In 2018, the rotating Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) has been taken over by Bulgaria. As a key event of the 2018 Bulgarian Presidency, the 7^th Annual Forum of the EUSDR was held in Sofia on 18-19 October. Jointly organised by Bulgaria and by the European Commission (DG REGIO), in cooperation with the Danube Transnational Programme, the event focused on tourism development and preservation of cultural heritage as a precondition to economic growth and territorial cohesion.

The 7^th edition of the Forum brought together over 900 participants from more than 30 countries, including the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, the Minister of Tourism, and many high-level representatives of the EU Commission.

Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, presented the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme with a particular focus on how sustainable tourism is linked to European funds and investments (such as Creative Europe and Horizon 2020 programmes); he also mentioned Routes4U, the joint programme between the Council of Europe and the European Commission, fostering development in four macro-regions, including the Danube macro-region.