On 24 October, Inspiring practices from the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe were recognised during the closing session of the 14th Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, held in Cappadocia, Türkiye.
The selection process was carried out by the EPA Governing Board, and the certificates were presented by Rui Gomes, Executive Secretary of the EPA and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes.
This year, the EPA Governing Board distinguished five outstanding initiatives. These illustrate the diversity and richness of actions undertaken by the Cultural Routes, demonstrating their ability to transform heritage into a driver of international cooperation, sustainable development and community engagement.
Phoenicians’ Route
- Field of action: Co-operation in research and development
- Title of the inspiring practice: Meta-Sea. The Sea of the Gods: Circulation of cult and attendance of sanctuaries in the ancient Mediterranean
The Meta-Sea conference (11–13 June 2025, Macerata) convened scholars and Phoenicians’ Route partners to investigate the Mediterranean as a “middle sea” of circulation for people, goods, cults and ideas. Over three days the programme combined keynote lectures, thematic panels and methodological sessions, demonstrating a clear research focus and capacity to reinforce transnational collaboration.
ATRIUM
- Field of action: Enhancement of memory, history and European heritage
- Title of the inspiring practice: Colonial Legacies in Public Space: A Participatory Reinterpretation of the Dissonant Heritage and the Cultural Landscape
The project, developed within the EUrban DECO and Beyond the Surface projects, fostered a participatory approach to reinterpreting contested colonial heritage in urban spaces, an initiative that foregrounds public engagement and dialogue to reframe difficult histories within the cultural landscape.
European Route of Ceramics
- Field of Action: Contemporary cultural and artistic practice
- Title of the inspiring practice: SHAPED - women’s voices in ceramics
Presented in Faenza, Italy (31 July – 7 September 2025), the project comprised an exhibition that showcased the work of eleven female ceramists from six countries. Each artist was represented by an original ceramic work, four photographs documenting her practice, and a short text reflecting on how being a woman has shaped her artistic path. SHAPED contributed to amplifying women’s artistic voices, linking contemporary craft to photographic storytelling, while contributing to promote gender equality.
Alvar Aalto Route
- Field of action: Cultural tourism and sustainable development
- Title of the inspiring practices: Cultural tourism and sustainable development - Strength from Sustainability
The ongoing project is delivering a jointly developed sustainability strategy with destination partners, improved communication to guide travellers towards responsible choices, the mapping and better integration of low-carbon travel options (cycling and public transport), and the preparation of a Responsible Travel Guide for visitors. Running through the end of 2025, the initiative aims to position the Alvar Aalto Route as a leader in low-impact cultural tourism while delivering measurable benefits to local communities.
Women Writers Route
- Field of action: Cultural and educational exchanges for young Europeans
- Title of the inspiring practice: Ljubka’s Trail - a cross-border literary route of poetry and equality.
Ljubka’s Trail, initiated by the Forum of Slavic Cultures in partnership with the Lojze Bratuž Cultural Center, links some 20 cultural institutions and local communities across six countries, combines site-based interpretation with public events and learning activities, and foregrounds themes of gender, memory and hidden regional histories. The project translated the life, work and routes of Ljubka Šorli and other Gorizia writers into a cross-border cultural and tourist trail that reconnects Tolmin and Gorizia and makes previously overlooked authors visible in public space and through educational activities.
Photo (left to right): Phoenicians’ Route – Ksenija Keča; ATRIUM – Claudia Castellucci and Cristina Vallicelli; European Route of Ceramics – Benedetta Diamanti; Executive Secretary - Rui Gomes; Alvar Aalto – Maija Oinonen; Women writers – Andreja Rihter and Mateja Jančar.
