From the 12 to the 15 of October this year, Europe celebrated its unique, diverse and rich cultural heritage at the European Cultural Heritage Summit in Brussels. The event was organised by Europa Nostra and co-funded by the European Union.

SD-WISHEES delegates Jessica Amadio and Amanda Loeffen attended the 4-day Summit, joining open dialogue with high-level representatives from EU institutions, policymakers, heritage professionals, civil society and many other stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to explore why cultural heritage matters for Europe now more than ever.

Main Highlights of the Summit

European Heritage Awards – Europa Nostra Awards 2025

30 winners from 24 countries presented their achievements and shared the impact of their initiatives. Discover their inspiring stories here:

European Commission and Europa Nostra announce the winners of Europe’s top heritage awards 2025

European Heritage Awards Ceremony 2025

Jointly organised by Europa Nostra and the European Commission with support from the EU Creative Europe Programme and held at Flagey, an iconic Art Deco building in Brussels. The ceremony celebrated the 30 winners as well as five Grand Prix laureates and the Public Choice Award winner.

Ceremony booklet:
https://www.europanostra.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Ceremony-Booklet.pdf

European Heritage Hub Forum – “Heritage Matters for Europe’s Cities and Citizens”

Held at the Town Hall of Brussels, this session focused on how the forthcoming Culture Compass for Europe and the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2028–2034) can support cultural rights.

Programme details:
https://www.europeanheritagehub.eu/hub-to-host-forum-in-brussels-on-cultural-heritage-policy-as-a-catalyst-for-preserving-european-values/

European Heritage Policy Agora – “The Europeans: Shared Cultural Roots and Values”

Together with a lecture by British historian Orlando Figes, this Agora session explored how cultural heritage can build bridges across borders and generations within Europe.

Agora booklet:
https://www.europanostra.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Agora-Booklet.pdf

A Special Moment

A moving speech was delivered by Jorge Cheminé, President of the European Music Centre, highlighting the power of music as the voice of Europe:

“Music is not just decoration, it is memory. There are several policies to protect biodiversity, but who protects music diversity?”

Heritage reminds us that our past is complex and diverse—just like Europe itself—but within our shared heritage we can also find creative solutions to navigate and overcome the challenges of our time.