The announcement of the nominees for the 20th National Prize for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments for the year 2022 took place at the Museum of Decorative Arts in the capital.

Photo: Taken from Habana Radio

 Havana Radio reports that the candidates were presented to the accredited press by Vilma Rodriguez, director of Monuments of the National Council of Cultural Heritage, and Vilma Leyva, specialist of the Vice-Presidency of Monuments, in addition to the presence of Alain Garcia, vice-president of the National Council of Cultural Heritage.

In her opening remarks, Vilma Rodriguez retraced the origins of the celebration of this Award, which will be held this year for the twentieth time. Its existence dates back to the International Day for Monuments and Sites, celebrated every April 18 since 1982, at the proposal of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and approved by UNESCO.

According to this media Vilma Rodriguez announced: "This year, the theme that presides over the event is Heritage and Climate, especially in response to the problems that are being faced in the conservation of heritage due to Climate Change".

She also stressed that this year, 2022, the National Prize for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments is dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the inclusion of Havana's Historic Center and its fortress system in the World Heritage List.

Vilma Rodriguez celebrated the total increase of four nominees to this event, with ten in the Conservation category and eight in the Restoration category, and the incorporation of three new provinces compared to the attendance to the event held last 2021. However, the absence of nominees in both categories from the provinces of Artemisa, Guantánamo and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud was regretted.

Architects Vilma Rodriguez and Vilma Leyva announced the nominees. Photo: Taken from Habana Radio

The specialist of the Vice Presidency of Monuments, Vilma Leyva, before announcing the nominees, listed the organizations and their respective representatives, who make up the jury.

She specified that the first of these five organizations is the National Monuments Commission, represented by architect Dr. Luis Alberto Rueda; UNAI, represented by Jill Robaina; UNEAC, represented by Andrés Garrudo; ICONOS, represented by Master architect René Gutierrez; and Alexis J. Rouco, represented by the Faculty of Architecture. The members of the jury have been deliberating since March, and as of today, they are very close to reaching a consensus on the winners to be awarded on April 18.

Among the nominees, listed by specialist Leyva, Vilma Rodriguez highlighted a private house in Cienfuegos, the Ceja del Negro Work, in Pinar del Rio, and other candidates, as examples of the diversity of actors who carry out conservation works. The restoration category, on the other hand, has a very close competition with outstanding works such as those undertaken in the Atarés Castle, in Havana; those of the Hacienda El Abanico, in Sancti Spíritus; and those carried out in the Railway Museum, Camagüey.

House in Vedado. Photo: Taken from Excelencias 

For the capital in the conservation category was nominated the work of the Casa del Vedado, located on 23rd Street No. 664 between D and E in the Vedado district of the Plaza de la Revolución municipality, represented by Ademar Ramirez Blanco.

Meanwhile, Enma Vergara, Tatiana Quesada and José Mario Mirabal aspire to the restoration award for their work Castillo de Atarés.

The award ceremony for the winners will take place on April 18.

Ceremony at the Castillo de Atarés. Photo: Irene Pérez

Nominees for the 2022 National Award for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments