The study on the architectural heritage along the buffer zone within the walls of Nicosia, was one of six European projects won the highest award «grand prix» in the field of cultural heritage in 2011.
. A total of 27 projects received the award for Heritage / Europa Nostra EU in 2011, during a ceremony in the historic concert hall in Amsterdam, «Concertgebouw», Friday. Of the 27 winning projects, six were named «grand prix», in recognition of their achievements in the field of cultural heritage.
Among the six projects that received the top prize («grand prix») was the study and mapping of the facades of buildings along the buffer zone within the walls of Nicosia. This project was recognized unanimously by the jury as a well-integrated design of all buildings within the protected zone of the United Nations in Nicosia, where he was the heart of this walled city.
The study was done by group G / Cypriots and T / Cypriot scientists under the umbrella of Master Plana Nicosia.
There were many problems to overcome in carrying out the work, involving scientists and other workers from both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot community. The project is particularly important because of its potential to help alleviate the difficulties between the two sides, and is an excellent example of a plan to protect a sensitive area of Europe, says the jury.
As stated during the ceremony, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou, “each winner represents the best achievements in the field of cultural heritage and a source of inspiration for professionals and volunteers, without whom many Where is our heritage would be placed at risk. According to the Cypriot Commissioner: “The cultural heritage is an essential sector of our cultural diversity and our common history, brings the past, present and our future, helping the regeneration of neighborhoods and uniting people from different origins,” while ” contributed to making Europe a leading tourist destination and contributes significantly to the economy of the Union. ”
The final selection was made by the jury composed of independent experts from across Europe. The six winners «grand prix» will receive 10,000 euros each.
According to the European Commission’s cultural heritage has a unique – and often underrated – contribution to growth and job creation. This area is an important part of cultural and creative industry that provides jobs to 8.5 million people in the EU and contributes 4.5% of European GDP. The costs of preservation of cultural heritage from public and private entities amounted to 5 billion per year.
The Europa Nostra, which cooperates with the Commission in the process of selecting the prizes, is the voice of cultural heritage in Europe. Gathers and represents 250 NGOs, 150 relevant organizations and 1500 individual members from over 50 countries committed to preserving cultural and natural heritage. Provides a network for dialogue, honors the best cultural achievements, organize campaigns against threats to vulnerable cultural buildings, sites and landscapes, and campaigns for sustainable policies and high standards of quality in cultural heritage. The famous tenor Placido Domingo is the president of Europa Nostra.
