European Heritage Award for Coral Center Zlarin

The Coral Center Zlarin, a testament to the island's rich history of coral harvesting, has been honored with the prestigious Europa Nostra European Heritage Award. Opened in 2023, the center narrates the story of coral harvesting as the island's most significant cultural heritage and unique characteristic. Visitors can explore its exhibits year-round.

Katarina Gregov, the center's director, stated that the European award is a validation of the collective efforts over the past three years, built upon decades of preserving Zlarin's tradition and love for the island. The Coral Center Zlarin is among 30 award-winning projects from 18 countries, securing its prize in the "Civil Engagement and Awareness Raising" category.

Gorana Barišić Bačelić, director of Tvrđava kulture Šibenik, the institution managing the center, emphasized that the award gains its full meaning on Zlarin, among people whose families have lived by and from the sea for generations. She noted that the center emerged from Zlarin's narrative, aiming not only to preserve heritage but also to imbue it with a new role. Coral, once an economic resource for centuries, now serves as a medium for discussing marine conservation and environmental responsibility through the center's work.

"This is precisely why it is especially important to us that Europa Nostra recognized the Center in the category of citizen engagement and awareness raising," said Barišić Bačelić. The ceremony on Zlarin was attended by numerous guests, including Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary-General of Europa Nostra, and Ranko Lipovac, President of Europa Nostra Croatia. Members of the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities, which won a Europa Nostra award in 2024, were also present.