOSTRUM”, to build strong bridges through cultural heritage between Europe and the Eastern and Southern shores of the Mediterranean.

But our heritage and our landscapes also face many threats in peace time. Because of the erosion of democracy and the rule of law which are a pre-condition for ensuring proper safeguard of our heritage. Because of the climate change which is already having devastating impact on our people and our land. Because too many businesses seek large profits above public benefits and protection of a common good…
In response to these serious threats which exist in all parts of Europe, we must forge a strong coalition with enlightened political and business leaders, city mayors, influencers from all walks of life…A coalition not against economic progress but for a prosperity which is driven by cultural values and rights, and for the wellbeing based on the principles of sustainability and humanism.

For such a coalition to grow, we need the Power of Persuasion. For sixty years, Europa Nostra has been active crafting the right arguments, mobilising citizens and civil society, forging alliances, convincing decision-makers…. Gradually, we have persuaded the leaders – first of the Council of Europe and then also of the European Union – , that heritage counts for jobs, for cohesion, for the environment, for climate action, for democracy and for Europe’s cultural leadership across the Globe. All these messages were included in the Brussels Manifesto ‘Heritage Matters for Europe – and Europe Matters for Heritage” which we have published and widely disseminated earlier today.

Of course, our advocacy work relies on the Power of Our Network and the immense Power of Civil Society. From Santiago de Compostella to Lviv, from Oslo to Tbilisi, this pan-European network is our main strength and source of richness: countless organisations and individuals, professionals and volunteers, who share knowledge, passion, creative and innovative ideas. Some of them are heritage themselves: like our German Vice-President who proudly informed us that – 28 generations later – he is a direct descendent of the Empress Theophano, our Mother Europe!

Our newest venture, the European Heritage Hub, – launched under the leadership of Europa Nostra, with the vital support of the European Parliament and the European Commission -, is a perfect example of the growing transformational power of our network. We are especially proud of the creation of Regional and City Hubs across Europe, from Krakow to Athens – led by Elliniki Etairia our country representation in Greece, and from Lisbon to Nicosia. We are grateful for the support received from the Mayors of these cities. And we are delighted to support the creation of future city hubs in Kiev, Yerevan and Belgrade. In this way we wish to contribute – through the bridge-building power of heritage – to the ongoing process of EU enlargement. To succeed, this process cannot focus on economy or security only; it must also be inspired and based on deeper understanding of our shared history, and on better appreciation of our shared heritage.

Let me finally praise the power of partnership and friendship! We could not have achieved what we have achieved with the competent, generous and loyal support of an impressive Pleiades of people and organisations who have carried our mission and contributed to our action over the last six decades in Italy, France, the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and in all other countries of Our Europe.

Please allow me to pay tribute to all of them by invoking the memory of the legendary champion of the values of heritage and environment – Costa Carras. Not just because we are in Greece, but because he was THE leading personality of Europa Nostra for almost 50 years. He was for me, and for many others in Europa Nostra, an unforgettable role model.

Let me thank our closest partners, like the Leventis Foundation, or the European Union Youth Orchestra will make this evening a musical tribute to Europe’s cultural heritage, tangible and intangible. Together with them and with other partners from the wider cultural world, we forcefully advocate the need for a true Cultural Deal for Europe and a European Deal for Culture.

We are therefore grateful for the support received from so different cities, regions and national governments from all over Europe, and of course, to the European Union Institutions who are today our main partner!

We are indebted to them all, and this Prize is theirs as well!

Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Next week, the European Union will present its “Cultural Compass for Europe”, a strategic document which shall elevate the cultural purpose and ambition of the European Union. Together with the Theophano Foundation, and with so many of our members and partners, we must seize this unique opportunity to place culture and cultural heritage finally where they belong – at the very centre of the European project.

Also globally, we must be part of the ever-growing mobilisation for the recognition of culture and cultural heritage as the missing “Sustainable development goal”. And we must champion the importance of a culture-based climate action – both at the UN and the EU levels. We are pleased that the Greek government is one of our strongest allies in this field.

Let me end with the words of the eminent German diplomat and former Rector of the College of Europe in Bruges, late Otto von der Gablentz – he was Executive President of Europa Nostra during the first years of the 21st century:
“The mission of Europa Nostra is to free European culture from having been taken hostage by the Nation States…since European culture predates national culture – and not the other way round.”

This vision forms Europa Nostra’s own Compass.

A compass which is perfectly in tune with the compass of the Theophano Foundation.

Let us continue to be guided by this Compass – TOGETHER!

Thank you.