European Days of Conservation-Restoration 2025

E.C.C.O. is a confederation of national organisations across Europe, which has as its mission the safeguarding of Cultural Heritage for society through high standards in the professional practice of Conservation-Restoration.

For E.C.C.O., the celebration of the European Days of Conservation-Restoration, in the legacy of EYCH2018, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the value-laden outcomes, which Conservation-Restoration can provide for Cultural Heritage and Society. This initiative provides the incentive to highlight the many projects, iconic or otherwise, which our members have directly been responsible for or, participated in, across the member states of the EU and which demonstrate the ways in which Conservation-Restoration contributes to our understanding of and engagement with our Cultural Heritage. Conservation-Restoration is a paradigm; it is a way of approaching Cultural Heritage to ensure its sustainable access and use for the benefit of all. While it is an approach in which all of society can and does participate in, at a professional level the specific training, education and experience resources the Conservator-Restorer with the tools to advocate on behalf of Cultural Heritage and to reveal or add new knowledge where such knowledge can also significantly enhance value.

This expertise is required to enable Europeans to engage positively and constructively with the tangible palimpsest of human history which is so densely and multi-layered across Europe. It also helps Conservator-Restorers themselves to engage ever more constructively in this dialogue and negotiation.

Conservation-Restoration is a catalyst for sustainable development through innovation and research in the field of Cultural Heritage while knowledge and education in the field of Cultural Heritage is very attractive to younger generations. More and more women are studying the profession of Conservation-Restoration. Student groups are active and vocal in their national associations and the voices of this young generation are heard at European level through membership of E.C.C.O. by these same professional bodies. All Committee members of E.C.C.O. are themselves Conservator-Restorers in professional practice: employed in museums, self-employed, as professors and educators in University; all work across many different specialisations and are nominated by the professional body in their country. There is therefore, a structure in place, which directly links the individual professional to representation at European level.