Hungary hosted the second national coordination meeting of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe on 13 October 2025 at the Hungarian Open Air Museum (Skanzen) in Szentendre.

Hungary currently counts active members from 12 cultural routes, 11 of which were represented at the meeting, demonstrating the country’s strong engagement in the programme.

Participants included representatives of the routes, officials from the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, members of the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies (Eötvös Loránd University and Budapest Metropolitan University), candidate networks seeking certification, and independent heritage experts.

Dr Zsuzsanna Nagyné Batári, Deputy Director General of the Hungarian Open Air Museum, welcomed participants and opened the meeting. Dr Eszter Csonka-Takács, Director of the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage and EPA Bureau member, delivered the opening presentation, highlighting the operation of the Cultural Routes programme in Hungary and reflecting on the long-term impact of the 13th Annual Advisory Forum held in Visegrád in 2024.

Representatives of the routes then presented recent activities, innovative programmes, and examples of good practice, underlining the thematic richness of the networks, the challenges they face, and the importance of inter-network collaboration.

The meeting concluded with a summary by Dr Miklós Cseri, Director General of the Hungarian Open Air Museum, who emphasised the international opportunities offered by the Cultural Routes programme and the need to raise the visibility of Routes at both national and European levels.

This meeting reflects Hungary’s ongoing commitment to the Cultural Routes programme. The Hungarian Open Air Museum, a longstanding national coordinator for Cultural Routes activities, continues to serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and public outreach in support of the programme.

Photos: ©Hungarian Open Air Museum - Balázs Farkas-Mohi.