The Secretariat of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme is pleased to announce the release of its 2023 Activity Report.

Consistent with its commitment to expansion and extension, the EPA welcomed the Republic of Moldova, Czech Republic, and Malta last year and more recently granted Estonia and the Netherlands the Observer Status. During the 2022-2023 evaluation cycle, Transhumance trails became certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, promising to further the programme’s mission of providing sustainable, educational, and responsible tourism across borders.

Another highlight of 2023 was the adoption of the new resolution CM/Res(2023)2, revising the rules for the award and renewal of the “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” certification. This resolution notably includes an extension of the interval period between regular evaluations from 3 to 5 years.

The 12th Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes was hosted in 2023 in Łódź (Poland). Through a rich programme of panels, interventions, and meetings, held by 60 Forum programme speakers from Europe and beyond Łódź, the Forum hosted more than 300 stakeholders of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe to explore the theme “Cultural Routes: the social and creative dimensions of cultural heritage in a post-industrial context”.

Other significant events of 2023 include the 2^nd Academic Workshop on cultural itineraries, organized by the EICR on cooperation with the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies, as well as the 10^th edition of the Training Academy on Cultural Routes, organized in collaboration with the Prehistoric Rock Art Trails in France.

The programme is also now one of the European Union's priorities for closer cooperation with the Council of Europe in 2023 and 2024.

European Institute of Cultural Routes continued to provide very valuable support to the programme’s activities.

Revisit all of last year’s key moments and institutional activities through the 2023 Activity Report, now available for download online here.

The success of the Cultural Routes of the Council of EUrope Programme would not be possible without the support of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, which coordinated the preparation of this activity report, and the support of the member States of the Enlarged Partial Agreement, that contribute through their support and involvement in the EPA Governing Board, the statutory body that awards the "Cultural Route of the Council of Europe" certification.