Since its establishment in 1983, the European University Centre for Cultural Heritage has primarily focused its activities on the enhancement of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, regarding it as a strategic and indispensable driver for territorial development and community growth. Over time, the Centre has become a forum for discussion and reflection on concrete initiatives to leverage cultural resources; furthermore, since 2006—through the organization of “Ravello Lab – International Colloquia” in partnership with Federculture and the National School of Cultural Heritage and Activities—it has gained increasing prominence in the European debate regarding the role of culture in the development of territories across the Union. Drawing on the experience gained to date and aiming to promote knowledge and the exchange of best practices in the enhancement of cultural heritage, the Centre—acting on a proposal from its Scientific Committee—decided in 2018 to launch an annual survey of enhancement initiatives carried out in Italy over the preceding year. The initiative involves selecting and rewarding the best projects, with the goal of disseminating knowledge about them within the cultural heritage sector and encouraging others to emulate them. The initiative comprises two distinct sections: one reserved for public bodies and the other for private entities.
Since 2020, a need has been identified to support projects focused on the accessibility, enhancement, and preservation of heritage assets, implemented as a response to the epidemiological emergency.