News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 9 April (BelTA) – The National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Nesvizh has been honored with a Europa Nostra 2016 award in the Dedicated Service category, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Culture Ministry.

The jury was impressed with the results of the project to create a museum at the recently renovated former residence of the Radziwill family in Nesvizh. The project was implemented within a few of months. “It was not an easy task to renovate the castle and set up a museum, keeping in mind its poor condition and remoteness from large cities and the capital. The visitor numbers of 400,000 also deserve an award,” said Europa Nostra, the leading European heritage organization. As many as 30 exhibition halls were built as part of the museum project. Today the museum’s holdings comprise over 20,000 items.

It is worth mentioning that the museum maintains contact with former owners of the castle. Now descendants of the Radziwill family live in Poland, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other countries. The Europa Nostra award is also recognition of the respectful attitude of the Nesvizh museum staff to the intricate past of the castle. “The employees of the museum have worked hard inspired by the legacy of the Radziwill family. The respect they demonstrate towards the Radziwills almost a hundred years after they were expelled from their home shows that the family’s European cultural roots are very strong. The staff of the Nesvizh museum can serve as an example to follow,” the European experts believe.

The award ceremony will take place at Zarzuela Theater in Madrid on 24 May. The event will bring together around a thousand heritage professionals, volunteers, and sponsors from different parts of Europe. The winners will present their projects and achievements at the College of Architects of Madrid in the morning on 24 May. They will also take part in the 2016 European Heritage Congress to be held on 22 to 27 May. By the way, Nesvizh Castle is the second Belarusian landmark to have received a Europa Nostra award. A similar prize was given to Mir Castle in 1993.

Europa Nostra is the pan-European federation for cultural heritage supported by a wide network of public bodies, private companies and individuals. Established in 1963, it operates in forty countries of Europe. Europa Nostra is the voice of a citizens’ movement for safeguarding Europe’s cultural and natural heritage.