The annual "European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards" were today presented to 34 Laureates from 22 countries at the prestigious European Heritage Awards Ceremony which was held at the Palacio Real de El Pardo, Madrid. Ireland picked up two awards.

Great Palm House

Fifty years of voluntary efforts in favour of Ireland’s heritage by Honorable Desmond Guinness was rewarded with this special recognition. The other Irish award was for the restoration of Palm House at National Botanic Gardens in Dublin.

"I would like to thank Europa Nostra for annually ensuring the success of each round of this Awards Scheme. The Commission is grateful for Europa Nostra’s work, because cultural heritage is widely recognised across Europe as a vehicle of cultural identity and as a testimony of the fertility of the dialogue between cultures", said Commissioner Figel in his opening address at the ceremony. "Cultural heritage will therefore have its proper place in the Culture 2007 Programme which will enter into force from next year" he added. Commissioner Figel’ also highlighted the fact that the European Commission has declared 2008 as the ‘European Year of Intercultural Dialogue’. "The idea is to raise awareness of European citizens, in particular young people, about intercultural dialogue. I am convinced that the European cultural heritage, built on exchanges and the search for excellence over thousands of years, and marked by migrations and diverse external and internal influences, can play a significant role in this process," he concluded.

"Each awarded project is a result of an exemplary cooperation between the owners, architects, craftsmen, the public authorities concerned, the managers of the projects and those who have funded it. Through this awards scheme, Europa Nostra, together with the European Union, wishes to promote this exemplary cooperation at all levels – local, regional, national and European – between different talents and different stakeholders," stressed Dr Andrea H. Schuler, Executive President of Europa Nostra, in his closing address at the ceremony. He also welcomed the initiative launched recently by the French, Spanish and Hungarian government, with regard to the setting up of a "European Heritage List", and expressed the hope that Europe ’s civil society will be duly associated in the definition and implementation of this initiative.