The Secretariat of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme is pleased to announce the release of the 2021 Activity Report of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme.

Despite the continuous challenges to the networks of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, the Programme continued to thrive in 2021.

Consistent with its commitment to expansion and extension, the EPA welcomed Ukraine as its 35th member State last year and more recently granted the Czech Republic Observer Status. Five new routes became certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe during the 2020-2021 evaluation cycle, each promising to further the programme’s mission of providing sustainable, educational, and responsible tourism across borders.

Another significant moment of 2021 for the Cultural Routes Programme was the UNWTO’s opting to renew its commitment to supporting the Cultural Roues programme. 2021 also saw the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and the Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI) gain participatory status to the EPA, which offers a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the programme’s presence in the Black Sea Region and even beyond Europe’s borders.

The 10th Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes was hosted in 2021 in Kutaisi (Georgia). The Forum was able to host its largest ever audience – more than 500 participants from 50 countries - by being held online. 2021 also marked the year that the first Cultural Routes Academic Workshop was held. Organised by the EICR, in cooperation with the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies, the Academic Workshop was an excellent start to what is now an annual commitment.

13031. 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 2021 Activity Report, now available for download online here.