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European Cultural RoutesLatest developments

02 March 2011

Alberto d’AlessandroCouncil of Europe

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Council of Europe Cultural Routes

Launched in 1987 in order to illustrate, through a journey through space and time, the interconnections between different elements of European heritage and promote the notion of a common heritage

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CRs programme is a mean to illustrate and implement the fundamental principles on the COE in the cultural field:

United in the diversity

That is how the heritage of the different countries of Europe constitute a common cultural heritage, enriched by local

diversities and identities.

-reinforcing European citizenship and belonging

-sense of sharing a common European identity

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Affirming COEs cultural rights:

-Cultural rights

-Cultural democracy

-Democratic participation to culture

-Respect to diversity

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Implementing Dialogue between people and nations

-Enhancing intercultural dialogue

-Encouraging Interreligious dialogue

-Protecting cultural minorities-Valorising intangible heritage and traditions of European people

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Safeguard and enhance the natural and cultural heritage:

-Valorising and safeguarding landscapes

-Respecting biodiversity

-Valorising sustainable and respectful tourism

-Promoting eco tourism

-Improving the quality of life, social and economic development

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The Council of Europe cultural routes Programme

The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe are an invitation to take a trip – both imaginary and real –to discover the material and immaterial heritage of the majority of the 50 signatory countries of the European Cultural Convention, and of the other continents involved with Europe and linked to the themes of the cultural routes (Asia, the Middle East, the American continent and Africa).

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The Council of Europe cultural routes Programme

Starting with the first cultural route, the Santiago de Compostela pilgrim routes, 29 European thematic cultural routes have now been awarded the certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”, according to the Resolution (2007)12 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

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Themes of Cultural Routes

PILGRIM ROUTES

• The Santiago de Compostela

pilgrim routes• The Via Francigena• The Saint Michael’s Ways• The Route of Saint Olav Ways

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Themes of Cultural Routes

FORTIFIED ARCHITECTURE AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE

• The Wenzel and Vauban Routes• Transromanica• The Routes of prehistoric rupestral art• European Route of Thermal

Heritage and Thermal Towns

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Themes of Cultural Routes

EUROPEAN FIGURES

• Saint Martin of Tours, a great European figure, a symbol of sharing

• Don Quixote Route • The Schickhardt Route• The Mozart Route

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Themes of Cultural Routes

LANDSCAPE AND CIVILIZATION

• Parks and Gardens, Landscapes• The Olive Tree Routes• Itervitis – The Vineyard Ways in Europe• The legacy of Al-Andalus• The Via Carolingia

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Themes of Cultural Routes

RELIGIOUS HERITAGE

• The European Route of Cistercian Abbeys• The Network of Cluniac Sites• European Jewish Heritage Routes• The Route of Cemeteries in Europe

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Themes of Cultural Routes

COMMERCIAL AND MARITIM ROUTES

• The Phoenicians’ Route• The Vikings Route. Vikings and Normans• The Hansa• The Via Regia

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Themes of Cultural Routes

INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

• The Iron Road in Central Europe• The Iron Route in the Pyrenees

MIGRATORY HERITAGE

• The European Route of Migration Heritage• The Route of the Castilian Language and its expansion in

the Mediterranean: the Sephardic Routes

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www.coe.int/routes

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The Engine for Cultural Tourism

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Cultural Routes

Crossroads in Europe

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Karlovy Vary(CZ) Bath (UK) Spa (B)

Bagni di Lucca, Salsomaggiore Terme,

Acqui Terme (I)

Chaves (PT) Piestany (SK) ……

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The European Route of Historical Thermal Towns

• Origin: project “Thermae Europae” financed by the EC “Culture” Programme which finished in 2009

• Managed by an Association whose head office is in France and the Secretariat in Italy,

• The network is composed of the most traditional thermal stations in Europe, including 11 countries and 15 towns

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Developing touristic and cultural activities that cause

economical impacts on tourism and spas, enhancing

not only material heritage (such as the architectural

Heritage) but also immaterial heritage (such as

traditions, philosophies, cultures, techniques and

Knowledge) that are all part of thermal heritage.

The European Route of Historical Thermal Towns

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The European Route of Historical Thermal Towns

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The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

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The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

• The first cultural route which awarded certification in 1987

• A symbol of what the movement toward Compostella has meant for shaping the European identity, giving birth to an enlarged space for transmitting values and practicing intercultural dialogue through the generations.

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The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

Infrastructures, restoration, accommodation

facilities and other creative SMEs have been

multiplying during these years along the Santiago

de Compostella pilgrim routes.

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The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

Europa Compostela 2010

- The French Federation of the Associations of the

Santiago of Compostella Pilgrim Routes

- A long and great pedestrian relay,

- Start: 28th April from different points in Europe

- End : 18th September in Santiago of Compostela,

Covering more than 20.000 km and planning many

events along the way.

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v The Via Francigena

The pilgrim pathway to Rome from Canterbury,

following the itinerary made by Archbishop Sigeric

in 990 to receive the pallium by Pope John VI.

The EAVF has developed a multi-level governance model receiving support and acknowledgements from public

administrations at all levels and establishing cooperation with different private operators, allowing minor tourist

destinations to improve local infrastructure and services.

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Euro-Mediterranean area

The Phoenicians’ Route

The Legacy of Al-Andalus

The Olive Tree Route

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While developing Euro-Mediterranean

relations, these cultural routes put into

connection commercial, cultural, tourist and

educational organizations to carry out cross-

border activities:

• Intercultural dialogue• Long-term cooperation

• Territorial products

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The Phoenicians’ Route

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The Phoenicians’ Route

• Itineraries of discovery

• Didactic workshops

• Heritage pedagogy

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Archeotrekking

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Educational programs

Archeo camp

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The legacy of Al Andalus11 trails highlight the contribution of Muslims to European culture, heritage, writing, music and landscape

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The objectives set by El legado andalusí

Foundation are based on the reassessment

and dissemination of the Spanish-Muslim

civilization through its art and culture and

historical and social relationship with Europe,

the Arab world, the Mediterranean

environment and Latin America.

The Legacy of Al-Andalus

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• Several routes integrating and connecting European, Arab and American countries,

• Promotion of cultural and rural tourism, traditional arts, proposed in tourist guides about itineraries in the Maghreb, Africa, Middle East, Spain, by bike, on foot, by car, etc.

• Use creative spaces and new technologies to raise awareness about Arabic contribution in Western Europe (Pavillion al-Andalus – Parco de la Ciencia, Granada managed by the Foundation El Legado Andalusi

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The Olive Tree Route

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The Olive Tree Route

• A common initiative by the Cultural Foundation “The Routes of the Olive Tree” and the Chamber of Commerce in Messenia,

• The network aims at preserving and enhancing local diversity, promoting olive culture and olive oil producing regions throughout Europe,

• Pan-European projects: Messinia – Pekin 2008 by motorbike; promotional travels until Northern Europe, summer 2010

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• A partnership with the network Odyssea let

Itervitis to work with maritime ports and cities

linked to the wine commerce, developing ITC

tools, audioguides and providing information about

local wine producer.

Itervitis - The VineyardRoute in Europe

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The Via Regia

The longest and oldest road linking East and West of

Europe which has been brought into a renewed

knowledge by the association “Via Regia-Culture for

Europe”, having its head office in Germany

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• An increasing number of cultural visitors are visiting the Via Regia,

• Crossing in some cities other cultural routes of the Council of Europe, like Transromanica, Santiago of Compostela Pilgrim Route, the Route of Saint Martin of Tours,

• A geographical information system based on an interactive map where old and current courses of the VIA REGIA are visible and clickable (possibility to create the own itinerary and download information)

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Transromanica

A European cultural

network connecting the

common Romanesque

heritage of ten regions

in eight countries

between the Baltic Sea

and the Mediterranean.

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New Political Frameworkfor the European Cultural

RoutsA) Joint Programmes with the EU Commission

B) Involvement of the EU Parliament

C) Cooperation agreement with NECSTOUR

D) EPA - Enlarged Partial Agreement

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A) Joint Programmes with the EU Commission

-Communication of Tourism – Commissioner Tajani

--JP – Study “ Impact of European Cultural Routes on SME’s Innovation and Competitiveness »

- Participation to the EPA

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B) Involvement of the European Parliament

- Definition of a Preparatory Action on Cultural nTourism and Cultural Routes

-Involvment of the Comission for Culture and Tourism

-Creation of an EP Intergroup on Cultural Routes

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C) Cooperation agreement with NECSTOUR

- Agreement with NECSTOUR signed the during the ETD in Brussels the 27 september 2010

-NECSTOUR (Network of European regions for a sustainable and competitive tourism) involving 22 regions at the moment

-Development of a common strategies for the used of Structural Funds for the development of CRs in Europe

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D) EPA Enlarged Partial Agreement

Resolution CM/Res (2010) 53 adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 8 dicember 2010

13 Founding members: Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain

+ Norway = 14 countries participating at the moment

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Enlarged Partial Agreement

Main Objectives:

-Promotion of European identity and citizenship

-Promoting the principles of the COE

-Development and promotion of Cultural Routes concept

-Promotion of Europe as a tourism destination

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EPA Enlarged Partial Agreement

Organisation:

- Governing Board

- Executive Secretary

- Forum of CRs – Advisory platform

- Agreement with the EICR

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Enlarged Partial Agreement

Actions programmed in 2011/12:-Data base on CRs and Experts-Building Capacity-International Forum in Delphes-Support to Roma Route-European Festival of Cultural Routes- Definition of Marketing policies-Participation to tourism fairs

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THANK YOU

FOR YOUR ATTENTION