The 1.1. Million EUR European Union Grant Agreement to foster regional development through transnational heritage policies and practices through cultural routes was signed on 20 December 2017 between the European Commission (DG REGIO), represented by Director Mrs. Lena ANDERSSON PENCH, and the Council of Europe, represented by Deputy Secretary General Mrs. Gabriella BATTAINI-DRAGONI (see photo).

The 30-Month Action (2017-2020) aims to strengthen sustainable development through cultural heritage policies, practices and services in the four EU Macro-Region (Baltic Sea Region, Danube Region, Adriatic and Ionian Region, Alpine Region) as recognized by the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (Faro Convention, 2005) through the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme. The Cultural Routes programme underscores, as does the Convention, the importance of local citizens and their affinity with their region as essential to understanding and rediscovering the cultural identity of the sites and to attracting new activities, encouraging the cultural heritage and tourism sector in a sustainable way and ensuring that economic use does not threaten the cultural heritage itself.

The Action will be implemented under the responsibility of the Secretariat of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes (EPA), from the EPA’s headquarters at the European Institute of Cultural Routes in Luxembourg.