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The project SARAT - Safeguarding Archaeological Assets of Turkey has received a Europa Nostra Award 2020. The award has been granted to the project in the category of Education, Training and Awareness-Raising.
The Europa Nostra Awards are presented to outstanding heritage achievements from European countries not taking part in the Creative Europe programme of the European Union (EU).
The winners were selected by independent juries composed of heritage experts from across Europe, upon thorough evaluation of candidatures submitted by organizations and individuals from 30 European countries.
Two other awards to Switzerland
The award's juries also decided to give Europa Nostra Awards to two remarkable heritage achievements from Switzerland, namely the Manor Farm of Bois de Chênes, in the category of Conservation; and the Société de Lecture based in Geneva, in the category of Dedicated Service.
In reference to Turkey's award, the jury has noted:
"This is a new and innovative approach to awareness-raising in Turkey. It has approached the problems facing archaeology from diverse perspectives with a focus on education and the media and it has addressed problems relating to archaeology as a discipline and its management.
"The project's public focus is excellent and it does this by inquiring about public views and offering training and capacity-building. It has increased the awareness of the complexity and importance of archaeology, contributing to its care and in situ protection.
'It has changed the media's language'
"The initiative has effectively changed the media's language around archaeology for the better. Its impressive numbers and the rapid uptake of participants for all activities is evidence of its success.
"The multi-disciplinary design team of both academic and non-academic experts ensured that the regionally diverse and inclusive programme was professionally executed and of high-quality."
Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra, has also stated the following about this year's awards:
"In these trying times, our award laureates, with their success stories of how adversity can be overcome through expertise, dedication and teamwork, are true messengers of hope. These exemplary awarded projects demonstrate that cultural heritage is vital to our mental and physical recovery from the trauma caused by the pandemic.
"Our shared heritage and its custodians can contribute in so many ways: from making accessible cultural content via creative digital solutions to undertaking concrete restoration and rehabilitation works as an act of social and economic rebirth for our cities and villages."
About SARAT
Safeguarding Archaeological Assets of Turkey (SARAT) is an educational and awareness-raising project that has had a considerable impact on the protection and appreciation of Turkey's rich, diverse, and at times threatened, archaeological heritage. SARAT carried out four interconnected programmes to strengthen the skills and increase knowledge and awareness of heritage amongst heritage professionals, heritage-related people and the general public. SARAT was developed and initiated by the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA) in partnership with the Anatolian Civilizations Research Center of Koç University (ANAMED) and the United Kingdom branch of the International Council of Museums (ICOM UK). The three-year project, which ran from April 2017 to March 2020, was supported by a large grant award by the United Kingdom Cultural Protection Fund which is an initiative of the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sports and the British Council.
About Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra is the European voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage. A pan-European federation of heritage NGOs, supported by a wide network of public bodies, private companies and individuals, it covers more than 40 countries. Founded in 1963, it is today recognised as the largest and the most representative heritage network in Europe. (AÖ/SD)
