Check against delivery - Speech by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Ambassador Engelberg,

Governor Fidan,

Deputy Minister Alpaslan,

Dear Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Gomes,

Dear friends,

I regret that I cannot be there today — and not least because you are meeting in historic and magnificent Cappadocia.

And I am not the only one keen to see this stunning part of Türkiye, with its incredible landscapes and history breathing from every building.

I note that 4.5 million people visited Cappadocia last year.

Protecting Europe’s natural and cultural heritage is key to the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe program.

Yes, we want to promote our unique beauty and history — which crosses borders — but so too, do we want to preserve it for generations to come.

The Council of Europe has long aimed to preserve the European landscape, and this month is the 25^th anniversary the European Landscape Convention — which 45 member states have ratified.

There are now 49 Cultural Routes — with three new ones this year.

I warmly welcome the Romea Strata, the Pyrenean Freedom Routes and St Francis’s Ways.

It is a unique network, and the EPA on Cultural Routes now counts 43 member states — I congratulate the Netherlands and Ireland for their recent accession.

These routes are precious symbols of intercultural dialogue, transnational cooperation and sustainable development.

More than that even — they are part of a network through which European citizens may discover our history and celebrate our surroundings.

A silver thread that unites us.

With this, I wish you all a successful forum.