The 12th edition of the Training Academy on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe took place in Torres Vedras, in Arruda dos Vinhos and in Vila Franca de Xira (Portugal) from 11 to 13 June.
This year’s edition focused on enhancing cooperation among the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, addressing key themes such as governance, sustainability, visibility, and innovation. Representatives of the Cultural Routes actively exchanged ideas to improve collaboration and strengthen dialogue among the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, reinforcing a shared cultural identity and a common vision for future development.
Their dedication and collaborative spirit were evident throughout the Academy. The Training Academy concluded with actionable insights and strategic recommendations to further strengthen the role and visibility of the programme, the cooperation among routes and a shared ownership of the programme. The reliance of the Cultural Routes programme on multi-stakeholder cooperation, the involvement of local communities and the examples of resilience it brings are all important factors for revitalising democracy and democratising cultural and heritage policies.
The Academy was organised by the European Institute of the Cultural Routes (EICR) and the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities, carrier network of the Destination Napoleon (Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2015) and the European Federation Iter Vitis, carrier network of the Iter Vitis Route (Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2009) in cooperation with the Rota Histórica das Linhas de Torres, the Association of Portuguese Wine Municipalities (AMPV), and the municipalities of Torres Vedras, Arruda dos Vinhos and Vila Franca de Xira.
This year, the 2025 Training Academy gathered over 80 representatives from 17 countries and 36 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
A National Meeting for Portuguese Cultural Routes’ representatives was held, with Catarina Oliveira, Representative of Portugal to the EPA on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
During the three days of intensive working sessions, the participants also had the opportunity to discover the historical, cultural and gastronomic heritage of the region of the Historical Route of Linhas de Torres.
The conclusions of the 2025 Training Academy will be presented at the Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, which will be held in Cappadocia, Türkiye, October 2025.
