Manifesto

Manifesto for SAVE Europe's Heritage

Europe abounds in beautiful, historic buildings. Many are highly prized and well looked after. Others stand empty and slowly decay. Still others approach actual collapse or are threatened with demolition. Some are well-known, others deserve to be much better known.

The aims of SAVE Europe's Heritage are:

• To draw public attention to endangered historic buildings and places in the belief that publicity is an essential mean of prompting action and of finding people keen and able to save these buildings from their plight. Again and again, experience has shown that it takes only one dedicated individual or energetic local action group to save a fine building and give it a new lease of life.

• To put forward practical solutions for the rescue and use of historic buildings in danger in the recognition that only a small percentage of these buildings can be preserved purely as showplaces or museums.

• In exceptional cases, to prepare and implement schemes for the rescue of individual buildings to show that rescue is possible and viable.

To these ends SAVE Europe's Heritage will issue press releases, prepare feasibility studies, publish illustrated reports and mount exhibitions.

SAVE Europe's Heritage concern will extend to buildings of all dates, in the knowledge that outstanding buildings of recent date may be under imminent threat, and will extend to modest vernacular buildings as well as major architectural setpieces.