The Curaçao Monuments Foundation has decided to implement the biannual ‘Ernest (Jackie) Voges Monument Award’ for a person or organization who has shown exemplary effort for the renovation and preservation of built heritage in Curaçao. Next year, when the foundation celebrates its 65th anniversary, the prize will be awarded for the first time.
The private foundation (NGO) Curaçao Monuments Foundation was founded in 1954, sixty years ago next year. The main purpose is to preserve and restore protected monuments. In order to achieve this, the foundation buys monuments in dilapidated state and restores them. By renting out the restored monuments the foundation generates the funds to continue maintaining the buildings. Besides this core activity, the foundation also strives to stimulate the validation of our monuments, offer advice on the restoration and maintenance of monuments and encourage scientific research on the history of Curaçao, in particular as it pertains to our monuments.
Mr. ing. Ernest ‘Jackie’ Voges has been much involved with the foundation for 50 years. He became a commissioner in 1966, held a position as chairman from 1982 – 2003, followed by another bout as commissioner, finally becoming an adviser to the foundation until August 2016. Under his leadership a large quantity of monuments have been restored and thereby preserved for the Curaçao community. Additionally the foundation has been developed into a professional organization.
As a token of appreciation of Mr. Voges and his efforts towards the preservation of our built cultural heritage, the Board of Commissioners has decided on January 27th of this year to institute the award named after him. The ‘Ernest ‘Jackie’ Voges’ award will be awarded to a person or organization who has shown exemplary effort for the renovation and preservation of built heritage in Curaçao. An independent jury will decide between those persons or organizations who fit these criteria. The prize will be awarded for the first time in 2019 and biannually from then on. Further information will follow later this year.