At the meeting of the Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA), held in Luxembourg in May 2026, Rui GOMES, EPA Executive Secretary, and Alfred KOCHARYAN, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their respective commitments and expectations for organising the upcoming 15th Advisory Forum to be held in September 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.
The Advisory Forum is a yearly event that brings together representatives of the 43 EPA member States, Cultural Routes managers, candidate networks, international organisations, local and regional authorities, and other heritage and tourism organisations and platforms. The Advisory Forum is an occasion to discuss challenges related to Cultural Routes and provide opportunities such as workshops and networking sessions to improve route management and develop transnational partnerships.
The Forum is co-organised through a partnership between the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, the European Institute of Cultural Routes, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Armenia, and the Foundation for the Development of Culture, with the support of the Municipality of Yerevan.
The theme of this year’s Advisory Forum in Yerevan is Education for Sustainable Heritage. Education has become a cornerstone of the international cultural and heritage normative landscape, playing a pivotal role in shaping norms, policies, and practices. It is widely recognized as an essential source of knowledge, a driver of human development, and a key priority for global cooperation. As the host city of the Forum, Yerevan offers participants a unique setting to experience education through culture and heritage firsthand, making it an ideal space for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaborative initiatives.
Armenia became a member of the Enlarged Partial Agreement in 2015, and this new Memorandum of Understanding is a testament to the country’s commitment to promoting cultural heritage and the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe both within its borders and beyond. Currently, four Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe cross Armenia: the European Route of Jewish Heritage, Iter Vitis Route, Prehistoric Rock Art Trails, and the Impressionisms Route.
