Amberd Included in Europe's Most Endangered Heritage Sites List

The Amberd cultural heritage reserve has been included in the short list of the "7 Most Endangered" program as one of the 11 most endangered heritage sites in Europe, as reported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia.

Today, "Europa Nostra", the European voice of civil society dedicated to cultural and natural heritage, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the names of monuments and heritage sites in Europe included in the 2024 "7 Most Endangered" program. The 2024's eleven most endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe are:

1. Amberd Cultural Heritage Reserve, ARMENIA
2. Durres Archaeological Site (Muret e Portës), ALBANIA
3. Palais du Midi, Brussels, BELGIUM
4. Workers’ Class Apartments in Rube-Turquaine, FRANCE
5. Cycladic Islands, Sifnos, Serifos, and Folegandros, GREECE
6. Church of Saint Peter in Gesati, Milan, ITALY
7. Siena Synagogue, ITALY
8. Steinort Palace, North Masuria, POLAND
9. People's Army House in Shabac, SERBIA
10. Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, Altınözü / Hatay Province, TURKEY
11. Antioch Iron Gate, Antakya / Hatay Province, TURKEY

Europa Nostra's executive president, Dr. Hermann Parzinger, stated, “The selected heritage sites are threatened due to demolition, improper development, the devastating impact of natural disasters, neglect, or lack of funding. By publishing this short list, we wish to send a message of support to the activists and local communities who are deeply committed to saving these places. Europe's heritage must be preserved not only as a testimony of our shared past but also as a catalyst for a sustainable, cohesive, and peaceful future.”

The Dean of the European Investment Bank Institute, Shiva Dustdar, remarked, “Cultural heritage is a fundamental resource for European identity, attractiveness, and economic growth. This short list reminds us of how fragile that heritage is and how much we value it. Together with our long-standing partner Europa Nostra, the Institute is expanding efforts across Europe to help local communities that know saving cultural heritage sites will help tackle other urgent challenges. We hope to see these landmarks restored and preserved for future generations.”

The endangered heritage sites listed above were selected by an international consultative group, which includes experts in history, archaeology, architecture, conservation, project analysis, and finance. Nominations for the 2024 "7 Most Endangered" program were made by member organizations, associate organizations, or individual members of Europa Nostra, as well as members of the European Heritage Alliance. The selection was based on the significance in heritage terms and cultural value of each site, as well as the serious threats they face today. The level of community engagement and the commitment of public and private stakeholders in the efforts to save these sites were emphasized as additional values in the selection process. Another criterion was the potential of these sites as catalysts for sustainable socio-economic development.

The final list of Europe’s "7 Most Endangered" heritage sites for 2024 will be announced in April.

The "7 Most Endangered" program is part of a civil society campaign to save Europe’s endangered heritage. It raises public awareness, provides independent assessments, and makes recommendations for further action. Launched in 2013, this innovative program is run by Europa Nostra in cooperation with the EIB Institute and is supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe program. Since its inception, 56 endangered monuments and heritage sites from 31 European countries have been selected.

Europa Nostra is the European voice of civil society dedicated to the protection and promotion of cultural and natural heritage. It is a pan-European federation of heritage NGOs, supporting a broad network of public authorities, private companies, and individuals across over 40 countries. It is the largest and most representative network on heritage in Europe and maintains close relations with the European Union, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, and other international bodies. Europa Nostra implements campaigns to save endangered monuments, sites, and landscapes, particularly through the "7 Most Endangered" program. It also awards high-quality projects and excellence through the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards. Europa Nostra actively participates in the formulation and implementation of European strategies and policies related to heritage through participative dialogue with European institutions and coordination with the European Heritage Alliance.

Europa Nostra has led the European Partnership designated by the European Commission to run the European Heritage Centre pilot project (2023-2025). It is also an official partner of the New European Bauhaus initiative developed by the European Commission and is a leading European member and supporter of the Climate Heritage Network.

The European Investment Bank Institute (EIB-I) has been established within the EIB group (European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund) to promote and support social, cultural, and academic initiatives in collaboration with European stakeholders and the wider public. It is a key pillar of the EIB group's community engagement and citizenship involvement.

Additional information can be found at http://institute.eib.org.

"Creative Europe" is an EU program that supports cultural and creative sectors, enabling them to increase their contribution to European society, economy, and environment. The program, with a budget of €2.4 billion for 2021-2027, supports organizations in the fields of heritage, performing arts, visual arts, cross-disciplinary arts, publishing, cinema, television, music, and video games, as well as tens of thousands of artists and cultural and audiovisual sector professionals.