The European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission since 1999, are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events in Europe. The pan-European nature of the programme contributes to bringing citizens together and highlighting the European dimension of cultural heritage in the 50 signatory States of the European Cultural Convention. Up to 70 000 events (with 30 million visitors expected) are organised until the end of October in order to help raise awareness of the value of this common heritage and the need for its conservation for present and future generations.
“The European Heritage Days offer all citizens a unique opportunity to better understand how culture brings us together. Culture and cultural heritage are both an essential factor of social and economic development, as well as an important tool for creating a climate conducive of mutual understanding of European cultural diversity and richness. Education has always been a core part of the European Heritage Days and it features in all aspects of the programme.” said Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Despite the restrictions posed by COVID-19 in the organisation of this year’s EHD season, the programme’s network of National Co-ordinators have proposed a wide range of alternatives creating a digital offering in the form of a video, photo gallery, virtual tour, podcast, blog, webinar or story of their venue to be featured online.
