Else Sprossa Rønnevig is a true Heritage Champion

Else "Sprossa" Rønnevig is winner of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2024 in the category Heritage Champions.

Over five decades, Else “Sprossa” Rønnevig spearheaded the rescue of old windows, halted the replacement of valuable historic windows, and established clearer regulations for protection, transforming Norway's approach to cultural preservation. Through her work, she has actively involved local communities, fostering pride in their cultural heritage and ensuring knowledge transfer to future generations.

She also played a pivotal role in creating Norwegian Cultural Heritage Days, a nationwide event that highlights the importance of cultural preservation. Rønnevig's innovative methodology involves on-site training in restoration projects, inspiring individuals, both amateurs and professionals, to undertake restoration projects themselves. She has published 12 books on the subject, organised courses, and developed a methodology that has been adopted by volunteers and professionals across Norway.

«Else “Sprossa” Rønnevig is a true inspiration. She has overcome, and indeed defied, the constraints and barriers she faced, and is a great example of someone who has successfully followed a non-traditional path in a heritage career. Her success is owed in part to her positive personality, which helped mobelize and convince a wide range of people of the importance of windows in the restoration of buildings», the Awards’ Jury emphazised.

«Her absolute commitment to authenticity has helped to change the paradigm of how historic windows are perceived by a wider public. Also commendable is her European outlook, for instance in helping bring Norway into the European Heritage Days program», the Jury added.

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Else «Sprossa» Rønnevig (84) fra Lillesand er tildelt De europeiske kulturminneprisene / Europa Nostra Awards 2024 i kategorien Heritage Champion for sin mangeårige innsats for norsk kulturarv.

«I over femti år har Else "Sprossa" Rønnevig vært en spydspiss innen bygningsvernet. Arbeidet startet i hjembyen Lillesand hvor hun kjempet mot utskiftingen av verdifulle historiske vinduer. Hennes innsats bidro til å etablere tydeligere regler for bevaring, noe som har endret Norges tilnærming til kulturminnevern. Gjennom sitt arbeid har hun involvert lokalsamfunn, fremmet deres stolthet over norsk kulturarv og sikret kunnskapsoverføring til fremtidige generasjoner», skriver Europa Nostra i sin begrunnelse.