On 15 November, the Intergroup of the European Parliament “European Cultural Heritage, Ways of Saint-James and other European Cultural Routes” organised a symposium on the theme “Preserving and transmitting Europe’s cultural heritage: common challenges for a threatened legacy” in Brussels.

The symposium focused on European historical heritage, addressing the need and challenges for its conservation, and how to move towards a European policy on its preservation.

The introduction was made by Commission Vice-President Mr Margaritis SCHINAS and the opening speech by Mr Francisco MILLAN MON, member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the Intergroup, and Mr François Xavier BELLAMY, MEP and member of the Intergroup.

Mr Stefano DOMINIONI, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes (EPA), took part in the first session "Europe, a thousand-year heritage" and presented the Programme to the participants. He gave a speech on the awareness of the Council of Europe of the importance of culture and heritage, which it has seen from the outset as an essential tool for promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, and for achieving greater unity between Europeans. The speech was also a platform to discuss how the Cultural Routes, designed as grassroots tools and being a source of social, economic, and cultural development, enable a wide audience to gain a better understanding of Europe's history and diverse heritage.

The address concluded by emphasizing the connections between the European Parliament and the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Programme. The European Parliament has consistently acknowledged the Programme as an effective tool for promoting fundamental European values such as cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable territorial development in lesser-known destinations. The call was made for enhanced cooperation between the European Union and the Council of Europe through the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes.