With great sadness, we say farewell to José María Ballester, a key figure in the field of heritage preservation in Europe and recipient of the 2021 Richard H. Driehaus Heritage Preservation Medal. His professional career was marked by a broad, inclusive, and deeply humanistic vision of heritage—one that he never viewed in isolation, but always in close connection with the landscape, the territory, natural resources, local economies, and traditional knowledge.
Throughout his extensive career, he promoted exemplary rural development projects based on the intelligent and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage. His work has served as a reference for numerous initiatives that—now more than ever—understand heritage as a living resource in the service of local communities.
His legacy endures not only through his actions, but also in the way he helped redefine the relationship between culture, territory, and sustainability—leaving a profound mark on all of us who had the privilege of knowing him or working alongside him.
You can find more information about his career at the following link:
