Why it matters

‘Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.’ has been awarded Europe's most prestigious heritage award, the 2020 Europa Nostra Grand Prix. In the face of Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories and fake news, this matters.

For over 50 years, Europa Nostra has celebrated and protected Europe’s cultural heritage. Much of this has recognised the achievements and contributions of European endeavour, the heights of European art, music and civilization. In 2020, the history and significance of Auschwitz was also inscribed into that collective memory.

‘Europe is facing an alarming & unacceptable rise in nationalism, xenophobia, antisemitism, racism and hate speech. Exhibitions such as “Auschwitz Not long ago Not far away” raise awareness & make lessons from our shared past more tangible,’ said the Jury.

A traumatic past made tangible through 700 original artefacts, the material evidence of genocide and mass atrocity, much of it on public display for the first time.

Auschwitz stands against forgetting, and this exhibition stands against denial and distortion. This award is not only for Musealia and the team that created ‘Auschwitz Not long ago Not far away’ - it is for all those who care about truth, evidence, and how we know what we know.