Historic gardens, city parks, botanical gardens and other green spaces will be a symbol of this year’s European Heritage Days in Switzerland. Taking place for the 23rd time, Swiss Denkmaltage (Heritage Days) festival will celebrate urban green areas and their value for improving the quality of modern lifestyle, as well as for building a sustainable future.

The theme is designed to support the initiative titled “The Year of Gardens,” which will be marked across the country throughout the year 2016. Aiming to promote the need for environmental protection and conservation of Swiss gardens, parks and urban oases, the initiative emphasizes the role these spaces have in the everyday life of modern citizens. They represent spaces for encounters, relaxation and reconnection with nature, which is why they positively complement today’s hectic lifestyle and contribute to improving its quality.  

In addition to this, the green areas are a part of functional and environmentally-friendly landscapes that represent the heritage for future generations. This is why it is important to highlight the importance of this topic today and actively promote it in various different ways. With these ideas in mind, the Year of Gardens campaign will last from April to October 2016, when numerous workshops, lectures and exhibitions will be organized across Switzerland to highlight the beauty and value of urban oases.

One of the biggest exhibitions dedicated to the theme will take place in Museum Rietberg, Zurich, where visitors will have an opportunity to discover the magic and history of the most beautiful gardens around the world. The Gardens of the World Exhibition will be taking place until October 2016 and will help visitors discover the true beauty of the green spaces around us. Besides this, a number of schools, museums and other cultural institutions in the country will organize engaging events to support the initiative and promote its ideas among the people of all ages and interests. The full calendar for the Year of Gardens campaign can be seen here.

Given all the beautiful gardens and parks of Switzerland, the explorers of nature and culture will enjoy lots of exciting events throughout the year. Within European Heritage Days which will take place on 10th and 11th September, the visitors will have an opportunity to discover the magic of green spaces and learn how they can help in preserving them for future generations. This is yet another dimension of the European Heritage Days festival that will demonstrate how present generations can influence the creation, conservation and improvement of future heritage.

Everyone who wishes to register an event for European Heritage Days in Switzeland is welcome to sign up via the official website of Swiss Information Centre for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Photos courtesy of: http://www.gartenjahr2016.ch/medien/