We are delighted to announce that the European Heritage Volunteers Programme has been honoured with a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award 2025 in the category "Education, Training & Skills"!

Launched by the European Commission and facilitated by Europa Nostra, the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards are among the most prestigious recognitions in the field of cultural heritage, celebrating exemplary initiatives that safeguard and promote Europe’s rich and diverse heritage.

The esteemed jury commended our programme for its continuity and long-lasting impact, broad thematic scope, hands-on and practical orientation, grassroots approach, and close collaboration with local communities across Europe.

This recognition belongs to the entire European Heritage Volunteers Network: to every Project Partner, Technical Instructor, Group Coordinator, and Participant whose dedication and shared commitment have shaped the European Heritage Volunteers Programme. Together, they are the community that made this achievement possible, and it is they who have earned this award.

Therefore, we want to express our sincere thanks to all of you as well as to the members of the organisations, institutions, and networks you do represent.


In the following, find the official text describing why the European Heritage Volunteers Programme has been awarded:

For many years, the European Heritage Volunteers have organised highly successful “Traditional Crafts in Practice” courses. Between 2022 and 2024, the NGO ran 22 courses in 14 European countries, including 11 EU member states and three candidate countries. These were delivered in 37 separate editions, welcoming more than 430 participants from 67 countries worldwide and involving over 40 technical instructors from 17 nations.

The courses have been hosted at a wide variety of heritage sites, ranging from UNESCO World Heritage Sites to industrial monuments, places of worship, and clusters of vernacular buildings. Many locations are selected for their neglected or marginal condition, with the aim of revitalising heritage assets often overlooked in mainstream conservation practice.

Each course runs for two weeks and follows an informal, practice-based structure. The approach focuses on international groups of students and emerging heritage professionals, typically composed of around 12 to 14 participants, to ensure intensive collaboration and individual mentoring. Instruction covers a broad spectrum of traditional crafts, including carpentry, masonry, mortars and plasters, fresco restoration, vernacular techniques, textile arts, and others. Sessions are jointly led by experienced heritage professionals, master craftspeople, and local practitioners facilitating direct intergenerational and intercultural exchange.

The courses are based on detailed research on local history, materials, and construction methods, with many activities taking place in public or semi-public spaces. This open format encourages participation by local communities, who are often involved as co-instructors, partners or audience members during public presentations and site events. Community engagement extends further, through partnerships with local authorities, activists and NGOs, who contribute to planning, dissemination and follow-up actions after the courses end. The programme’s grassroots approach and cost-effective structure enables broad participation and makes it possible to deliver recurring activities with limited resources, benefiting greatly from in-kind support and local collaboration.

A specific aspect of the courses is the focus on the “living connection” between heritage sites, practitioners and communities. The training does not simply aim to preserve techniques for their own sake, but to demonstrate how traditional methods and materials can be adapted for use in contemporary conservation and building projects. The use of local, natural materials highlights the environmental sustainability of many traditional crafts, offering practical lessons for climate resilience and resource efficiency.

The recurring nature of the training programme, together with its transnational network, has created a robust framework for ongoing collaboration. A significant number of participants have returned to subsequent editions, and the network of instructors continues to expand, contributing to a wider European dialogue on practical restoration skills and community-based conservation. Further courses and new partnerships are planned for the coming years, supporting the ongoing transfer of knowledge and skills across generations and borders.

“The training programme’s highly international character, engaging motivated participants from across Europe and supported by recognised local experts, is a key strength,” the Awards’ Jury stated.

“Regular courses validate and promote heritage and craft practices, while strong planning and management have built an extensive and resilient network of skilled participants,” the Jury added.

The above-mentioned text can be downloaded here.

As the European Heritage Volunteers Network celebrates this milestone, we invite you to stay tuned as more exciting news is coming soon!