The certification of the Saint Francis' Ways as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe was marked and celebrated in Assisi on 18 and 19 December 2025.

The conference, attended by members of the route and by dignitaries of national regional and local authorities, took place in the home town of Saint Francis and of the route. In his address, Rui Gomes, Executive secretary of the Cultural Routes programme, emphasised the unique contribution of Saint Francis of Assisi as one of the most influential figures in Christian history, known for his radical commitment to peace, humility and care for all living beings. He inspired a movement that reshaped spiritual, social and cultural life across Europe and remains one of the most venerated saints in Catholic history.

The certification of the Saint Francis' Ways as Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme contributes enriching the cultural routes landscape by reconnecting peripheral sites into a transnational itinerary that offers new ways to interpret and experience cultural heritage.