Two Cypriot projects, ‘The Cypriot Fiddler’ and ‘Sector 2: Nicosia – The Green Line Project’, are among the 2026 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, which are co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the EU. The winners will be celebrated at the European Heritage Awards Ceremony 2026 on 28 May at the Municipal Theatre of Nicosia.
The European Commission and Europa Nostra announced the winners on Tuesday. This year’s awards go to 30 exemplary projects and champions from 18 countries throughout the continent.
The Cypriot Fiddler research project documents the life stories of traditional Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot musicians. Through long-term fieldwork, a documentary, a book and an open-access website, it preserves oral storytelling, local dialects and a shared musical heritage.
Sector 2: Nicosia – The Green Line Project was carried out by the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia to explore the history of the city’s Green Line through research, an exhibition and other public programmes. By involving all communities and presenting personal testimonies, it encourages reflection and dialogue on the divided city.
This year’s edition of the Awards features a most diverse range of winners across its five categories, including the DumBO project, which has reactivated a former railway yard in Bologna through reversible interventions, creating a flexible cultural hub with strong community impact (Italy); the Cypriot Fiddler research project, which has documented the life stories of traditional Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot musicians (Cyprus); the ‘Pacijenca’ programme, which has revived, through hands-on training, the nearly extinct Dobrota lace tradition in Montenegro; the Gardens of Peace Project, which has created contemporary public gardens along the First World War front line in France and Belgium, inviting reflection and dialogue on Europe’s shared history of conflict; and the volunteer-driven organisation Din l-Art Helwa, which has protected Malta’s heritage, through restoration, advocacy and public engagement, for over 40 years.
Heritage supporters and enthusiasts are encouraged to discover the winners and vote online to decide who will win the Public Choice Award 2026, which is entitled to receive pound 10,000. Votes can be cast until 12 May.
The winners were selected by the Awards’ Jury, composed of ten heritage experts from across Europe, upon evaluation of all applications by five Selection Committees. A total of 261 eligible applications to this year’s Awards were submitted by organisations and individuals from 40 European countries.
Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, congratulated all the winners and said – inter alia – that ‘these projects show that heritage is not just about the past, it is a living force for progress. Whether reviving traditional crafts with modern skills, adapting historic sites for future challenges, or engaging young people as active participants of our heritage guardians, they prove that culture is at the heart of Europe’s future.’
Cecilia Bartoli, the world-renowned mezzo-soprano and President of Europa Nostra, said – inter alia – that ‘the projects and people honoured this year demonstrate how heritage can inspire new generations, strengthen community life and support local economies. In a world marked by conflicts, geopolitical tensions and technological change, the need to champion what unites us has become more urgent and important than ever.’
The winners will be celebrated at the European Heritage Awards Ceremony 2026 on 28 May at the Municipal Theatre of Nicosia. The event will be hosted by European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, and Europa Nostra’s Executive President, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger. The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, will attend the ceremony, as the highest representative of the country which holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Deputy Minister of Culture of Cyprus, Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, and other distinguished guests will also attend. During the ceremony, the Grand Prix laureates and the Public Choice Award winner – chosen from among this year’s winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards and entitled to receive pound 10,000 each – will be announced.
The ceremony will be a highlight of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026, taking place from 26 to 30 May in the capital city of Cyprus. Under the motto ‘Heritage as the Soul of Mare Nostrum’, the Summit in Nicosia will highlight the (geo)political, societal and environmental relevance of heritage for Europe and the wider Mediterranean region. The Summit, organised by Europa Nostra with the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia, is held under the patronage of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, and is supported by the European Union.