THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS.- The call for entries and application for the EU prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards 2005 are now available from Europa Nostra's website. The protection and enhancement of European cultural heritage in all its forms – architectural heritage, cultural landscapes, works of art and archaeological sites, and their related tangible and intangible aspects – are the priorities of the European Union's Culture 2000 Programme.

The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage was launched in 2002 by the European Commission as part of the implementation of the Culture 2000 Programme. Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Heritage, was selected as the organisation responsible for the running of this Scheme on the basis of its long experience in publicly recognising excellence in the field of heritage.

The aims of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards scheme are to promote high standards of conservation practice, to stimulate the exchange of knowledge and experience throughout Europe and to encourage further efforts through the Power of Example. It will achieve this by giving public recognition to outstanding initiatives and best practices which contribute to the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage in Europe.

Outstanding heritage achievements will be rewarded by six monetary Prizes of 10,000 Euro each, in addition to Medals and Diplomas in the following categories:

Category 1: An outstanding project related to conservation, restoration or rehabilitation projects in the field of: A) Architectural heritage; or; B) Cultural landscapes; or; C) Collections of Works of art; or; D) Archaeological sites. The deadline is 15th September 2005.

Category 2: An outstanding study in the field of cultural heritage whose ultimate aim is to lead to tangible effects in the conservation or enhancement of any of the areas in Category 1. The deadline 1 August 2005.

Category 3: Dedicated service to heritage conservation by individuals or groups. The deadline is 15 September 2005.

Criteria for the assessment and the judgement of entries include the quality of the work executed, its cultural, educational and social relevance and the preliminary research conducted. Entries can be on a scale ranging from small to large, local to international, and should display a standard of work which would be considered outstanding in a European context. Projects and studies must have been completed within the last three years. The completeness and the presentation of the dossier will be taken into account.

The 38 winners of the Europa Nostra Awards 2004 will be announced on 3 June 2005.

Further information
For further information contact:
Ms Eléonore de Merode
Heritage Awards Co-ordinator
EUROPA NOSTRA
Lange Voorhout 35
NL - 2514 EC The Hague, Netherlands
Tel: +31 70 302 40 52
Fax: +31 70 361 78 65
Email: ao@europanostra.org

Entry forms can be downloaded from: www.europanostra.org.