BRUSSELS, Belgium (A.W.)—The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage, known as the Europa Nostra Award, was given to 28 projects this year, 2 of which went to projects that aimed to conserve Armenian cultural heritage. One was the restoration of the Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, and the other the Armenian Church and Monastery of the Arab Ahmet neighborhood in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The Surp Giragos Armenian Church may date back to the 17th century. “The building suffered from appalling deterioration late in the 20th century following the decline in the local population of Armenians. The roof collapsed and the structure became derelict,” read the description on the Europa Nostra website, which then detailed the efforts of the Surp Giragos Church Foundation, individuals, and NGOs, and later from local authorities, to help restore the church.
The Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir/Dikranagerd (Photo by Gulisor Akkum, The Armenian Weekly)
“It was this demonstration of local support which particularly impressed the jury. The efforts to restore the main church of the Armenians in this place, after the exile of its people, is an outstanding act of reconciliation for the city and its citizens,” read a statement explaining the jury’s selection of the project.
“The involvement of the Armenian community themselves in the restoration of the monument has contributed immensely to the improvement of peace and social integration of its people, attracting also visiting Armenians from all over the world,” it continued.
Following restoration, the Surp Giragos Church was reopened in September 2011. This year, on April 24, a genocide commemoration event will be held at the church.
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Efforts to restore the Armenian Church and Monastery within the walled city in northern Nicosia were also recognized by a Europa Nostra Award in conservation. The project to restore the two buildings began in 2007.
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“The architectural compound comprises three Armenian school buildings, the premises of the Armenian Prelacy, an important historical mansion, courtyards, and open‐air areas, all fenced by a boundary wall,” reads the project description. “The restoration of the church aimed to preserve a masterpiece of gothic architecture that, since 1963, has suffered from misuse and neglect. … “[the project] was designed both to restore one of the most noteworthy parts of the island’s cultural heritage and to provide Armenian, Greek, and Turkish Cypriots with the opportunity to work together with international experts to preserve their common heritage.
Italian-led initiative also awarded
Meanwhile, an Italian-led initiative in cultural heritage preservation training in Armenia, “a project which aims to promote a better environment for the safeguarding of the immovable and movable heritage through the provision of specialized conservation training and building activities,” also received a special prize in education, training, and awareness-raising. The project has engaged around 200 Armenian students, experts, restoration technicians, and public authorities in courses that have both an academic and practical angle in sharing the best techniques for restoration of cultural heritage.
According to the Europa Nostra website, “What made the strongest impression on the jury here was the effectiveness of the partnership between two nations, not immediate neighbors but sharing a philosophy in relation to their pasts. The involvement of the Politecnico di Milano ensured that the approach was rigorously scientific and objective, and Armenia could not really have coped without Italian technical know-how. The debt is acknowledged and the benefits are considerable, bringing dividends well beyond Armenia’s borders to the Armenian Diaspora.”
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The European Heritage Awards Ceremony will take place on June 11, in Oslo City Hall. Winners were selected from a list of 263 projects that had applied.
The European Commission launched the Europa Nostra Awards in 2002. “The prize promotes excellence, inspires through the ‘power of example,’ and stimulates the exchange of best practices in the heritage field across Europe.”
The awards are given in four categories: conservation; research and digitization; dedicated service by individuals or organizations; and education, training, and awareness-raising. Since its inception, the Europe Nostra Awards have been granted to 387 projects.
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