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December 14, 2024 /  France  /  Members
The European Federation participates in the 9th edition of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Training Academy

The European Federation participates in the 9th edition of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Training Academy

The European Federation of the Saint James Way participated in the 9th edition of the Cultural Routes Training Academy of the Council of Europe, which this year took place from May 31 to June 3 and was hosted by the city of Fontainebleau (France) on behalf of the European Cultural Route of the Impressionists.

Sixty representatives of 35 cultural routes from 17 countries participated in a meeting whose main theme was cultural tourism.

The welcome reception was held at the Château de Fontainebleau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visibility, cooperation, sustainability and the young

 

The École de Mines Paris Tech hosted the second day of work, in which the main future challenges for cultural routes were raised: visibility, cooperation, sustainability and today’s youth; topics that will be focused on in the debates of the Forum of European Cultural Routes to be held in October in Crete, with greater political participation and media coverage. The result of the Training Academy will be a memorandum with all the information and discussions

Throughout the day, thematic presentations and good practices were carried out by the routes and participating entities (Route of Carlos V, Route In Footsteps of RL Stevenson, Central Istria – Croatia, The Hansa, Route of San Martín de Tours, Via Regia, University of Bologna, Route of the Impressionists, European Route of Ceramics, European Route of Jewish Heritage, Europeana and Napoleon Destination, among others).

The Route of the Impressionists, host of the event, was the protagonist of the visits organized to places as emblematic as the medieval city of Moret-Loing et Orvanne or Barbizon, in which the representatives of the different cultural routes were able to get to know each other better and share experiences.

Recepción 9th Training Academy

From left to right:

Translator, Stephano Dominioni (Executive Secretary of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe), Bruno Favel (Minister of Culture), Barbara Zeches (vice president of the European Cultural Routes), Pierre Bedouelle (President of the Impressionist Routes), Marie-Christine Labourdette (President of the Château de Fontainebleau)

Catarina Chaves (Technical Secretary of the European Federation of the Caminos de Santiago with Eladio Fernández-Galiano (Special Advisor for Cultural Routes).


December 14, 2024 /  Members  /  Spain
New Honorary Ambassador of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

New Honorary Ambassador of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

On 24 October, the Council of the Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia) appointed the Council of Europe as the new Honorary Ambassador of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes for its contribution to the knowledge of Saint James Way as well as the promotion and dissemination of Jacobean values.

On the occasion of the Santiago de Compostela Declaration, the Council of Europe certified the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes as the first Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 1987. “The influx of the Jacobean routes owes much to that impulse given by the Council of Europe. Its support is still necessary and for this reason the Xunta appoints him as Ambassador of the Camino” officially stated the Galician Government.

Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes as the first Cultural Route of the Council of Europe

The appointment as Ambassador of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes is an honorary and life-long position recognising the work of natural and legal persons in favour of culture and values of the Camino de Santiago. The Council of Europe is the first organization to receive this distinction. The first appointed was King Felipe VI of Spain, followed by Vicente del Bosque, former manager of Spanish football team, the former president of the Government Mariano Rajoy and the King emeritus Juan Carlos I.

The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes, Cultural Route of the Council of Europe certified in 1987, feature a tangible heritage such as places of worship, hospitals, accommodation facilities, bridges, as well as non-tangible heritage in the form of myths, legends and songs along an endless number of branches to Santiago. Nowadays, these ancient pilgrim routes provide an intense human experience, creating a sense of fraternity amongst travellers and a strong bonding with the land.

Font: Council of Europe Newsroom.

 


December 14, 2024 /  Members
Agreement with The Compostela Group of Universities

Agreement with The Compostela Group of Universities

The European Federation of Saint-James Way and Compostela Group of Universities came to a framework agreement in January 2018 governing their collaboration in the design of common academic, cultural and social activities and action programmes on the Camino de Santiago.

Common academic, cultural and social activities and action programmes on the Camino de Santiago

The Compostela Group of Universities (CGU) is a network of universities built around the values of the Camino de Santiago. It seeks to facilitate and to promote cooperation among universities and stakeholders involved in Higher Education.

 

Website


December 14, 2024 /  France  /  Lithuania  /  Members  /  Poland
30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

The Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Declaration of Santiago de Compostela has been officially opened on the 23rd October in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia (Spain). The event is taking place within the framework of the international seminar “Camino de Santiago y Europa”, organised by Catedra do Camino de Santiago e das Peregrinacións, Compostela group of universities and the Xunta de Galicia.

The event celebrates the 30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes, the first certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, exemplary symbol and model of cultural cooperation in Europe. In 1987 the Santiago Declaration stated that the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes “highly symbolic in the process of European unification, will serve as a reference and example for future projects”. Today, in 2017 this expectation may be said to have been fully realised.

The event celebrates the 30 years of the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes

Particularly remarkable during the event was the presence of Marcelino OREJA Y AGUIRRE, Former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who opened the inauguration of the event, and Mr FERNÁNDEZ-GALIANO, Head of Culture, Nature and Heritage Department (Council of Europe), who gave a keynote address during the 23rd October evening. Beside Mr. DOMINIONI, Executive Secretary EPA, Director EICR, Mr MILLAN MON, Co-Chair of the Intergroup “Development of European Tourism, Cultural Heritage, Ways of Saint James and other European Cultural Routes” (European Parliament) has been among the eminent participants. The Route network has been representaed by Simone PETTIROSSI and Gerard BAUME, respectively President and Manager of the European Federation Saint James Way, Paolo CAUCCI VON SAUCKEN, Santiago de Compostela Scientific Committee was also present.

 


December 14, 2024 /  Italy  /  Members
General Assembly of the Federation held in the city in Assisi

General Assembly of the Federation held in the city in Assisi

The European Federation of the Roads of Santiago held from May 28 to 31, 2017 its General Assembly in the Italian city of Assisi, a member of the Federation, which also includes Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Lithuania.

The members of the Federation were received by the city’s mayor, Stefania Proietti and the vice-president of the Chamber, Marina Sereni.

In the assembly, the activity carried out was reviewed and the progress of the program for next year was discussed, focused on strengthening collaboration between different countries and developing relations between the Federation and the city of Bethlehem, thanks to the role of Assisi. The use of new technologies for the promotion and valorization of routes was also discussed.

The workshop “Camino de Santiago and European cultural routes. Strategies and tools for the development and promotion of the routes ”, which was attended by the Undersecretary of State for Cultural Heritage, Ilaria Borletti.

An oportunity for Assisi to strengthen the relationship with other friendly European countries, sharing common projects, synergies and promoting growth. cultural and tourist

The general assembly appointed Simone Petrirrossi as the new president of the Federation for the next two years. Petirrossi, Assisi advisor for all international cooperation and the European Union stressed that this appointment is an “opportunity for Assisi and the Umbria region and Italy to strengthen the relationship with other friendly European countries, sharing common projects, synergies and promoting growth. cultural and tourist ”. The mandates of the new president will be: to reinforce the collaboration and relationship with other European cultural routes, such as the Via Francigena, for example, to mediate the relationship between the Federation and the city of Bethlehem and to promote actions for the promotion of the Camino de Santiago with the University of Perugia.

 


December 14, 2024 /  Members  /  Poland
Technical Committee of the Federation met in Torun

Technical Committee of the Federation met in Torun

On March 28, a meeting was held in the Polish city of Torun of the Technical Committee of the European Federation of the Saint James Way, hosted by the Government of the Region of Cuiavia-Pomerania which recently joined the Federation.

The Xunta de Galicia was represented by Rafael Sánchez Bargiela, General Manager of the Xacobeo, and by the European Projects Technician of Turismo de Galicia.

Previous to the Federation meeting itself, the General Manager of the Xacobeo was welcomed by thee President of the Region of Cuiavia-Pomerania, Piort Calbecki, at the Regional Government building of Torun. During this meeting, the General Manager of the Xacobeo thanked President Calbecki for his interest in integrating this region into the European Federation and mentioned the important work the Regional Government is carrying out in favour of the Camino de Santiago in Poland, providing support for its signposting, the activities of the Jacobean groups in the area, as well as the functioning of the Chair of the Way of Saint James at the University of Torun, directed by Professor Piort Roszak. The Regional President showed his interest in integration into the European Federation and in establishing a collaboration agreement with Galicia.

Hosted by the Government of the Region of Cuiavia-Pomerania which recently joined the Federation.

The Federation Meeting was also attended by representatives of the member entities: the Xunta de Galicia, an Agglomeration of Lee Puy-en-Velay (France), the Province of Namur (Belgium), The Region of Cuiavia-Pomerania (Poland), The Municipality of Assisi (Italy), the Municipality of Vilapouca de Aguiar (Portugal), the Municipality of Rothenburg (Germany), the Association of Jacobean Municipalities of Lithuania.

The main points addressed at this meeting focused on the content of the new website of the Federation, www.saintjamesway.eu, the collaboration proposals of new activities (with the network of universities of Portugal, a Belgian project on gastronomy and tourism, the creation of work groups, etc. In addition, several proposals of the Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of and the members informed on their activities throughout 2017.

Finally, the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Declaration of Santiago de Compostela of the Council of Europe was dealt with. This declared the Way of Saint James to be the first European cultural route and led to the programme of European cultural routes which today includes more than thirty routes all over Europe.

 

 


December 14, 2024 /  France  /  Members
The European Federation of Saint James Way is created

The European Federation of Saint James Way is created

The manager of the S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo, Camino Triguero, informed this Thursday the plenary session of the Jacobean Council, which met in Madrid, of the recent constitution of the European Federation of the Roads of Santiago de Compostela.

In addition to presenting the joint report of activities for the Holy Year 2010, Triguero has listed the advantages and possibilities of the Federation and explained that any interested autonomous community can participate.

Objectives

On April 1, the Minister of Culture, Roberto Varela, went to the town of Le Puy to sign with the French Minister of European Affairs, Laurent Wauquiez, the statutes of the constitution of the Federation.

The objective of it is to bring together the territorial communities of the European continent crossed by the Caminos de Santiago around a shared cultural program.

The founding territorial collectivities of the Federation are the Xunta de Galicia, the Communauté d’agglomération de Puy-en-Velay (France) and the Commission for the Coordination and Development of the Rexional do Norte (Portugal).