European heritage label seeks to bind EU states
In an effort to create a sense of shared history, the European Union has launched an initiative to promote important sites of culture and heritage across its 27 member states and the continent.
The European Heritage label -- modelled on the U.N. World Heritage programme -- brings together dozens of locations that have had a part to play in forging the culture and history of modern Europe.
The label has already been awarded to 64 places, from Poland's Gdansk shipyards, a hotbed of the Solidarity movement that helped bring an end to communism, to the Acropolis in Athens, a relic of ancient Greece and a symbol of democracy.
The European Commission formally signed off on the idea this week, and it will now be expanded across the union, with each member state allowed to nominate two sites for the label each year, although only one, at most, will be chosen.
In its sweep, the initiative seeks to contribute to the political and economic integration of Europe by binding its 4,000-year-old history and culture more tightly together, and building on the European City of Culture programme that has been running since the 1980s.
Cypriot Androulla Vassiliou, the European commissioner in charge of education, culture, multilingualism and youth, believes the initiative will give the European Union's 500 million citizens a better sense of where they have come from.
For young people particularly, she hopes it will be educational and contribute to cultural tourism throughout the bloc, which will in turn have economic benefits.
"There will be new opportunities to learn about our common yet diverse cultural heritage, about the history and the building of the European Union, and about the democratic values and human rights that underpin European integration," she said.
Costing less than 1 million euros ($1.4 million) a year to administer, she said the initiative had a price that was "small compared to the potential educational and tourist benefits."
Other notable sites already awarded the label include the Palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete, the palace of the popes in Avignon, France, and the birthplaces of Italian composers Rossini, Puccini and Verdi.
Switzerland, while not a member of the European Union, has had three sites recognised, including the Hospice of St. Gothard high in the Alps that has been a stopping off and treacherous passage point between north and south Europe for centuries.
Although the label idea was begun by France, Hungary and Spain four years ago, the Commission has only now given its formal backing. Its support should raise the profile of the scheme and make it possible to promote it more widely.
The timing would appear to be right. An online poll conducted by the Commission last May showed that 58 percent of people were unaware there was even a European Heritage label.
At the same time, 89 percent of the 220 polled said the idea would help define a European identity, and 90 percent said it was good that the Commission was backing it.
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Max Farrugia
Mar 13th 2010, 22:46
@Jesmond MIcallef. Yes with regards to equipment you are right. Apart from these engines there is other equipment. I have personally insisted with the Corporation Enemalta, were I used to work, to convert this underground power station into a Museum. I also made some research about this place and articles where pubblished in the Enemalta inhouse magazine. It seems that there is no interest at all to safeguard this heritage. It is shameful that this powerstation was converted into an asbestos store. Very recently i took the abestos case with the WasteServe and was informed that they can do nothing becasue a private entity is involved. This means that this site will remain in this state for good. I urge the Minister responsible to investigate and see what can be done. i am sure that as in other sectors Non Government Organisations will be more than pleased to help. At the Enemalta archives there are a lot of records from thbis station which my friend and I saved some years back.
Jesmond Micallef
Mar 14th 2010, 12:33
Max, when I was an ESTS apprentice with Enemalta, I was stationed there for a short while. I also remember at sometime during the mid eighties, that the engines were given an overhaul but unfortunately missed the opportunity to see them in operation !! Those diesel-electric generators were still commisioned by then as a form of emergency power generation.
What you have described here is not good news !!! Considering that various foundations on the islands that do their very best in order to conserve the wealthy heritage, still more needs to be done. I have visited very specific places in the UK, Germany and France simply because of my interest in the history of science and technology. This place in Malta should be restored somehow and converted to an Industrial Museum. I am very sure that alot of labour went into digging those caves out of solid rock there.
We read about the landscaping problems Malta has with high rise buildings and what is being done to places like this one here.................... ???
There is good potential for the environment and tourism here, but one step at a time I guess !!!
Max Farrugia
Mar 13th 2010, 10:22
@ A Wirth, Most of the machinery installed at the Corradino Power station dates back to the Seoncd world war. This power station the British used to call it the caves. The engineer who commissioned the station was brought over to Malta on a navyal ship and about five years ago I had a meeting with one of his relatives who came purposely to Malta to see this station. Some of the machinery was already available when the new engines arrived and were used at the Docks and later transfered to this underground station during the war. This power station is not only a european heritage but a world heritage due to the fact that diesel engine of this type are very rare and can be counted on one hand. Up to the begining of the 80's these engines were still in good working condition. I know for sure that the Indistrial Heritage Association showed interest in this heritage. They can partner with Enemalta to save the machinery. Anyone who needs photos or information on this power station can contact me. A photo of this station is available in the book Internament u l-Ezilju which I pubblished in 2008.
Adrian Wirth
Mar 12th 2010, 11:50
Max Farrugia is quite correct in identifying the Corradino Underground Power Station as a site that calls for preservation -irrespective of the EU's latest scheme. We appear to have preserved little if anything of industrial heritage value and from what I gather from third parties the engineering machinery and equipment still at the site could well be the sole remaining examples of late 19th and early 20th centuary electrical engineering in Europe.
Very much in favour - but whom within the bureaucracy ought to take 'ownership' of such a project.
I believe E.U. Funding should be available for aspects the preservation and restoration as has been the case elsewhere in Europe.
Any suggestions as to in whose remit this project might lie ?
Mary Galea
Mar 12th 2010, 04:31
Malta should rate for this nomenclature, too. We HAVE everything, although very small. Our pre history is older than that of Knossos, and as for the siege of 1565, it saved Europe, as was acknowledged at the time, even by Elizabeth the 1st of England. Then, the second siege during the second world war. Of course we certainly have a strong claim. It may also help us get back the sword and poniard,( stolen by Napoleon), which was presented to La Vallette after the great Siege by Philip 11 OF Spain which has been kept at the Louvre, Paris, and now only marked simply as` a sword and poniard belonging to a grand master of Malta, after Malta had claimed that its rightful place was here, I was shocked to see the last labelling, when I'd taken my niece from abroad to see it, having remembered it from when I'd seen it as a child for what it really was.
Jesmond Micallef
Mar 11th 2010, 21:54
I was not aware that Europe has its own equivalent of the UNESCO World Heritage scheme.
Max Farrugia, the underground installation at Corradino is indeed Industrial heritage. If I remember correctly there are two large English Electric Two Stroke Diesel Engines fitted with Salient Pole Generators there. Indeed the last remaining of the type in the world !! The underground network of caves there is also noteworthy. I would seriously consider that place for a very good clean up and renovation. I think, it probably would be better suited as an industrial museum rather then european heritage. The Malta Drydocks may still have redundant old machinery, such as belt driven lathes, steam driven machinery, sand moulding equipment and others which would make a very good collection there.
That is only my own opinion of course.
With my very best wishes.
Max Farrugia
Mar 11th 2010, 18:40
I suggest that one of the sites to be nominated by our country will be either il-Fortizza tas-Salvatur at Kalkara or the underground power station at Corradino. Both sites played an important part during the second world war and at the moment are in a disasterous state. The Fortizza tas-Salvatur, the Labour Government in power gave it to a local architect and it was converted into a pre-stressed concrete factory. At present it is in an abandoned. This is also part of our fortifications heritage. The other site, the Corradino Power Station, which is quite unique in the world because the machinery iy houses, there are still three or so left all over the world, Enemalta Corporation converted it into a storage place for asbestos removed from its premises and of some others too It is a shame that such important buildings with great historical background are left in this state. Action is appreciate to preserve our heritage.
D. Azzopardi
Mar 11th 2010, 22:58
Erm, wouldn't it be better if we nominated something much more important, like the Temples?