Representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe gathered in Paris for a working meeting at the French Ministry of Culture. The meeting took place at the French Ministry of Culture and was attended by two representatives of the Women Writers Routes.
More than 30 representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe met to discuss the key issues of their work. At previous meetings, they had agreed on three themes which they considered to be the most topical but also the most pressing at the moment. These are the visibility of cultural routes and of the Council of Europe programme itself, integration and cooperation, and sustainability. The themes had already been discussed in advance of the meeting by three working groups, which reported on their work in Paris and made proposals for better action. A lively debate followed. Cultural Routes representatives agreed that the Council of Europe programme and the certificate represent a “seal of excellence”, but that efforts should be made to raise its profile more widely. They stressed the importance of quality activities, promotion, cooperation and networking, as well as sustainable and slow tourism. They also exchanged many examples of good practice and agreed on the programme for the regular annual Cultural Routes Training Academy, which will take place this year in Périgueux in the Dordogne department of France.
