Sixteen sites were named by the independent selection panel set up by the European Commission to receive the European Heritage Label (EHL) out of a total of 36 sites that had been submitted for pre-selection in view of their roles in European history and the activities they have developed to highlight their European dimension.  From Greece, the Heart of Ancient Athens was selected.

The area consists of the Acropolis and surrounding regions that include Pnyx Hill, the Ancient and Roman agorae, Hadrian’s Library and the nearby Kerameikos Cemetery. The area reached the EHL shortlist because it is believed to have played a crucial role in the European culture and identity.

The independent selection panel in charge of assessing the applications on the basis of the established criteria recommended the 16 sites for the Label, however the EC will reach its formal decision by mid-February 2015.

The other 15 sites selected include Munster and Osnabruck of Westphalia in Germany, Hambach Castle in Germany, the Archive of the Crown of Aragon in Spain, the Residencia de Estudiantes in Spain, the Abbey of Cluny in France, Robert Schuman’s House in France, the Pan-European Picnic Memorial Park in Hungary, Museo Casa Alcide De Gasperi in Italy, the Kaunas of 1919-1940 in Lithuania, the Union of Lublin in Poland, the May 3, 1791 Constitution in Poland, the historic Gdansk Shipyard in Poland, the General Library of the University of Coimbra in Portugal, the Charter of Law of Abolition of the death penalty in Portugal and the Franja Partisan Hospital of Slovenia.

The labeled sites will be entitled to display a plaque bearing the logo of the European Heritage Label, and will be integrated into the EU’s communication and promotion strategy for the European Heritage Label, thus enjoying greater visibility for their sites.

Finally, winners will be invited to attend the annual site managers’ conference where they can benefit from networking opportunities and peer learning.

The European Heritage Label award ceremony for the 2014 sites will take place on 16 April 2015 in Brussels, at the Solvay Library. The European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Citizenship, Tibor Navracsics, together with European political representatives and independent experts in the field, should attend the ceremony.