The European Heritage Days, a joint action of the European Commission and Council of Europe which gives access to visitors to thousands of rarely opened sites and unique events, expects counting with more than 20 million people participating in 50 countries across Europe.

The joint action of the European Commission and Council of Europe, the European Heritage Days, is taking place during the month of September in 50 countries across Europe as every year. The citizens will have the chance to visit thousands of rarely sites and to participate in unique events. The cultural events highlight local skills and traditions, architecture and works of art, but the broader aim is to promote mutual understanding among citizens. This initiative is part of the the EU Culture Programme. The 2011 report on the progress of the EU Culture Programme showed that the 2009 European Heritage Days attracted 25 millions of visitors.

During the European Heritage Days, the European dimension is reinforced by countries working together on the same theme, such as "hidden treasures", inviting visitors in Lithuania, Norway or Switzerland to see an unknown and unexpected face of heritage- concealed on the walls, underground, or in the landscape. France, Ukraine, Cyprus and Finland have decided to exemplify the theme of "heritage voyage" and "cultural routes", uncovering a dynamic, creative side of heritage created at crossroads of influences in the artistic, scientific and commercial fields.

Furthermore this year, the European Heritage Days (EHDs) have an outstanding variety of events and monuments open to the public, ranging from the world's largest balloon factory in Bristol, UK, to the show "Les misérables" inspired by Victor Hugo' masterpiece, taking place near the Lion Hill in Waterloo, Napoleon's last battlefield; from the guided visit of remains of the Berlin Wall covered in paintings and graffiti by more than 100 artists from 20 countries, to the exhibition "L'éloge de la folie" dedicated to Erasmus of Rotterdam in the Dominican church in Strasbourg, France.

The European Heritage Days was launched in 1985 and it have been organised since 1999 as a joint action of the European Union and the Council of Europe. The 50 signatory States to the European Cultural Convention take part in the European Heritage Days by putting new cultural assets on view and opening up historical buildings normally closed to the public.