The European Heritage Days take place each year in September as a joint initiative of the Council of Europe (since 1985) and the European Union (since 1999). Sometimes known as « Heritage Open Days » or translated in the different languages spoken across the 48 participating countries, this unique opportunity to visit outstanding buildings attracts each year millions of visitors in various sites, which are usually closed to the general public.
The cultural heritage is at the core of this myriad of events. However, there is increasing awareness that nature and culture actually come together. This is particularly visible in the picture which was chosen for this year’s European Heritage Days : taken during the 2025 Open Monumentendag in Flanders, Belgium, the photo shows the relationship that different generations may have to a heritage which is not only made of buildings, but also of their natural surroundings – in this particular case, a body of water which may be a pond or a river. The official brochure for events’ organisers highlights climate change as one of the most pressing challenges to cultural heritage : « Historic buildings, archaeological sites, and natural landscapes are vulnerable to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and environmental degradation. Climate change threatens living heritage as well by disrupting the cultural practices, traditions, and knowledge systems deeply tied to specific environments. » (p.8)
Organisers of events under the EHD banner know well that heritage is not only about old stones. While parishes and Christian communities are getting organised to highlight some of their remarkable places for the general public, it becomes crystal clear how much nature is an entire part of our common heritage, especially under this year’s overarching theme : “Heritage at Risk: Revive, Resist, Reimagine”.
In the town of Beauvais, north of Paris, the protestant temple is on a street which was built on a riverbed, which may cause regular floods that endanger the building. The fates of cultural and natural heritage are intertwined : the EHD are an opportunity for local residents to engage in dialogue, share knowledge about the natural way of water and wisdom about how to live with the river.
In the Surrey countryside, South of London, the project to revive an unhealthy stagnant pond was born among the Christian community of retired people living at the « College of St Barnabas ». To that end, a survey was conducted by a pond specialist in March, and the local ecosystem is being brought back to life step by step : clearance of the surrounding banks, removal of self-seeding plants, water oxygenation to support biodiversity. The plan is to be ready for the Heritage Open Days, but signs of hope may be seen already now in this phase of preparation :
“Due to deprivation of sunlight because of the surrounding tree canopies, a large amount of duck weed was removed and the newts could then be seen happily swimming to the surface to enjoy the new experience. There will also be a variety of considered plants to attract different species such as the dragonflies.”
There is just a short step to the Season of Creation, and ECEN encourages to take it. The Heritage Days are a real opportunity for Churches and Christian communities to show that natural heritage matters to us, and that we are taking action to protect it. “Renewing our passion for creation” also means doing our best to revive our natural heritage, to resist the destruction of creation and to reimagine our ways of life so that nature and culture may finally be considered all at once. Therefore, let us get prepared to open our churches for the Heritage Days! Exhibitions about water, workshops on natural heritage, restoration of degraded rivers with the local communities... there are plenty of ways to bear witness and to share our commitment for Creation!
Claire des Mesnards