National Museum of Lithuania Receives 2025 European Heritage / Europa Nostra Award for Its Cultural Heritage Donation Campaign for Ukraine

Today, the European Commission and Europa Nostra have announced the 2025 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, which are co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. This year, Europe’s most prestigious awards for heritage go to 30 outstanding winners from 24 countries across the continent (see the full list below).

Among this year’s winners is the National Museum of Lithuania, in the Category Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising. “The Culture of Ukraine has no Means of Defence” donation campaign offered citizens of Lithuania a direct and meaningful way to contribute to the safeguarding of cultural heritage in Ukraine. This initiative, led by the National Museum of History of Lithuania, served as a replicable model of solidarity and rapid response to save heritage objects.

Heritage supporters and enthusiasts are now encouraged to discover the winners and vote online to decide who will win the Public Choice Award 2025, which is entitled to receive a monetary award of €10,000. Votes can be cast until 12 September.

The winners were selected by the Awards’ Jury, composed of 11 heritage experts from across Europe, upon evaluation of the applications by the Selection Committees. A total of 251 eligible applications to this year's Awards were submitted by organisations and individuals from 41 European countries.

Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, said: “The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards give us the opportunity to appreciate how cultural heritage is deeply valued in Europe. This year’s winners showcase the ongoing efforts to safeguard and promote our rich cultural heritage for generations to come. Congratulations to the winners for their outstanding achievements and for their valuable contribution.” 

Cecilia Bartoli, the world-renowned mezzo-soprano and President of Europa Nostra, stated: “I warmly congratulate this year’s winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards on their well-deserved recognition. These inspiring initiatives demonstrate how cultural heritage can be a powerful force for positive change in Europe – strengthening communities, supporting well-being, fuelling creativity, and contributing to economic resilience. Cultural heritage connects people across generations and borders. It brings Europe’s citizens closer together, united in our rich diversity. It brings beauty and meaning to our daily lives, and shows how it can help shape a more sustainable and inclusive future.”

The winners will be celebrated atthe European Heritage Awards Ceremony 2025 on 13 October at Flagey, an iconic Art Deco building, in Brussels, Belgium. This high-profile event will feature the participation of European Commissioner Glenn Micallef and Europa Nostra’s Executive President Hermann Parzinger. During the ceremony, the Grand Prix laureates and the Public Choice Award winner will be announced, chosen from among this year’s winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards and entitled to receive €10,000 each. The ceremony will be a highlight of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2025, which will take place from 12 to 14 October in Brussels. In a complex geopolitical context, the Summit will also provide a timely opportunity to give visibility and resonance to the upcoming Cultural Compass of the European Union, and to advocate for the political, societal, environmental and economic value of cultural heritage for the future of Europe. The Summit is organised by Europa Nostra and co-funded by the European Union.

Donation Campaign “The Culture of Ukraine has no Means of Defence”, LITHUANIA / UKRAINE

The donation campaign “The culture of Ukraine has no means of defence” was organised between November 2023 and February 2024 by the National Museum of Lithuania in collaboration with the Lithuanian Radio and Television, and the civic movement “Strong Together”. The initiative was strongly supported by the Lithuanian Museum Association, uniting 100 museums, and the Lithuanian National UNESCO Commission. The project's Ukrainian partner, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, identified and prioritised the urgent needs for restoration materials and equipment to protect and restore Ukraine’s heritage threatened by the war.

Since 24 February 2022, the war in Ukraine has placed enormous pressure on the country’s cultural heritage sector. Many institutions have faced urgent threats, with collections at risk of damage, deterioration or loss. UNESCO has verified damage to 485 heritage sites since the offset of the war. Iconic sites have sustained significant destruction. The situation has underscored the urgent need for protective measures, restoration materials, and international solidarity. 

Responding to this crisis, the Lithuanian public was encouraged to donate via a dedicated campaign. These public contributions funded nearly 200 units of essential materials and equipment, such as specialised chemicals, adhesives, microscopes, and ultrasonic cleaners, carefully selected in consultation with Ukrainian restoration specialists.

In February 2024, the purchased materials were successfully delivered to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, from where they were distributed across the country to museums and institutions in need. Since then, Ukrainian restorers have been actively working on stabilising and restoring hundreds of museum items. Among the conserved objects are archaeological finds, including weapons, household items, textiles, and manuscripts spanning from ancient to recent history.

 A key innovation of this campaign was its emphasis on broad public engagement and solidarity. The initiative reached a multi-million audience through extensive coverage by outdoor campaign, Lithuania’s national television, radio, and social media channels. Museums across Lithuania actively participated in promoting the campaign, greatly amplifying its visibility and impact.

Beyond immediate restoration, the initiative provided a significant opportunity for cultural exchange and professional dialogue between Lithuanian and Ukrainian heritage specialists. It fostered ongoing collaboration, strengthening professional networks and facilitating the transfer of knowledge and restoration methodologies. 

The project underscored the importance of cultural heritage as a cornerstone of collective identity, particularly in times of conflict. It demonstrated how cultural institutions and civil society can come together effectively to respond to crises, setting a practical model of international cooperation and solidarity within Europe.

 “This donation campaign offered citizens of Lithuania a direct and meaningful way to contribute to the safeguarding of cultural heritage in Ukraine. This initiative, led by the National Museum of History of Lithuania, serves as a replicable model of solidarity and rapid response to save heritage objects,” the Awards’ Jury stated.

Contact: Jurga Strimaitienė | National Museum of Lithuania | [email protected] |  https://lnm.lt/

Winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025[1]

 Category Conservation & Adaptive Reuse

Tower Roof of the Church of St. Mauritius, Spitz an der Donau, AUSTRIA

Antwerp City Hall, BELGIUM

Hôtel Solvay, Brussels, BELGIUM

Nicosia Old Municipal Market, CYPRUS     

Kambones 1615 Historic House, Naxos, GREECE

EC1 Łódź - City of Culture Complex, POLAND

Peniche Fortress - National Museum of Resistance and Freedom, PORTUGAL

Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid, SPAIN

Category Research

The Heritage Trees Project, BELGIUM

Odeuropa, NETHERLANDS / FRANCE / GERMANY / ITALY / SLOVENIA / UNITED KINGDOM

Glacier Archaeology Programme - Secrets of the Ice, NORWAY

IS-LE: Islamic Legacy, pan-European project coordinated in SPAIN

Category Education, Training & Skills

European Heritage Volunteers’ Programme, GERMANY

“Saber Fazer” Programme, PORTUGAL      

ASTRA Center for Activities and Regional Resources, Sibiu, ROMANIA

Pro Monumenta - Preventive Maintenance of Monuments, SLOVAKIA

Category Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising

The Art of Protecting Bedechka, Stara Zagora, BULGARIA

Baltic Sea 3D Wrecksite Ontology, FINLAND

Notre-Dame de Paris Restoration Outreach, FRANCE      

Donation Campaign “The Culture of Ukraine has no Means of Defence”, LITHUANIA / UKRAINE 
Małopolska Culture Heritage Days, POLAND

Almalaguês - Weaving the Future from the Tapestry of Time, Coimbra, PORTUGAL

Hedgehog’s Home - Inventing a Better World, SERBIA

Casa Batlló: Integrating Neurodiversity in World Heritage, Barcelona, SPAIN

All Together Festival, Kyiv, UKRAINE

Category Heritage Champions

Prof. em. Peter Latz, GERMANY

Inge Bisgaard, GREENLAND / DENMARK

Winners of the Europa Nostra Awards 2025

Three of this year’s winners come from countries that are not associated with the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. These winners receive the Europa Nostra Awards, which reflect the organisation’s commitment to recognising heritage excellence in all countries of the Council of Europe.

The Camellia House, Wentworth Woodhouse, UNITED KINGDOM (Category Conservation & Adaptive Reuse)

School of Arts and Crafts of the Fabric of Saint Peter in the Vatican, HOLY SEE (Category Education, Training & Skills)

Varvara Buzilă, MOLDOVA (Category Heritage Champions)

Showcasing heritage-related excellence in Europe since 2002

The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards were launched by the European Commission in 2002 and have been run by Europa Nostra ever since. For 23 years, the Awards have been a key tool to recognise and promote the multiple values of heritage for Europe’s culture, society, economy, and environment. 

The Awards have highlighted and disseminated heritage excellence and best practices in Europe, encouraged the cross-border exchange of knowledge and connected heritage stakeholders in wider networks. The Awards have brought major benefits to the winners, such as greater (inter)national exposure, additional funding and increased visitor numbers. In addition, the Awards have championed a greater care for our shared heritage among Europe’s citizens. For additional facts and figures about the Awards, please visit the Awards website.

The Call for Entries for the 2026 edition of the Awards is open. Visit www.europeanheritageawards.eu for more information and submit your application online by 9 September 2025.  

Background

Europa Nostra

Europa Nostra is the European voice of civil society committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage. It is a pan-European federation of heritage NGOs, supported by a wide network of public bodies, private companies and individuals, covering over 40 countries. It is the largest and the most representative heritage network in Europe, maintaining close relations with the European Union, the Council of Europe, UNESCO and other international bodies. Founded in 1963, Europa Nostra celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023.

Europa Nostra campaigns to save Europe’s endangered monuments, sites and landscapes, in particular through the 7 Most Endangered Programme. It celebrates and disseminates excellence through the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards. Europa Nostra actively contributes to the definition and implementation of European strategies and policies related to heritage, through a participatory dialogue with European Institutions and the coordination of the European Heritage Alliance.

Europa Nostra has led the European consortium selected by the European Commission to run the European Heritage Hub pilot project (2023-2025). It is also a partner of the New European Bauhaus initiative developed by the European Commission, and a leading European member and supporter of the Climate Heritage Network.

 Creative Europe

 Creative Europe is the European Union’s flagship programme to support all cultural and creative sectors, including cultural heritage, enabling them to increase their contribution to Europe’s society, economy and living environment. With a budget of €2.4 billion for 2021-2027, it supports organisations in the fields of heritage, performing arts, fine arts, interdisciplinary arts, publishing, film, TV, music and video games as well as tens of thousands of artists, cultural and audiovisual professionals.

 [1] The winners are listed alphabetically by country