PRESS RELEASE
***FOR RELEASE ON 3 JUNE***
Secular Europe backs religious heritage
4 out of 5 Europeans think that religious buildings are essential for community life, and want them
used more widely. A poll run in April 2014 by the network Future for Religious Heritage (FRH),
conducted by Sociovision and Toluna, shows that Europeans of all generations have a strong
attachment to their religious buildings and want to safeguard them for the future.
6,000 Europeans from France, Germany, UK, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden
were asked to rank the importance of religious heritage for their cultural heritage, the importance of
religious heritage conservation for their community’s current and future life, and the possibility of
churches and other religious buildings being open for non religious activities.
The poll shows that 84% of Europeans of all ages (18<) in all the regions polled agree that European
shared religious heritage – the 500,000 buildings themselves and their contents with a history dating
back well over a 1,000 years – represents a unique and essential part of Europe’s cultural heritage and
are a key element of European identity.
Europe’s religious buildings have stood central to its communities for hundreds of years and continue
to play an integral part in community life today. 79% of people polled also believe that they have a
crucial part to play for the future survival of their communities.
The poll shows that 87% of European citizens are also very open to the idea of promoting religious
buildings and their architectural or artistic treasures to tourists.
72% of Europeans also think that, as well as worship, religious buildings should be open to other
activities.
Olivier de Rohan-Chabot, President of FRH says:
“Europe’s religious heritage is under threat and the buildings are often ill adapted to the needs of
modern society . Knowledge transfer and innovation will be needed on a European level if this
remarkable patrimony is to be handed down to future generations.”
NOTE TO EDITORS
Future for Religious Heritage (FRH) is the European network for historic places of worship.
FRH is a non-religious organisation open to all, with members in over 30 countries.
It is the only network of charities, governmental, religious and university departments that work to
protect religious heritage buildings and interiors across Europe. Initiated as a grass-roots movement, it
has been set up to act as a catalyst for change in the sector, to help those active in the management of
Europe’s sacred heritage and to provide them with some of the tools to facilitate their task.
The aims of the association are to promote, encourage and support the safeguard, maintenance,
conservation, restoration, accessibility and the embellishment of places of worship, their contents and
their history.
FRH sets out to:
- Promote Europe’s rich religious heritage, which is a shared resource for cultural, social and
economic development and European identity.
- Raise awareness of the threats facing Europe’s religious heritage.
- Provide a communication platform for those working to protect Europe’s religious heritage.
- Share expertise and experience on common challenges as well as promote successful initiatives on
a European level.
- Professionalise the sector by disseminating and developing knowledge.
- Identify areas where a Europe-wide response is appropriate and influence policy-makers on behalf
of our members.
FRHs ambition is to provide a strong structural framework for on-going inter-cultural and -sectorial
exchanges of ideas and problems regarding religious heritage protection, conservation and
management, with active participation from organisations and individuals across Europe.
INTERVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE FROM:
France
UK
Netherlands
Belgium
CONTACT
Olivier de Rohan-Chabot, President of FRH and of the Sauvegarde de l’Art
Française
Michael Hoare, Treasurer of FRH
Lilian Grootswagers, Secretary of FRH, Vice-President of the Task Force Toekomst
Kerkgebouwen
Thomas Coomans, Council Member of FRH, Professor in the Department of
Architecture and the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation, at the
Katholieke Univeriteit Leuven
Giannalia Cogliandro, Council Member of FRH, and Secretary General of ENCATC
Leena Seim, Executive Officer, Future for Religious Heritage
Mobile: +32 471 66 37 36 leena.seim@frh-europe.org
67 Rue de Tréves, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium - www frh-europe.org
Registered ASBL Belgium No. 839745430