European affairs update April 2021 |
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Portuguese Presidency outlines priorities to EP committees Ministers outlined the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings. Portugal holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of June 2021. The hearings took place between 25 January and 4 February. Culture Minister Graça Fonseca told the Culture and Education Committee on 26 January that supporting the recovery of the cultural and creative sectors is a priority, as is strengthening social security for artists, authors and other workers. MEPs called on the minister to earmark at least 2% of the recovery funds for cultural and creative sectors, and to make it binding for all member states to invest in the social protection of workers. Education Minister Tiago Brandão Rodrigues and Science, Technology and Higher Education Minister Manuel Heitor stressed their commitment to reducing inequalities in access to education, as well as on re-training and up-skilling of professionals of all ages. MEPs noted that young people find it hard to enter the labour market, and asked for the European Youth guarantee to be strengthened. Find out more here. |
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Regions and cities call for bolder support to cultural and creative sectors to cope with dramatic economic losses Art and culture should be considered as a 'basic commodity' and not be penalised by lockdowns. Regions and cities are calling for coordinated support from the EU and Member States to relaunch the cultural and creative sectors that are among the most affected by the COVID-19 crisis and national lockdowns. In a debate with Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, members of the European Committee of the Regions underlined the strong contribution of culture and cultural heritage to local and regional development and to European values, identities and citizenship. They argued that art and culture should have a more prominent role in the debate on the future of the EU. Addressing the CoR plenary session today, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said: "Being hit particularly hard by the pandemic, cultural and creative sectors need and deserve the best of our efforts. Cities and regions are key allies in this endeavour. With our joint support, we will make sure that culture can and will play a key role in building a greener, more vibrant and more resilient Europe." Further details here. |
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Member States pre-select 21 sites for European Heritage Label This year, 15 Member States taking part in the European Heritage Label programme have pre-selected 21 sites for the award. The goal of the European Heritage Label is to raise awareness of European shared history and to highlight education opportunities. The award strengthens people’s sense of belonging to the European Union’s values and identification with Europe’s cultural heritage. Sites which have played a significant role in the history and culture of Europe are eligible for the European Heritage Label award. An independent panel of experts will evaluate the pre-selected sites in order to narrow it down to one site per Member State. The European Commission will formally nominate the selected sites to receive the European Heritage Label in 2022, following the evaluation. See the full list of the pre-selected sites. |
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MEPs call to include adults when shaping EU’s digital education policy The EU digital education policy has to be shaped according to gaps exposed by the COVID-19-driven sudden shift to teleworking and online learning. In a resolution adopted last week by 26 votes in favour and 2 abstentions, the Culture and Education committee welcomes Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan for 2021-2027. In particular, MEPs praise the intent to create a Digital Education Hub for linking, coordinating, co-creating and exchanging on the digital education policies of the Member States. MEPs stress that the digital transition in education “will not be possible without substantial investment” and encourage the EU countries to dedicate at least 10 % of the Recovery and Resilience Facility’s (RRF) funding to education and to increase the public spending on education. By reminding that 20 % of the RRF funds have been earmarked for the digital transition, they urge the Member States to use that money for strengthening the digital capacity of education systems. Find out more here. |
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Estonia and Cyprus sign the Faro Convention In the presence of Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Ambassador Rasmus Lumi, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the Council of Europe, signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society on 18 March 2021. Earlier in February, Ambassador Spyros Attas, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the Council of Europe, signed Faro Convention. These latest signatures bring the total number of signatures to 7, in addition to the 20 member States that have ratified the Convention. Estonia becomes the second Baltic country to sign the Faro Convention after Latvia. With a rich cultural heritage (both tangible and intangible) and as a pioneer in e-participation processes, Estonia’s signature should further encourage citizen engagement in cultural heritage governance and the development of additional bottom-up initiatives in this domain. Find out more here. |
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Multiannual Financial framework (MFF)The European Council adopted the next long-term EU budget for the period 2021-2027 and so the next multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027 is in place as of 1 January 2021. As a result, €1.074 trillion will become available for beneficiaries of EU funding during the next seven years. In 2021, the European Union will have an annual budget of €164 billion in commitments and €166 billion in payments. The budget, the first under the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework, will allow the EU to mobilise significant public funds for a continued EU response to the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences; to kick-start a sustainable recovery and to protect and create jobs. It is planned to enable the EU to start investing in the future to achieve a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe.The budget priority areas include:· €1.1 billion for the Digital Europe programme for the Union's cyber-defences and to support the digital transition;· €1.1 billion under the Just Transition Fund and €738.5 million under the LIFE programme to support environment and climate action;· €2.8 billion for the Connecting Europe Facility for an up-to-date, high-performance transport infrastructure to facilitate cross-border connections;· €2.7 billion for Erasmus Plus to invest in young people, as well as €306.4 million for the cultural and creative sectors through Creative Europe; Further details and full budget breakdown here. At the same time, work towards finalising NextGenerationEU, the temporary recovery instrument created to fuel Europe's recovery from the coronavirus crisis, continues. Once adopted, the package of a total of €1.8 trillion will be the largest package ever financed through the EU budget. For the Commission to start borrowing under NextGenerationEU, thus making the instrument operational, the ratification of the new Own Resources Decision by all Member States in line with their constitutional requirements is still needed. Find out more here. Infographic - Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 and Next Generation EU Long-term EU budget 2021-2027 (background information) Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)’s new generation of funding programmes for the period 2021-2027 has now been politically agreed.EACEA's funding programmes for this period will be:Erasmus+Creative Europethe European Solidary Corps
These programmes will build on the success of their predecessors (Erasmus+, Creative Europe, the European Solidarity Corps and Europe for Citizens) and the relevant calls for proposals are expected to be published in early spring.Please note that all new calls for proposals will be published on the European Commission's Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (F&TP). |
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THE CITIZENSHIP, EQUALITY, RIGHTS AND VALUES PROGRAMME (CERV) |
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Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV): EU program 2021-2027 A new EU funding period begun in 2021. The “Europe for Citizens” program, together with the REC (Rights, Equality and Citizenship) program and Daphne, form the EU program “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values 2021-2027” - CERV for short. CERV - with a budget of around EUR 1.55 billion - consists of four funding areas with the general goal of maintaining and developing open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies. The priorities of “Europe for Citizens” remain. Forthcoming Calls: Further information: Info sheet on the CERV program CERV program PPT Read also: |
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Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.
The international arm of Erasmus+ offers mobility and cooperation in education, training, youth and sport around the world. The European Commission adopted the first annual work programme of Erasmus+ 2021-2027. With a budget of €26.2 billion, complemented with about €2.2 billion from EU's external instruments, the new and revamped programme will fund learning mobility and cross-border cooperation projects for 10 million Europeans of all ages and all backgrounds. It will seek to be even more inclusive and to support the green and digital transitions, as set out in the European Education Area. Erasmus+ will also support the resilience of education and training systems in the face of the pandemic. The adoption of the annual work programme paves the way for the first calls for proposals under the new Erasmus+, expected to be published soon. Any public or private body active in the fields of education, training, youth and sport can apply for funding, with the help of Erasmus+ national agencies based in all EU Member States and third countries associated to the programme. There are no open calls at the moment. For More Information Find out more about Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme’s main features Factsheet on new Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme 2021 annual work programme for the implementation of "Erasmus+": the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport Calls for proposals for 2021 Erasmus+ programme UK's participation in Erasmus+ after Brexit The UK government has published a statement regarding the Turing scheme, a new programme to replace the UK’s participation in Erasmus+, which will provide funding for placements and exchanges starting in September 2021. The new scheme will be administered by the same partnership of British Council and Ecorys which has been delivering Erasmus+ in the UK for a number of years. More information can be found on Erasmus+ Brexit update webpage. |
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JPI ON CULTURAL HERITAGE AND GLOBAL CHANGE |
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JPI Cultural Heritage launched its Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda virtually on 16th March 2021. With guest speakers from the European Commission and University College London, more than 270 participants from 30 countries joined us in the celebration across the internet. We are safe to say that the new publication is expanding its influence in the heritage research field. You can download the agenda, watch videos and full playback of the event here. Digital Technology and Heritage: Challenges and Issues: Held on 11th and 12th March 2021, the objective of this event was to create the conditions for scientific exchange on the current challenges of the digitization of heritage and the exploration of new possibilities offered by digital tools for the production and dissemination of knowledge. You can watch the replay here. There are no open calls at the moment. |
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The new EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe will have a budget of around €95.5 billion for 2021-2027. This includes €5.4 billion from NextGenerationEU to boost our recovery and make the EU more resilient for the future, as well as an additional reinforcement of €4.5 billion. This represents a 30% increase vis-à-vis the previous research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, and makes it the most ambitious research and innovation programme in the world. Implementing Horizon Europe - strategic planning Following the political agreement, the Commission began a strategic planning process. The strategic planning process will focus in particular on the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness pillar of Horizon Europe. It will also cover the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area part of the programme, as well as relevant activities in other pillars. All activities will be streamlined through a specific intervention area, under Cluster 2 of the programme, Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society. Having a dedicated section for cultural heritage means that the sector can be dealt with in a holistic fashion that encompasses tangible, intangible heritage, arts and creative sectors. Further details on Horizon Europe here. Open Calls: European Innovation Council European Commission launches Open Europe Research PlatformThe European Commission has launched a new platform where research papers from all areas can be sent in for peer review and read for free. The Open Europe Research-platform has been funded by Horizon 2020. Each submitted paper must have at least one author that is currently funded by Horizon 2020. Other than that, all sorts of papers are welcome and can be uploaded and read free of charge. This project is meant to make it easier for Horizon 2020 researchers to make their works accessible. You can find the database here. UK participation in Horizon Europe.U.K. researchers will remain eligible for European research funding despite the country having left the European Union, thanks to a long-term trade and cooperation agreement struck on 24 December 2020. In exchange for a contribution to the EU budget, the United Kingdom will join the forthcoming Horizon Europe research program, which will spend €85 billion over the next 7 years. More information here. For More Information |
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EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL COOPERATION PROGRAMMES “INTERREG” |
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With a budget of €8 050 million, the 6th generation of Interreg will support cooperation between regions, citizens and economic stakeholders over their respective land and maritime borders. The new legislation will also cover the cooperation between regions at transnational level in the framework of the Macro regional and Sea basin Strategies: Baltic, Ionian/Adriatic and Black seas, Danube and Alps. For the first time, a specific allocation will be dedicated to strengthening the cooperation of outermost regions with their neighbouring environment, such as the Caribbean regions, to stimulate economic exchanges among regional partners and their mutual development. Interregional cooperation will also continue to promote exchange of expertise, good practices and capacity building through a dedicated set of programmes: Interreg Europe, Urbact, Interact and ESPON. Interreg Europe has now published its 2021-2027 Programme – learn more about it and download a copy here. Call for additional activities On 24 February 2021, the Interreg Europe monitoring committee approved the terms of reference of a call for additional activities restricted only to the 258 Interreg Europe projects. This call will open on 1 April and close on 2 July 2021 (14:00 CEST), unless the total ERDF amount available for this call is allocated before the closing date. The application pack for this call contains: - Terms of reference
- Application form - updated
- Partner declaration template
- Programme manual (version 9)
Download the call's application pack. If you are interested in the call, follow the steps, described here. For More information Interreg - European Territorial Co-operation EU cohesion policy action against coronavirus Cohesion Open Data Platform and COVID-19 dashboard Recovery plan 2021-2027 long-term EU budget & Next Generation EU |
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Preparatory action - Bottom-up Policy Development for Culture & Well-being in the EU (Deadline 14 May 2021) The European Commission adopted the Annual work programme for the implementation of Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions in the areas of education, youth, sport and culture on 4 March 2020. The preparatory action ‘Bottom-up Policy Development for Culture & Well-being in the EU’ aims to - facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience and success stories within the European Union (EU) related to the role of culture for well-being and health
- map the most relevant existing practices in this regard, including those that are financed by European programmes
- improve the capacity of local actors to effectively benefit from culture as a means to increase well-being and health, with a special focus on mental health
- carry out small-scale pilot work on the ground concerning means of cooperating across sectors to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities
- establish and explore synergies between existing policies and programmes, as well as past, ongoing and planned actions – in particular those at the EU level – but also local, (macro-)regional and national initiatives
The current call is open to individual entities and consortia of partners. The grant agreement resulting from this call for proposals will be allocated to one single project. The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of the project is estimated at €500,000. The indicative duration of the action is 18 months. Further details here. |
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HELPFUL SOURCES ON EUROPEAN FUNDING |
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CHERISH E-Conference 2021: Coastal Cultural Heritage and Climate Change - 12 May 2021 CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands, and Headlands) aims to raise awareness and understanding of the impacts of climate change, storminess and extreme weather events on the rich cultural heritage of our sea and coast. CHERISH studies heritage on land and in the sea using different techniques to explore many of the best known coastal locations in Ireland and Wales. These range from laser scanning, drone and geophysical surveys, through to seabed mapping, shipwreck monitoring, archaeological excavations and paleoenvironmental sampling (cores). This international conference will showcase the vulnerability of coastal environments to climate change globally and how these may be impacted by future changes. The aim of the conference is to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on coastal cultural heritage and to exchange knowledge with international colleagues on how to measure and mitigate this threat. The papers will cover a range of topics around the theme of understanding and managing coastal heritage under threat. As the conference is taking place online we have been able to invite speakers from around the world to participate and there will be papers from Tanzania, Australia, USA and several European countries. Register for this FREE conference and check out the full programme at https://fitwise.eventsair.com/2021cherish-project-e-conference/ Heritage & Development – 6th Heritage Forum of Central Europe (16-18 June 2021, Krakow, Poland) The International Cultural Centre in Kraków is pleased to announce the call for papers for 6th Heritage Forum of Central Europe. The period of political and economic transformation in Central European countries has given rise to a vast utilisation of heritage assets, both tangible and intangible, for the purpose of economic development. However, alongside the benefits, the process has brought also many instances of neglect of many heritage assets due to their unprofitability, a staggering mercantilisation of others, and, instead of permanent growth, a development exceedingly fragile in times of crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, by which tourism-oriented historical cities in Central Europe were particularly affected. In light of the above, the aim of the 6th Heritage Forum of Central Europe is to discuss and analyse the links and mutual dependencies between heritage and development. While investigating the relationship between the two, special consideration is to be given to an attempt to challenge various dichotomies that have traditionally shaped our way of thinking about heritage and development, and their antithetical rapport. More information here. 2021 ICAHM Annual Meeting - Archaeological Heritage Management: Towards a People-centred Approach (25 June 2021, online) The 2021 ICAHM Annual Meeting will be organized online in close cooperation with Dutch partners: Faculty of Archaeology (Leiden University), Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Reinwardt Academy and the LDE Centre for Global Heritage and Development. This meeting is free of charge and open to all. There will be morning and afternoon parallel discussion sessions to allow participants from around the world to attend. More information here. European Archaeological Council (EAC) Heritage Symposium 2021 - Climate Change and Archaeology (1-2 July 2021, online event) The next EAC Heritage Symposium will be held on 1-2 July 2021 as an online event. The topic is ‘Climate Change and Archaeology’ and will cover areas such as the impact of the climate crisis on the conservation of archaeological sites; archaeology, carbon mitigation and climate adaptation and the role archaeologists can play in communicating and engaging with climate change. Concept note and further information here. 27th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) (7-11 September 2021, online event) ‘Widening Horizons’ is the motto of the 27th EAA Annual Meeting, focusing on environmental sustainability and climate change. One year after the start of the pandemic, ‘widening horizons’, is still a great motto, which has developed new and pertinent meanings. It is hard not to imagine that our unsustainable resource use of the Earth has in some way caused the current rampant world pandemic. We will need intellectual, political and cultural horizons wide open to re-establish the balance of global society with its environment. Annual Meeting registration is still open here. Find out more information about the annual meeting and conference here. Interpret Europe conference: Recreating tourism through heritage interpretation (1-4 October 2021, Sigüenza, Spain) Under the theme ‘Recreating tourism through heritage interpretation’ we will merge heritage interpretation with sustainable tourism in order to offer unique opportunities along the tourist service chain to both locals and visitors. Everything you have come to expect from an IE conference – inspiring speakers, hands-on workshops, study visits related to our theme, parallel sessions, a very eye-catching venue and an incredible heritage to discover – can be taken for granted! More information here. European Week of Regions and Cities (11 to 14 October 2021) The #EURegionsWeek organisers are glad to announce the dates of the next edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities: 11 to 14 October 2021 (save the date!). The following 4 themes emerged very clearly out of the 819 replies received to the post event survey, and will therefore constitute the focus of the 19th edition: Green, Cohesion, Citizens, Digital. More information here. |
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New publications and reports on culture and heritage Please find below a list of reports, publications, briefings and studies on culture and cultural heritage related topics that have been published in the past months by EU and Council of Europe organs, UNESCO and European networks and projects. - Cultural and creative sectors in post-COVID-19 Europe-Crisis effects and policy recommendations (European parliament, March 2021)
- Culture in times of Covid-19 or how we discovered we cannot live without culture and creativity. Impressions and lessons learnt from Covid-19 (Council of Europe, Zoom-in on culture during the Covid-19 crisis – contributions provided by members of the Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP), 2021)
- European Heritage Label - Panel Report on Monitoring, 2020 (EU Commission, March 2021)
- European Cultural Heritage Green Paper (Europa Nostra, ICOMOS, EIB, March 2021)
- Togetherness - A new heritage deal for Europe (EIB, Feb 2021)
- Getting to Know the EU’s Cultural Heritage Sites (Katsarova, I., EU Parliament infographic, April 2021)
- Adapting cultural heritage to climate change impacts in the Netherlands: barriers, interdependencies, and strategies for overcoming them (Fatoric, S., Briesbroek, R., Springer Nature, 2020)
Second open letter on Culture & Recovery sent to EU leaders and national governments Following the open letter published by 110+ pan-European networks on 30 October 2020 “Make culture central in the EU recovery”, the group comes together again to reiterate their call to the national governments and the European Commission. In the second open letter published in March 2021 by the group, coordinated by Culture Action Europe, the European cultural community call on the Member States and the European Commission to secure a future for culture and cultural life in Europe. Culture must be included in each and every National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) that EU countries should present to the European Commission before the 30 April deadline. The representatives of the European cultural ecosystem urge governments to dedicate at least 2% of the Recovery Fund to culture and put culture as a priority sector when using funds from Next Generation EU. In addition, 110+ cultural networks call on the Member States to engage with the representatives of their cultural communities and civil society organisations in the design and implementation of the NRRPs. “Long-term structural support to rebuild the European cultural ecosystem needs to be co-developed, involving all relevant stakeholders, both public and private”, – reads the letter. More details here. New European Bauhaus conference The New European Bauhaus proposes to focus the conversations on the places we inhabit and on our relationship with natural environments, beyond the built space. It is a practical approach to discover beautiful, sustainable and inclusive ways of living and to use them to inspire our way forward. The first New European Bauhaus conference took place online on 22-23 April 2021 – you can access recordings of the 2 days conference here. Putting Europe’s shared heritage at the heart of the European Green Deal Tackling climate change is this generation’s defining task and Europe’s rich and diverse cultural heritage can help. To help lead the way, heritage, climate and financial organisations and experts today launched the European Cultural Heritage Green Paper “Putting Europe’s shared heritage at the heart of the European Green Deal”. The European Cultural Heritage Green Paper is produced by Europa Nostra in close cooperation with ICOMOS and the Climate Heritage Network, with the input of other members of the European Heritage Alliance. It is supported by the European Investment Bank Institute and the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. Further information and to download the report here. 7 Most Endangered heritage sites 2021 Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute announced the List of 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2021. The 7 Most Endangered sites for 2021 were selected by the Board of Europa Nostra from the 12 sites shortlisted by a panel of international experts. The selection was made on the basis of the outstanding heritage significance and cultural value of each of the sites as well as on the basis of the serious danger that they are facing. The level of engagement of local communities and the commitment of public and private stakeholders to saving these sites were considered as crucial added values. Another selection criterion was the potential of these sites to act as a catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development as well as a tool for promoting peace and dialogue within their localities and wider regions. The selected 7 Most Endangered heritage sites are eligible for an EIB Heritage Grant of up to €10,000 per site. The EIB Heritage Grant can be allocated to the eligible selected 7 Most Endangered sites to assist in implementing an agreed activity that will contribute to saving the threatened site. Find out more about the 7 sites here. Workshop on complementary funding for cultural heritage The European Commission organised a workshop in January 2021 on complementary sources of funding for cultural heritage, for Member States and heritage stakeholders. It is crucial to secure funding for cultural heritage in order to ensure the sector’s sustainability. The COVID-19 crisis made it clearer than ever that it is necessary to find alternative ways for funding that complement the support offered by Member States’ budgets. For this reason, the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture organised a workshop on complementary sources of funding for cultural heritage on 25-26 January 2021. EU Member States representatives, heritage stakeholders and members of the Commission’s expert group on cultural heritage participated together with representatives of European regions. Find out more about highlighted projects and lessons learned here. 3 cities short-listed for European Capitals of Culture 2026 in Slovakia Nitra, Trenčín and Žilina have been shortlisted in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture 2026 in Slovakia. A panel of 12 independent experts recommended the shortlist following a 4-day online meeting. In 2026, Slovakia will host the European Capital of Culture for the second time, after Košice in 2013. Slovakia invited applications from interested cities in December 2019. Banská Bystrica, Hlohovec, Martin, Nitra, Prešov, Trenčín, Trnava and Žilina submitted applications by the deadline of 15 December 2020. Being shortlisted for the title can result in significant cultural, economic and social benefits for the cities concerned, providing that their bid is part of a longer-term culture-led development strategy. Find out more here. New European Bauhaus: Cities and regions ready to act as living labs To strengthen the territorial dimension of the New European Bauhaus initiative, the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions organised on 14 April an online workshop with mayors and other high-level representatives of several former European Capitals of Culture and Capitals of Innovation. Participants highlighted to Commissioners Mariya Gabriel and Elisa Ferreira that the success of the New Bauhaus project relies on harnessing the creative potential of cities and regions. The New European Bauhaus is an environmental, economic and cultural project, aiming to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability and investment in order to help deliver the European Green Deal. It was announced by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address in 2020. The project is currently in co-design phase, which will lead to the opening of calls for proposals for first five pilot projects to be implemented across Europe with the support of EU funds. Commissioner Ferreira also confirmed that the European Commission will launch the first edition of the New European Bauhaus prize next week. More information here. Europa Nostra launches #Women4Heritage Network during special celebration of International Women’s Day On 8 March, Europa Nostra hosted the #Women4Heritage virtual event on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The aim of this event was to gather and pay tribute to women who dedicate their lives to the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage in Europe and beyond. Over 85 women from across 3 generations shared their personal stories and experiences, and celebrated their achievements in an intimate and inspiring atmosphere. Among the participants were representatives from civil society organisations and institutions at all levels, as well as heritage professionals, volunteers and students. After 3 hours of engaging exchanges, this special event culminated with the launch of the #Women4Heritage Network, an informal network without borders, aiming to stimulate and facilitate an exchange of ideas and opportunities between women in the heritage field to build a more sustainable and peaceful future together. More information here. Launch the European Heritage Youth Ambassadors Programme A new year has brought a number of fresh and exciting commitments to heritage young professionals across Europe and beyond. On 28 January, Europa Nostra officially launched its ‘European Heritage Youth Ambassadors Programme’, in partnership with the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and the European Heritage Tribune. The programme is an opportunity to empower youth to share their perspectives and to help promote the green and digital transformations taking place in our society. By giving a voice to the youth of Europe and beyond, the programme seeks to encourage intergenerational exchange and capacity building. More details here. Call to connect European organisations and groups who aim to preserve endangered heritage Dutch heritage organisation Heemschut launches a call to establish more direct contacts between endangered heritage advocacy organisations in Europe. Heemschut’s primary mission is to protect endangered heritage in the Netherlands. With this call, director Karel Loeff hopes to meet foreign heritage organisations with a desire to preserve threatened heritage. Interested organisations are invited to send an email to loeff@heemschut.nl. Forming a solid collective for the protection of heritage could benefit all parties involved, Loeff believes. ”As you battle to save endangered heritage, the support from a foreign advocacy agency might prove crucial.” Find out more here. European Heritage Days: Tips how to make your heritage events more inclusive The European Heritage Days released a new document for event organisers to help them to organise inclusive and diverse heritage events. The text revolves around this years theme ”Heritage: All Inclusive”. The organisation included many different case studies which attracted a diverse audience in the past to inspire organisers. Last year, the organisation moved the event to an online environment. While this years format remains unknown, a recent press release hinted at organisers to widen access to cultural heritage using digital events. ”With travel options still likely to be limited this year, and the financial costs of travel also a potential barrier in themselves, digital options are a helpful way to allow audiences to take part from anywhere”, the statement reads. Find out more here. Bronze Age slab found in France is oldest 3D map in Europe A freshly unearthed Bronze-Age stone may be the oldest three-dimensional map in Europe, researchers say. The 2m by 1.5m slab (5ft by 6.5ft), first uncovered in 1900, was found again in a cellar in a castle in France in 2014. Archaeologists who studied patterns engraved on the 4,000-year-old stone say they believe the markings are a map of an area in western Brittany. They say this makes the slab the oldest 3D map of a known area in Europe. Find out more here. Unearthing the little-known ancient theatres of Greece's Epirus region Greece's Epirus region hosts 5 of the country's most important ancient theatres. Some are famous, but others little-known. Now, a European-backed project will restore these architectural treasures from antiquity and weave them into a brand new tourist trail. The circuit includes the sites of Dodona, Gitana, Amvrakia, Kassope and the Roman theatre of Nikopolis. From its inception, this project has been backed and co-financed by the European Union. More details here. Possible Oldest Dutch Dike Found Archaeologists have found an embankment from the second century B.C. in the Dutch city of Vlaardingen. Its function is still unknown, but if it was used to keep out water it could possibly be the oldest Dutch dike. The embankment was found at a construction site. It consists of two parallel rows of wooden poles, both rows connected by braiding. The whole thing is filled with clay and covered with soil and was about 1,5 – 2 m broad and 0,5 – 1 m high. The part that can be found on the construction site is about 20 meters long. A structure like this one hasn’t been found before in the Netherlands. This makes it difficult to say what its function was. However, another dike and a dam from about the same period have already been found, so it would fit in with the state of Dutch water management at the time. Another discovery on the site, are the remains of a farm, also from the second century B.C. The dike could have been used to keep the farm dry. More details here. |
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Joint initiative of European Archaeological Council (EAC) and European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) |
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