We are delighted to invite you to the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2026, taking place from 26 to 30 May in Nicosia, Cyprus, under the motto “Heritage as the Soul of Mare Nostrum”. Organised by Europa Nostra in cooperation with the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia, this Summit is held under the patronage of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, and is supported by the European Union.
Holding this year’s Summit in Cyprus is particularly meaningful. Situated at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, Cyprus embodies both the complexities and the opportunities of the shared heritage of the Mediterranean — Mare Nostrum. The island’s experience with division and reconciliation efforts offers a powerful backdrop for discussions on heritage as a peace-building instrument.
The Nicosia Summit will gather high-level representatives from EU Institutions, policymakers, heritage professionals and volunteers, civil society actors and other stakeholders from across Europe and beyond.
From the In Varietate Concordia Talk – bringing together leading intellectuals and cultural figures from the wider Mediterranean region to reflect on the shared heritage that has shaped its civilisations across millennia – to the European Heritage Awards Ceremony – celebrating the extraordinary achievements of the winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2026 – the Nicosia Summit will highlight the (geo)political, societal, economic and environmental relevance of cultural heritage for Europe and the wider Mediterranean.
The European Heritage Policy Agora will explore how cultural heritage can drive sustainable development across the Mediterranean. It will show how initiatives linking cultural and natural heritage strengthen climate action, boost the resilience of the heritage ecosystem, and promote inclusive communities.
The European Heritage Hub Forum will focus on cultural heritage as a powerful vector of peace across the Mediterranean, with special emphasis on the Middle East. It will highlight projects of Europe-Middle East cooperation, demonstrating how sustained collaboration between European civil society organisations and local partners from the Middle East can strengthen community resilience and foster peaceful engagement.
Find information about the main events of the Summit here. The full Programme of the Summit – including the Welcome Reception hosted by the Mayor of Nicosia, the Europa Nostra General Assembly, the Cultural Visits, and the Programme organised and hosted by the Turkish Cypriot Members of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Nicosia –, can be found here.
We are immensely grateful to all partners and supporters of the Nicosia Summit. A special thanks goes to our main European partner, the European Commission, to our long-standing supporter from Cyprus, The A. G. Leventis Foundation, and to our new supporter from the UK, the Cultural Protection Fund of the British Council.
We sincerely hope that diplomatic talks will soon lead to a de-escalation and eventual halt of the current alarming spiral of hostilities in the Middle East, and that the geopolitical tensions in the region will not undermine our plans to welcome many of you in Nicosia: our members, partners and supporters, representatives of the EU Institutions, national, regional and local authorities, and private foundations as well as heritage enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond. Together, let us further intensify our collaboration without frontiers in support of the shared heritage and values of Europe and of Humanity as a whole.
For more information, please click here.