Cultural Routes priorities in the Danube Region

In the framework of Routes4U, the co-ordinators of Priority Area 3 “Culture and tourism, people to people” of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) launched a consultation process to define the priorities for new Cultural Routes to be developed. They decided on the following two priorities: Iron Age Route and Cyril and Methodius Route.

Iron Age Danube

The theme of the Iron Age is not reflected among the certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, however it is emblematic and of particular relevance for the Danube Region heritage.

A 2017-19 Interreg project focused on archaeological landscapes of the Early Iron Age. These very fragile, prehistoric landscapes in the Danube remain partly hidden and not well integrated into cultural tourism. The project partnership built on joint approaches to researching and managing complex (pre)historic landscapes and their integration into sustainable tourism. Through Routes4U, the project is being supported towards the development of a new Cultural Route on Iron Age.

Cyril and Methodius Route

The European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius is an association of legal entities established in 2013.

The Saints Cyril and Methodius influenced the local culture through dialogue, listening and observing relationships. They also organised local customs by contributing their knowledge and creating new cultural rules that respected the autonomy of the local people. The European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius network’s activities support the living legacy of Cyril and Methodius. The project connects significant places and institutions through cultural and pilgrimage trails and offers different cultural-educational events along them.

Steps in the development of Cultural Routes priorities in the Danube Region:

> Stakeholders meeting for Cultural Routes priorities in the Danube Region NOVEMBER 2018

Routes4U gathered (6 November 2018, Bucharest, Romania) the representatives of several ongoing projects on new cultural routes in the Danube Region and the stakeholders from the Eurorpean Union Strategy for the Danube Region and the Danube Region countries. The participants discussed about priority themes for the Danube Region and about the development of new cultural routes. "Iron Age" and "Cyril and Methodius" stemmed as the two priority heritage themes.

> Roadmap on EUSDR Cultural Routes development APRIL 2019

Routes4U published a Roadmap for Danube Region, which summarises the research results and the conclusions drawn during the meeting in Bucharest. The Roadmap highlights recommendations and steps to take in order to successfully develop the Cultural Routes in the Danube Region.

> Consultation on Routes4U-support to the Routes of the Olive Tree and Roman Heritage JULY 2019

Within the context of Routes4U steering committee interim-meeting (2 July 2019, Luxembourg, Luxembourg) the representatives of the Iron Age cultural route project and of the Cyril and Methodius cultural route project reported on the support received by Routes4U and on the ongoing development of their network and Routes’ activities in the Danube Region countries.

> Bulgaria - conference on the creation of new Cultural Routes in the Danube Region SEPTEMBER 2019

Routes4U took part in a conference organised by Bulgaria (coordinator of EUSDR PA3, together with Romania) at which round-tables focused on the creation of the two new Cultural Routes in the Danube Region.

> Expert study on a new Cultural Route on Iron Age OCTOBER 2019

In the framework of Routes4U, a feasibility study on the Iron Age Route in the Danube Region has been conducted, including a mapping of relevant sites and destinations in the Danube Region which should be included in the network of the new Cultural Route. The study also includes recommendations on further steps with a view to applying for the "Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe" certification.

> Stakeholders meeting for Cultural Routes priorities in the Danube Region and in the Adriatic and Ionian Region OCTOBER 2019

The representatives of the new cultural route on Iron Age and of the new cultural route on Cyril and Methodius got trained on the certification process and on branding on Cultural Routes (14-15 October, Vienna, Austria). Furthermore they met with their stakeholders in order to further get organised and decide on steps to take to develop their cultural routes network, in view of application to the certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”.

> Routes4U mini-grant award to extent the Iron Age Route NOVEMBER 2019

Within the framework of Routes4U calls for proposals the Iron Age route was awarded a grant, in order to implement a project in accordance with the objective of the EU strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and its PA3 priorities. The project aims at developing tourism products and services along the route.