Britain’s oldest heritage charity, SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) has been named as one of Europe’s most outstanding organisations involved in the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, as its considerable contribution to the world of conservation has been recognised with a prestigious European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/ Europa Nostra Award 2012.
The SPAB writes:
SPAB was chosen from 226 nominee projects and organisations from 31 countries. The annual awards are split into four categories – conservation, research, education training and awareness – raising and dedicated service. SPAB’s award for ‘dedicated service by individuals or organisations’ will be presented by Europa Nostra’s President, Placido Domingo at an event in Lisbon in June.
Announcing the ‘laureates’ on March 20, Europa Nostra noted: ‘What the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings has accomplished in its 135 years of existence is a major example of how to protect heritage for future generations. Its wide range of activities, from training young people to acting as a champion of heritage in danger, made a strong impression on the Jury, which feels honoured to be able to grant due recognition to this highly respected Society. Not to have given cognizance to its long-term supreme achievement would have represented a major miss.’
SPAB is one of 28 outstanding ‘laureate’ award winners from across Europe now eligible for one of six Grand Prix awards to be announced at the gala event on June 1. Grand Prix winners will be acclaimed as Europe’s leading examples of heritage protection for 2012 and will each receive a further award of 10,000 Euros.
In 2012 SPAB is one of just four UK ‘laureates’, the others being: Crossing Cultures, (Transforming The Ashmolean Museum), London’s Leighton House Museum, and The Poundstock Gildhouse at Bude, Cornwall. SPAB is the only UK project to win an award in the category for dedicated service.
SPAB Secretary Philip Venning will attend the Lisbon ceremony in June. He said: ‘We are delighted that the award recognises not only SPAB’s past contribution to conservation, but also our ongoing role in the protection of built heritage. It is particularly pleasing and notable that this is the second time SPAB has been named as aEuropean Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/ Europa Nostra laureate. In 2010, our unique Faith in Maintenance project to train the thousands of volunteers throughout the country who care for faith buildings was named as an outstanding European education, training and awareness raising initiative.’
Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Educations, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth said of the annual awards: ‘Europe’s cultural heritage is unique in the world. I would like to warmly congratulate this year’s winners for reminding us of our wonderfully rich and varied heritage that we should never take for granted. It is in our trust for future generations.’
Since 2002, the annual European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards scheme has celebrated outstanding initiatives within Europe’s heritage sector. By ‘spreading the power of example’, the Awards seek to encourage projects related to heritage protection throughout Europe, with the key aim of stimulating the cross-border exchange of knowledge and expertise.
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