The European Commission and Europa Nostra announced the winners today, June 12. The award is presented in five categories, and Secrets of the Ice won in the “research” category. Europe’s most prestigious heritage awards are given to 30 winners from 24 countries across the continent.
The winners were selected by a jury consisting of eleven heritage experts from across Europe. In 2025, 251 projects were evaluated, resulting in 30 worthy winners.
The awards will be presented in Brussels on October 13.
Jury’s statement: Secrets of the Ice is a pioneering research and outreach program in Innlandet County, Norway, that has documented over 4,500 artifacts, more than half of the world’s glacier archaeological finds. By combining scientific innovation, methodology, teaching, and public engagement, the program highlights the acute consequences of climate change for high-altitude archaeology.
Secrets of the Ice is a groundbreaking example of how heritage research can respond to the effects of global warming, employing methodologies that have international relevance for mountainous and Arctic regions. The program’s strong scientific output, interdisciplinary approach, and active involvement of young researchers are highly commendable.
Humble and Proud
The partners in Secrets of the Ice are extremely pleased with the recognition that the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025 represents for the glacier archaeology preservation program.
– We are humble and proud to receive this important award for our work with glacier archaeology in Innlandet. Climate change is having a significant impact and is acutely visible in the Norwegian mountains. Melting ice and archaeological finds have become the foremost symbols of these changes. This award motivates us to continue our efforts to safeguard a unique part of Europe’s cultural heritage and to communicate to the world about the past, present, and future at the roof of Norway. We look forward to receiving the award in Brussels in October, says Kurt Ole Linn, Cultural Director of Innlandet County Municipality, Aud Valborg Tønnessen, Director of the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, and Mai Bakken, Managing Director of the Norwegian Mountain Museum and Climate Park 2469, in a joint statement.
About the Award
The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards was launched by the European Commission in 2002 and has since been managed by Europa Nostra. For 23 years, the awards have served as an important tool to recognize and promote the many values of cultural heritage for Europe’s culture, society, economy, and environment.
The awards have highlighted and disseminated knowledge about outstanding work and best practices in cultural heritage across Europe, encouraged cross-border knowledge exchange, and connected actors within the field of heritage in larger networks. The awards have provided significant benefits for the winners, including increased national and international attention, more funding, and more visitors. Additionally, the awards have contributed to greater awareness and care for our common cultural heritage among Europe’s citizens.
Award Ceremony during the European Summit
The winners will be honored on October 13 at the European Heritage Awards ceremony 2025 in Flagey, Brussels, Belgium. EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef and Europa Nostra President Hermann Parzinger will participate in the event.
During the ceremony, the winners of the Grand Prix and Public Choice Award will be announced. These will be selected from this year’s winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards and will each receive €10,000. The award ceremony will be a highlight of the European Summit for Heritage 2025 in Brussels, October 12–14.