CUEBC - European University Centre for Cultural Heritage, Ravello - Italy


Project Team

  • South Italian cave art records: Claude Livadie, Marica De Simone

Since 1983, in Ravello, in the magnificent Villa Rufolo, the European University Centre for Cultural Heritage of Ravello has been the first tangible example of the Council of Europe’s realisation of the usefulness of "centre of excellence" in various sectors of research and scientific training. At the same time it is an experimental laboratory dealing with scientific research and specialist matters, which is part of the auspicious European University for Cultural Heritage.

With reference to traditional universities, on one hand the Centre follows their usual research and training activities, but on the other hand it is characterised by:

  • the international dimension: since culture knows no bounds, Ravello has now become a medium for co-operation and friendship, a "forge" as it were for a united Europe; the Centre’s schemes are also being carried out with equal commitment in other European cities, and its representatives are present more and more in meetings on a world-wide scale;
  • interdisciplinarity: as it is fully aware of the unity of culture (l’Esprit de Ravello), the Centre operates on an interdisciplinary basis. In this way it is possible to overcome the contradiction between the single subject of cultural heritage and the natural interest of Universities for every field of culture.

For these characteristics, which allow the Centre to provide for needs the traditional universities are not able to accomplish, it has thus become a meeting place for specialists and experts, as well as an appreciated training centre.

The Centre has organised, up to now, 31 intensive courses and about 100 among workshops, round tables and conferences. It publishes its activity in its own collection.

The European Centre carries out also a subsidiary promoting activity, following the tested formula "research-training-intervention".

In this view, in a series of meetings organised by the Centre in agreement with the Council of Europe, the Civil Protection Ministers of Mediterranean Europe drew up the guidelines for an Open Partial Agreement for the Prevention of, Protection against, and Organisation of Relief in Major Natural and Technological Hazards (EUR.OPA Major Hazards), and the Centre represents the reference for cultural heritage.

Besides, the Centre carries out, in agreement with the European Union, programmes for the protection and re-evaluation of the widespread common resources (the so-called minor monuments), that is those hand-manufactured goods which express the history, the tradition, the civilisation and the culture of different populations and which constitute the environment of the great monuments: therefore plans are underway for a special project during the next decade dealing with the study and protection of the so-called minor cultural heritage.

At present the European Community, UNESCO, IDNDR and other European and world-wide institutions greatly value the Centre and make sound use of the work it produces. European governments and international institutions have taken up on the scheme the Centre drew up against major natural and technological hazard, establishing a system of scientific research work and organising prevention and rescue measures.

In particular, the Centre has joined the 2000 awareness-raising campaign launched by the Council of Europe "Europe, a common heritage", by means of three transnational projects: European Observatory on Cultural Tourism, New methodologies for the knowledge of European cultural heritage, Atlas of Seismic Cultures .

For its activity, the Centre is a scientific and cultural landmark at international level and an effective tool for European integration.

Address

CUEBC, Ravello - Italy

CUEBC, Ravello - Italy
The Villa Rufolo hosts the CUEBC at Ravello, Italy


CUEBC, Ravello - Italy
The Villa Rufolo hosts the CUEBC at Ravello, Italy


EuroPreArt home