Young people from across Europe are exploring and expressing what cultural heritage means to them through the Young European heritage makers competition, part of the European heritage days programme – a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union.
The competition invites children and teenagers to discover the heritage around them and reflect on how local traditions, historic places and cultural practices connect to Europe’s shared story. Through drawings, photographs, paintings and short videos, participants share their perspectives on heritage in their own words and creative forms.
This year’s European-level selection highlights five remarkable projects created by young people aged 11–17 from Armenia, Latvia, Montenegro, Spain and Ukraine. Their works explore topics ranging from ancient monuments and village traditions to cultural crafts and innovative heritage games, showing how young generations engage with cultural heritage in imaginative ways.
Alongside these selected works, children aged 6–11 from participating countries also contributed creative projects at national level, demonstrating curiosity and enthusiasm for discovering heritage in their communities.
The selected European participants will be invited to Strasbourg in May 2026 to meet fellow young heritage makers and learn more about European institutions and cooperation in the field of culture and heritage.
Read more about the winning entries
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