The six winners of the 2008 "European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards" are outstanding projects in the Czech Republic, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Romania. The prizes announced today serve as recognition of exceptional conservation, research and education efforts and are each worth € 10 000. The prizes are awarded jointly by the European Commission and Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage. They will be presented at the European Heritage Awards Ceremony on 12 June 2008 in Durham Cathedral in the United Kingdom.

This Awards Scheme aims to promote high standards and high-quality skills in conservation practice, and to stimulate the trans-frontier exchanges in the area of heritage. By spreading the "Power of Example”, the Prize also aims to encourage further efforts and projects related to heritage throughout Europe.

The European Heritage Awards were jointly launched in 2002 by the European Commission and Europa Nostra, in the framework of the Commission’s Culture Programme, to celebrate outstanding initiatives among the many facets of Europe's cultural heritage in categories ranging from the restoration of buildings and their adaptation to new uses, to urban and rural landscape rehabilitation, archaeological site interpretations, and care for art collections. Also awarded are prizes for research and, for the first time in 2008, education projects related to cultural heritage, and dedicated service to heritage conservation by individuals or organisations.

This year, a total of 109 applications and nominations from 29 countries were received in the various categories and assessed in situ by independent experts. The most outstanding of these were selected by the Heritage Awards Jury in a series of meetings which took place over the past months. Six Prizes have been awarded, in the following categories:

Category 1 — Conservation:

1. The conservation of the Southern façade of Horní Hrad (Upper Castle) of the Český Krumlov State Castle, Czech Republic
2. The conservation of the archaeological site of Skarkos on the Island of Ios in Greece
3. The restoration and adaptive re-use of the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Category 2 — Research:

1. The Inventory of the Fortified Military Architecture in Spain by the Asociación Española de Amigos de los Castillos, Spain

Category 3 — Dedicated service:

1. Stichting Stadsherstel Hoorn, the Netherlands

Category 4 — Education, training and awareness-raising:

1. The International Built Heritage Conservation Training Centre at Bánffy Castle in Bonţida, Romania