On 8-9 April, the 4^th International Meeting  on “European Cistercian Heritage and sustainable development: new management challenges” was held at the Monastery of Alcobaça in Portugal, organized by the Ministry of Culture of Portugal.

The meeting was opened by Ms. Ana PAGARÁ, Director of the Alcobaça Monastery and followed by speeches of Ms. Laura RODRIGUES, Board President for Leader Oeste; Mr. José Filipe MORAES CABRAL, President of the National Commission for UNESCO; Mr. Hermínio RODRIGUES, President of the Municipality of Alcobaça and Mr. João Carlos DOS SANTOS, Director-General for Cultural Heritage of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture of Portugal. The meeting also saw the participation of Manuel LACERDA, Directorate General for Cultural Heritage and Representative of Portugal to the EPA Governing Board as well as Representatives of Cultural Routes from several European countries.

Mr. Stefano DOMINIONI, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR), presented the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme, focusing on the added value that Cultural Routes offer for local sustainable tourism development and cultural heritage safeguarding.

The European Route of Cistercian Abbeys became a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2010. From its origins in Burgundy in 1098, the Cistercian Order grew rapidly throughout the European continent. Today, the Route brings together some 750 abbeys and 1,000 monasteries and crosses 13 European countries.

Find the full programme here.