Inauguration of 5th Consultative Forum on European Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

During Thursday's session and in addition to the inaugural speeches, a plenary session was also held to monitor the agreements adopted in the 2014 Baku Declaration on cultural tourism as a tool for intercultural dialogue and social stability. Following this, the representatives of the Council of Europe, the World Tourism Organization, UNESCO and NCRS presented the activities and future challenges in developing the cultural routes of their respective organisations.

During the afternoon, the role of international organisations in supporting transnational initiatives on cultural routes and experiences in promoting tourism relating to cultural routes will be discussed.

Friday's meeting will tackle 'Young people and cultural routes: the role of young people in preserving cultural heritage and how to guarantee their participation', and on 'Democracy and cultural routes: participation between sectors at a local and international level'. Friday's final session will present the conclusions from the meetings and workshops and the Aranjuez Declaration will be approved.

Under the slogan of 'Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe: creating transnational work network', the forum brings together leading experts from the main European and national institutions involved, including representatives from the European Commission, the World Trade Organization (UNWTO), other European ministerial departments, as well as leading figures from the world of European cultural routes and managers of route associations.

The programme for the cultural routes, launched in 1987 by the Council of Europe, highlights contributions from different European countries and culture to a common heritage. From the legendary St James' Way to the maritime route of the Phoenicians through the Mediterranean; from the cross-border legacy of the Viking routes to the European theatres where Mozart performed; from the past glories of the Via Regia to the sacred and mythical Olive Roads, there are a total of 33 cultural routes (22 of which pass through Spain) through 56 countries.

Annual Consultative Forum of European Cultural Routes

This is the most important and significant event on the programme of cultural routes. The forum tackles the trends and challenges in relation to the cultural routes and provides a platform for sharing experiences, analysing the progress acquired as a result of the implementation of the cultural routes, serves to debate new professional practices, the launch of new initiatives and the development of new associations.

The forum is organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Council of Europe. The participants include National Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Office of Culture and Tourism of the Region of Madrid and the Town Council of Aranjuez.

More information on Cultural Routes:

• Council of Europe: http://culture-routes.net/