Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize for Heritage – 2026 Edition

PRESENTATION OF THE PRIZE

Created in 2009 by the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), the Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize honors exceptional projects initiated by member cities that significantly enhance, regenerate, and sustainably manage their historic centers.

The prize is awarded every two years at the OWHC World Congress. The 2026 Prize recognizes initiatives that leverage heritage as an active resource to regenerate historic city centers and enhance the quality of life of their inhabitants.

THEMATIC 2026: HABITABILITY OF HISTORIC CENTERS

For the 2026 edition, the Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize invites cities to submit structural and cross-sectoral projects for the regeneration of historic centers; that is, initiatives that act as levers for urban transformation, capable of articulating multiple dimensions of public action—housing, public space, mobility, public space, climate, economy, governance, among others—and generating dynamics that go beyond a single intervention, marking a significant change in the way the historic center is experienced, functions, and is managed.

These projects must explicitly aim to strengthen the regeneration of historic centers through strategies focused on habitability, understood as the capacity of a historic center to offer a good quality of life, placing people—and especially the inhabitants—at the center of decisions.

PRIZE AND MENTIONS

The mayor or official representative of the winning city will be invited as a guest of honor to the 18th OWHC World Congress, to be held in Marrakech (October 26-29, 2026). Following the jury’s decision, expected in mid-August, information will be sent with the logistical and administrative details regarding their participation in the Congress.

The results will be announced at a key moment during the Congress, and the winning city will be invited to present its project. In addition, the jury may award up to two (2) honorable mentions to projects that stand out for their contribution to habitability.

CALENDAR 2026

• February 18, 2026: Launch of the call for entries.
• May 8, 2026: Deadline for receipt of applications.
• June 11, 2026: Announcement of candidate cities and presentation of projects.
• Summer 2026: Evaluation of applications by the jury.
• Mid-August: Notification to the winning city (confidential communication).
• October 26-29, 2026 (18th OWHC World Congress, Marrakech): Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize ceremony and presentation of the winning project.

For full details on the conditions of participation and how to submit an application, please refer to the technical document:
Technical document of the Prize

Past Winners

2024 – Icherisheher (Azerbaijan)
Increasing Livability in the Walled City of Baku (Icherisheher): The Baku Khans’ Park and the Baku Khans’ Palace Complex
Finalists

2021 – George Town (Malaysia)
Creating public spaces through the revitalisation of backlanes in the world heritage city of George Town

Melaka (Malaysia)
Improvement and Conservation of Historical Urban Environment in the Historic City of Melaka

2019 – St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)
Redevelopment of industrial cultural heritage sites and their grounds for public projects

2017 – Quito (Ecuador)
Investment programs and projects for the rehabilitation of public space on private heritage property in the Historic Center

2015 – Cordoba (Spain)
The urban project and the cultural landscape: heritage, culture, trade and tourism – renovation of Cruz Conde street

2013 – Cuenca (Ecuador)
Integral rehabilitation project of the Tres de Noviembre Walkway, the de la Madre Park, the stairway, and the footbridge facing the University of Cuenca

2011 – Tunis (Tunisia)
Restoration and beautification project of a street circuit entitled “From Zitouna to Sidi Ibrahim”

2009 – Warsaw (Poland)
Lighting of the walls of the Historic Centre