S. Kairys: “Europe’s culture routes – a huge opportunity for heritage, culture and business in smaller regions”
"Nowadays Lithuania’s culture pulse is extremely high. But even on the routes of culture, culture does not walk alone – it needs the strongest possible synergy. Regional cooperation, local government, business and especially internationalisation are highly important. The more we all strive for synergies, the better the result will be," said Simonas Kairys, Minister of Culture, at the International Seminar on Cultural Routes, which started in Vilnius today. The seminar is being held in Europe for the first time, and is one of the official events of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
Experts and representatives of Council of Europe certified cultural routes from Spain, Italy, Norway, Luxembourg, France, United Kingdom, Finland and other countries with extensive experience in the field of Cultural Routes, cultural heritage and tourism will give a detailed presentation on the added value of Cultural Routes, their impact on the economy, sustainable tourism and local development, and the promotion of public involvement, also sharing best practices.
The Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys reminded that when the history of the Cultural Routes began in Europe in 1987, Lithuania was still occupied by hostile forces, but we were already breaking down a blind wall back then, with culture being one of the main tools used for breaking that wall and one of the key ways of reaching the free world.
According to the Minister of Culture, today we must see culture as a horizontal value that is intertwined with many other areas of our lives. Simonas Kairys emphasised that the Cultural Routes of Europe are a significant opportunity for regions other than capitals or major cities: “The Cultural Routes also bring more remote areas into the spotlight. This is a huge opportunity not only for the heritage and culture of smaller regions, but also for business. People can visit a castle, a manor house, a historical park once or keep on returning to that place over and over again. It depends on the whole experience we create for the visitor: from an interesting story to a good cup of coffee, convenient cycle paths or an attractive accommodation.”
The Cultural Routes programme of the Council of Europe, which started with the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage Route in Europe, comprises 47 routes certified by the Council of Europe. These include the St James Pilgrimage Route, the Routes of European Jewish Heritage, the Hanseatic League, the European Fairy Tales, the Impressionism Route, the Reformation Route, the Route Napoleon, the Route of Historical Parks, the Iron Curtain, the Euro Velo 13 Route, the Cultural Route of ATRIUM (Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes in Europe's Urban Memory), the Route of Cemeteries of Europe, the European Industrial Heritage, etc.
Photo by Justina Jakštaitė
Last updated: 05-07-2024