Prince Charles congratulated in a video message the Romanian volunteers of the ‘Ambulance for Monuments’ project, who were announced on Thursday as winners of the Europa Nostra/European Heritage Award in the Education, Training and Awareness-raising category, Agerpres reports.
The Prince of Wales told the awardees that he is “full of admiration” for what they have done over the last few years “to save so many of the beautiful but very endangered historic buildings in Romania.”
“It is a remarkable achievement and it comes as no surprise to hear now that your dedication has been recognized by ‘Europa Nostra’ and that you have won an award for all the inspiring work you carried out for others, and in recognition of this, I wanted to send you my most heartfelt congratulations and to say how enormously proud I am of everything you do.”
He also remarked that during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, two ambulances have been used to transport food and protective equipment to the elderly and doctors in Sibiu County.
On this occasion, the Prince of Wales praised Romania for its beauties and “immensely rich” architectural heritage.
“Romania has such an immensely rich architectural legacy some of which I’ve been fortunate enough to see during my visits to Romania over the past twenty years. This is why I will continue to do what I can to help you preserve the extraordinary treasures that still exist in your country and which form a unique part of your and Europe’s cultural patrimony.”
“I can only hope that ever more Romanians will come together to save this exceptional heritage, for future generations to admire and from which to learn valuable lessons about the sustainability and timeless living traditions,” Prince Charles said in his message.
The Prince of Wales also expressed his hope that the Romanians will manage to survive “during these difficult times and this terrible virus.”
Through the prize presented by the European Commission, the ‘Ambulance for Monuments’, a project running in the counties of Alba, Brasov, Cluj, Hunedoara, Maramures, Mures and Sibiu, wins the most important European distinction in the field of heritage and enters the competition for the Public Choice Award in an online vote that started Thursday.
The awards gala will take place in Brussels in 2021, with the high participation of representatives of the European Commission and Europa Nostra.
“In its four years of existence, the ‘Ambulance for Monuments’ has meant interventions on (…) historical monuments, 10,500 members of local communities made aware of the value of their own heritage, 22 exhibitions, 5 minitrucks equipped with tools and equipment, 233 volunteers involved and 73 partners and sponsors. The project is set to extend this year to the counties of Arges, Botosani, Dambovita, Dolj, Gorj, Iasi, Mehedinti, Prahova and Suceava. HRH The Prince of Wales is the main supporter of the project through The Prince’s Foundation and the Anglo-Romanian Trust for Traditional Architecture,” said the project’s coordinator Eugen Vaida.
Photography courtesy of AP / Andreea Alexandru
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