Municipalities today

Until September 12, 2025, everyone can vote online in support of the Bulgarian project “The Art of Protecting Bedechka, Stara Zagora,” which has received a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in the category “Citizens’ Engagement and Awareness Raising.”

The story of Bedechka Park in Stara Zagora has brought Bulgaria a prestigious Europa Nostra Award for cultural heritage. The project “The Art of Protecting Bedechka, Stara Zagora” is one of the winners in the “Citizens’ Engagement and Awareness Raising” category of the most renowned cultural heritage awards in Europe. These awards were established in 2002 by the European Commission with support from the Creative Europe program, and they recognize outstanding contributions to the preservation of Europe’s traditions and cultural identity.

The project tells the story of the battle to protect Bedechka Park in Stara Zagora and was carried out by the creative collective “Na Ulicata” (On the Street) and the civic group “Save Bedechka.” Their joint initiative not only stopped construction on this natural site but also turned it into a symbol of community engagement and cultural preservation.

The awards will be presented in October at an official ceremony in Brussels, and until September 12, 2025, you can vote for “The Art of Protecting Bedechka, Stara Zagora” for the Public Choice Award online.

To vote, follow these five simple steps:

1. Go to: https://vote.europanostra.org

2. Find “The Art of Protecting Bedechka” and click “Vote.”

3. Choose two more projects you like and vote for them as well.

4. Fill out the contact form and submit your vote.

5. Confirm your vote via the email you provided (check your Spam folder too).

If the project also wins the Public Choice Award, the creators have announced that the monetary prize will be reinvested into larger-scale events focused on the protection of Bedechka Park.

You can watch the story titled “The Art of Protecting Bedechka, Stara Zagora”  and check out the special short video. https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/winners/the-art-of-protecting-bedechka/ 

https://vimeo.com/showcase/11721113/video/1090106843 

Applications for the 2026 edition of the awards are already open. Submissions can be made online until September 9, 2025.
For more details and information about the awards, visit: https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/facts-figures/