Deadline: 30-Apr-23
Nominees are now invited to submit their nominations for the 2023 Edition of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.
The purpose of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes (“the Prize”) is to reward outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world’s major cultural landscapes. It bears the name of Melina Mercouri, a precursor of integrated conservation and sustainable development, former Minister of Culture of Greece.
The objective of the Prize is in conformity with UNESCO’s policies and is related to the Programme of the Organization in the field of Culture, the overall strategy of the World Heritage Committee, and the priorities set out in the C/5 on the enhancement of management of World Heritage properties. The prize is in line with the categories for cultural landscapes as approved by the World Heritage Committee at its sixteenth session, held in Santa Fe, United States of America, in December 1992. This decision recognized the protection of cultural landscapes in the framework of the World Heritage Convention (1972). The prize enhances the linkages between culture and development, through capacity-building and sharing of knowledge.
Designation, Amount and Periodicity of the Prize
- The Prize shall be entitled “UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes”.
- The Prize shall be funded by the Greek Government and shall consist of a recurrent payment of US $75,000 every two years. The cash value of the Prize shall be US $30,000, as determined by the Director-General in consultation with the donor on the basis of the contribution received, the interest on the sum deposited in the special account, in accordance with the Financial Regulations of UNESCO, and the charges to be borne by the account for the cost of administering the Prize. The contribution from the donor shall be received every first year by 15 September, in order to ensure that funds are available well in time before incurring expenditure for the administration of the Prize and for the Prize itself.
- All funds received and the interest accrued thereon shall be kept in a special interest bearing account for the Prize.
- The full staff support and operating/management costs of the Prize, including all costs related to the award ceremony, the meeting of the international jury, and public information activities, estimated at US $45,000 shall be fully covered by the Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO on behalf of the Greek Government. To this end, the Director-General will determine a mandatory management cost amount to be applied and charged against the funds in the special account, which is to be established under the financial regulations for the Prize.
- The Prize shall be awarded every two years, on an initial basis for three biennia, to only one laureate. No honourable mentions shall be awarded.
What is a Cultural Landscape?
Cultural landscapes, defined as the combined works of nature and people, embody a long and intimate relationship between people and their natural environment. Whether found in urban or rural settings, they are all the fruits of diverse human-nature interactions, and thus serve as a living testimony to the evolution of human societies.
Some cultural landscapes are designed and created intentionally by people (such as garden and parkland landscapes), while others evolve organically over time. In some cases, this process is “fossilized” in material form (such as those found in prehistoric caves and rock shelters), while others continue to evolve and are still playing an active role in contemporary society (such as cultivated terraces). Some cultural landscapes are considered sacred, especially in places where people possess powerful cultural, religious and often ancestral associations with their natural surroundings.
What kind of Challenges are they facing?
- Degradation due to unplanned infrastructure development and urbanization, modernization of land-use techniques, pollution, civil unrest or unsustainable tourism;
- Increasing disaster risks and the impact of climate change;
- Abandonment or lack of people to manage landscapes, due to depopulation, aging of populations, and changes in traditional ways of life and knowledge systems.
Eligibility Criteria
- Individuals, institutions, other entities, communities or non-governmental organizations (in official partnerships with UNESCO or not) that have made a significant contribution to the safeguarding, management and enhancement of the world’s major cultural landscapes.
- Who may submit nominations for the Prize?
- A self-nomination cannot be considered.
- Government agencies of UNESCO Member States, in consultation with their National Commissions for UNESCO;
- NGOs in official partnerships with UNESCO;
- International, regional and national professional, academic and non-governmental organizations active in the field of cultural landscapes.
For more information, visit UNESCO.