Laureates of the Special Awards of ILUCIDARE 2020

During virtual ceremony of presenting the prestigious awards in the area of ​​heritage - European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra 2020, representatives of the ILUCIDARE Consortium, the European Commission and Europa Nostra announced the winners of the first of the two editions of ILUCIDARE Special Awards. They were the organizers of the Italian-Syrian project Archeology for a Young Future and TYPA - Estonian Museum of Graphics and Paper.

The laureates of the ILUCIDARE Special Awards were selected from among the applications submitted under the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra 2020 competition program. ILUCIDARE, of which the International Cultural Centre is a research partner, is a project financed under the Horizon 2020 program, aimed at creating an international network of heritage promotion as a source of innovation and building international relations. One Polish project was on the short list of this year's nominations - the Oppenheim House in Wrocław.

The winners of the first ever ILUCIDARE Special Awards embody the creativity and agility of the heritage sector. They are examples of best practice for the heritage community and an inspiration for the world of innovation, entrepreneurship and international cooperation, said Koen Van Balen, ILUCIDARE project coordinator.

Archeology for a Young Future is an online program that encourages students from schools in Italy and Syria to discover their own local history through archeology, thereby enabling them to build relationships in a spirit of mutual understanding, respect and friendship. Its strong educational component and intergenerational influence can contribute to the maintenance and improvement of relations between the two communities in the long run. For many of the students who took part in the project, this innovative but simple initiative was their first experience of international cultural exchange and understanding of common heritage. The program allowed participants aged 11 to 14 y.o. to become aware of the value of archeology, discover new places and become more closely connected with their own localities. Associazione per la Valorizzazione dell'Archeologia e della Storia Antica (AVASA) initiated the program with the financial support of the Steinmetz Family Foundation and the Cariplo Foundation.

TYPA - Estonian Graphics and Paper Museum, established in 2006, is dedicated to the protection of the print and paper heritage and the promotion of international relations. TYPA is a great example of heritage-driven innovation in many ways: from a unique multi-functional and interdisciplinary model to innovative methods of recovering traditional printing techniques, as well as original ways to engage the local community and create valuable content for visitors. In the digital age, TYPA contributes to the preservation, recovery and re-use of printing techniques and know-how that are part of our common history and European heritage.

ILUCIDARE Special Award winners will have a unique opportunity to join the ILUCIDARE Champions program, which will give them the space to continue sharing their achievements, broadening their network of contacts, finding the right solutions to challenges and increasing the scale of success.