“Every year the European Heritage Days unite millions of Europeans around their shared historical and cultural heritage. This new pan-European theme will put the focus on a cornerstone of European history: routes, networks, and other bridges among European territories. This is a great way to ensure that our common European heritage is understood, treasured, and protected for future generations, while at the same time bringing economic benefits to local communities through tourism”, said Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
Launched by the Council of Europe in 1985 in France, the European Heritage Days have been organized as a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission since 1999. “Enabling citizens to explore a wide range of cultural assets through several themed events”, the Council of Europe and the European Union said in a joint statement, “the European Heritage Days help uncover histories of people and places that have contributed to shape the culture and heritage of Europe”. Each year, the European Heritage Days revolve around a theme that all participating countries are encouraged to adopt for their annual programme.
The European Heritage Days are celebrated in many countries, sometimes under a different name. Here are some examples: “Tag des Denkmals” (Austria); “Journées du Patrimoine”, “Open Monumententdag” (Belgium and the Netherlands); “Muinsuskaitsepäevade” (Estonia); “Tag des offenen Denkmals” (Germany); “Kulturális Örökség Napjai” (Hungary); and “National Heritage Week” (Ireland).