The Giardini Reali of Venice, an ancient area overlooking St. Mark's Square basin, has received further prestigious recognition within the European Awards for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards 2023 framework. The Giardini Reali won the Grand Prix for the careful restoration and conservation work promoted and carried out by the Venice Gardens Foundation, chaired by Adele Re Rebaudengo and supported as a leading partner by Assicurazioni Generali.
The awards were presented on Thursday, 28 September, at the Palazzo del Cinema in Venice, during a special ceremony during the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2023 in the presence of, among others, Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission and Cecilia Bartoli, President of Europa Nostra.
The restoration of the Giardini Reali was made possible thanks to a partnership with Generali. This initiative was created to give back to the local community an essential element of the history of the area of St Mark's Square, where Generali has historically been based. The Procuratie Vecchie, are now the home of the Human Safety Net—a place rededicated to unlock the potential of people living in vulnerable conditions. The mission of the Foundation is told in the Human Garden greenhouse in the Giardini Reali.
The Human Garden is hosting artistic, cultural and research activities promoted and supported by the Venice Gardens Foundation. This place is intended as a contact point between the activities carried out by the people in the Greenhouse and the life of the garden surrounding it. Here, we find the "Archive of Roots" installation, a xylotheque of different woods from the countries where The Human Safety Net Foundation is present.