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October 12, 2024 /  France  /  Italy  /  Members  /  Portugal  /  Spain
Delegation of the Federation visits St. James Cathedral in Jerusalem

Delegation of the Federation visits St. James Cathedral in Jerusalem

On March 10, a delegation of the Fédération Européenne du Saint-Jacques de Compostelle visited the Armenian Convent of St. James. The delegation consisted of about 25 people of the organisation, led by the president Mr. Simone Pettirossi of the city of Assisi.

The pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella, or the Saint James Way, is the main pilgrimage route in Europe, and has two permanent representatives in the Council of Europe.

To renew the ancient relations between the two St. James pilgrimage sites

The visit of Fédération Européenne du Saint-Jacques de Compostelle or Saint James Way intends to renew and revive the ancient relations between the two St. James pilgrimage sites. The delegation of the Saint James Way visited the Armenian St. James Cathedral and the Monastery of Saint James.

 

 


October 12, 2024 /  Belgium  /  Members
Namur municipalities suscribes the Charter of the Saint James Way

Namur municipalities suscribes the Charter of the Saint James Way

2017 marks the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the recognition of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela as the first European Cultural Route. A European Cultural Route (ICE) is a label awarded by the Council of Europe to routes recognized as important for heritage and cultural integration within Europe.

As part of this commemorative year, the Namur Province Tourism Federation, one of the members of the European Federation of Roads of Santiago de Compostela and representative of Belgium, offers a “Charter of the Roads of Santiago de Compostela” to municipalities , tour operators, … who commit to unite their efforts to make the jacquaire Namur route a point of reference in terms of economic, social, cultural and tourist development.

In 2017, 14 municipalities subscribed to the Charter

Andenne – Beauraing -Couvin – Dinant – Doische – Floreffe – Gedinne – Hastière – Houyet – Namur – Profondeville – Viroinval – Vresse – Yvoir

The Charter


October 12, 2024 /  Lithuania  /  Members
Vilnius hosts the 6th Cultural Routes Annual Advisory Forum

Vilnius hosts the 6th Cultural Routes Annual Advisory Forum

The representatives of the European Federation of Saint James Way participated on October 26 and 27, 2016 in the VI Annual Consultative Forum, co-organized by the Extended Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA), the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, and the European Institute of Cultural Routes in Luxembourg.

The 6th Annual Consultative Forum analyzed the recent expansion of the Program, highlighting both the challenges and the opportunities. The main themes of two days of interactive workshops and discussions were “Expanding geographical coverage and launching new alliances” and “Developing new themes and practices” for the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Program. The Forum discussed trends and challenges in relation to Cultural Routes, providing a platform to share experiences, review progress, analyze professional practices, launch new initiatives and develop partnerships across Europe and beyond.

An award ceremony for the fortified cities of the Greater Region, the 32nd Council of Europe Cultural Route certified in 2016, and the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (OMT) were among the best moments of the event.

The Forum discussed trends and challenges in relation to Cultural Routes

The conclusions of the Forum of exchanges held during the two thematic workshops were incorporated into the “Vilnius Roadmap”, which sets out the guidelines for future activities of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes Program.

The Annual Consultative Forum 2016 was attended by more than 200 participants from more than 30 countries, representatives of the Member States and observers of the Partial Extended Agreement on Cultural Routes, representatives of the certified cultural routes of the Council of Europe, candidate projects and international organizations (European Union , OMT, ICOMOS), NGOs, local and regional authorities, academics and professionals in the cultural tourism sector.

 


October 12, 2024 /  Members  /  Portugal
The European Federation celebrates its asamblea in Vila Pouca de Aguiar

The European Federation celebrates its asamblea in Vila Pouca de Aguiar

Coinciding with the beginning of the rotating presidency represented by Ana Rita Díaz, the European Federation of Saint James Way celebrated its annual walk in Vila Pouca de Aguiar.

In addition to reviewing the projects and activities carried out during the year, the members of the federation approved the activities and activities planned for the next exercise.

Participants visit the prominent sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios in Lamego

During their stay in Vila Pouca de Aguiar, participants in the annual tour provided the opportunity to visit a section of the Camino Interior and visit in the municipality of Lamego the prominent sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios.

 


October 12, 2024 /  Lithuania  /  Members
Lithuania has joined the Network of St. James’s Way

Lithuania has joined the Network of St. James’s Way

On June 3, Lithuania was unanimously accepted into the Federation and became a full- fledged member. The President of the Association of Municipalities of St. James’ s Way of Lithuania, the Mayor of Panevėžys City Rytis Račkauskas has been elected the Vice-President of the Federation of Europe.

“Joining into European Federation will provide Panevėžys with the possibility to become part of European Network of Cultural Ways. The City will have new perspectives to be included into international tourism routes(cultural, religious), to use EU financial instruments for the development of cultural trails and to spread the information about it. International tourism will be promoted, cultural and natural heritage will be protected “, – said Rytis Račkauskas.

Together with Lithuania, Germany and Poland also became the members of the Federation. Thus, the ways leading to Santiago de Compostela via Lithuania will continue in Poland and Germany. They will join the trails in France, Portugal, Italy and, certainly, Spain through the pilgrim ways of St. James.

 

International tourism will be promoted, cultural and natural heritage will be protected

Being just 200 km away from Santiago de Compostela and just by the Spanish border the Municipality of Vila Pouca de Aquiar welcomed the participants of the General Assembly from Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Italy and France in a hospitable way. The participants of the Assembly have elected a new President of St. James’s Way Federation of Europe, the representative of Portugal Ms. A. R. Dias for 1 year term and the Vice-Presidents. The Congress of Cultural Ways of European Council which will take place in Vilnius in the end of October has been discussed. Thus, already in a few months, Lithuania will welcome the representatives of European countries having the ways of St. James. The aim of the Congress is to coordinate the network of St. James’s Pilgrim Ways in a more effective way, to establish the infrastructure satisfying the needs and requirements of nowadays.

The Association of Municipalities of St. James’s Way of Lithuania was established on May 31 by 9 Lithuanian municipalities: Kaunas City Municipality, Panevėžys City Municipality, Alytus, Kaišiadoriai, Kalvarija, Kretinga, Lazdijai, Marijampolė and Varėna District Municipalities. The Mayor of Panevėžys City Rytis Račkauskas has been elected the President of this Association for a 4 year term. The Mayor of Alytus District Municipality Algirdas Vrubliauskas became the Chairman of the Board.

 

 



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