In the symbolic heart of ancient Delphi, Greece, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović stood before a room of cultural leaders, policymakers, and citizens to deliver a message that cut through the noise of Europe's current crises: heritage is not a sector, but a vector — a force capable of advancing peace, democracy, and solidarity across the continent. This moment, on 22 April at the Costa Carras European Citizens Awards for the Safeguard of Endangered Heritage Ceremony 2026, embodied a deeper truth that Europa Nostra has long championed — that the fight to protect the past is inseparable from the fight to secure Europe's democratic future.
The ceremony, now in its fourth year, arrived at a moment when Europe faces profound challenges to democracy, identity, and social cohesion. From 22 to 25 April, the Delphi Economic Forum 2026 assembled cultural leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors to grapple with these threats. Yet among the strategists and officials, the real story belonged to the citizens — ordinary people in cities and villages who have chosen to become stewards of their heritage. This year's awards attracted 41 applications from across Europe and beyond, a testament to the growing momentum of grassroots action in heritage preservation.
The Gold Award went to the Citizens Association of Podbara "Almašani" from Serbia, recognised for two decades of tireless work to safeguard the historic Almaš district of Novi Sad. Dr. Marijan Mijan spoke of their "20-year-long journey through cultural heritage," while colleague Violeta Jerković reflected on how cooperation, dialogue, and shared values could sustain both heritage and democracy itself. The Silver Award honoured the Volunteer Cultural Association "Agapame Desylla" from Greece, a small grassroots initiative revitalising a rural community in the Peloponnese through cultural and environmental action. Founder Marios Gkrogkos offered a simple yet profound reminder: "when you love a place, you can make it flourish."
These awardees illustrate a central truth underscored throughout the ceremony: Europe's heritage is safeguarded not by institutions alone, but by committed citizens — in neighbourhoods and villages alike. Lydia Carras, President of ELLINIKI ETAIRIA and chair of the award ceremony, spoke directly to the moral weight of this moment. "We live in a world devastated by wars, conflict — some very close ones — and democracies are once more in danger in many parts of our planet," she said. "The citizens who won these Awards today should give us hope."
The forum also featured strategic conversations with senior European figures, including António Costa, President of the European Council, about the importance of cultural heritage for Europe's long-term resilience and unity. Support came from the European Investment Bank, with Mariana Nathanael emphasising cultural heritage as a vector for sustainable tourism, skills development, and social inclusion.
From Novi Sad's urban neighbourhoods to a small village in the Peloponnese, the 2026 awards demonstrated that at a time when democratic values face renewed pressure, citizens have the power to protect not only the past, but to build a vision for the future — one rooted in shared European values, active participation, and respect for the places they call home.