ASCE President at the Cultural Routes meeting in Slovenia

On September 14–15, 2026, representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe met on the Slovenian coast to discuss cooperation, sustainable tourism and the future development of Cultural Routes.

Cultural Routes and Sustainable Tourism

The Cultural Routes meeting was organised within the Interreg Euro-MED ECO-SEAROUTES project, which promotes more sustainable tourism models and a more balanced distribution of tourism flows in the Mediterranean. It began on 14 September with a visit to the Gramona organic olive farm in Seča near Portorož and continued on 15 September at Palazzo Manzioli in Izola, where participants discussed the role and future cooperation of Cultural Routes.

The meeting was joined by Rui Gomes, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes. Dr Maja Turnšek from the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism, presented the ECO-SEAROUTES project and moderated the discussion.

Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week

The meeting took place as a parallel event to the 11th Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week, held in Izola from 15–17 September. As part of the official programme, Rui Gomes also participated in the session “Cultural Routes in Action: Vision for the Future”, focusing on the contribution of Cultural Routes to sustainable tourism and European cooperation.

Representing the European Cemeteries Route

The European Cemeteries Route, established by the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE) and certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2010, was represented by ASCE President Lidija Pliberšek.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the Cultural Routes with network members in Slovenia to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation and explore their role in sustainable tourism and the promotion of European cultural heritage.

Event Highlights

ASCE President at the all-Slovenian Cultural Routes meeting

On October 10, 2024, ASCE president, Mrs Lidija Pliberšek, participated at the all-Slovenian meeting of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, organized by the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Maribor.

34th Days of European Cultural Heritage

Between September 28 and October 12, 2024, a series of events took place in numerous locations throughout Slovenia and its neighboring regions as part of the 34th Days of European Cultural Heritage and the 12th Cultural Heritage Week. This year's theme was "Heritage of Cultural Routes, Networking, and Connections."

Roundtable discussion: Connecting for Peace and Intercultural Cooperation

As part of these events, the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Maribor, a member of the Academic Network of Cultural Routes, organized an all-Slovenian meeting of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. This event was held on October 10, 2024, in Ljubljana, and featured a roundtable discussion titled "Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe – Connecting for Peace and Intercultural Cooperation." The meeting was also intended for discussions about the knowledge and competencies needed for cultural and thematic routes in Slovenia.

At the round table, Mrs Irena Marš from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia was joined by representatives of two Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe coordinated from Slovenia: Mrs Lidija Pliberšek from the European Cemeteries Route, and Mrs Andreja Rihter from the Women Writers' Route. The fourth participant was Mr Edvard Kovač, representing the Saint Martin of Tours Route, the first Slovenian route to receive the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe certification.

You can find the official PR statement about the event (in Slovenian) at this LINK.

European Cemeteries for Sustainable Europe

Mrs Lidija Pliberšek, president of the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE), spoke about the importance of cemeteries in building peace. Military cemeteries play a central role in this by reminding us of the tragedies, horrors, and suffering caused by wars. Additionally, cemeteries serve as a reminder of equality in death, emphasizing the respect for diversity, and the European Cemeteries Route plays an active role in this context.

ASCE president also introduced the Significant Cemeteries for Sustainable Europe initiative, launched by the Association in 2024 to support the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As part of the initiative, the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2024 focused on environmental sustainability and climate change, with events and activities showcasing how cemeteries and visitors can contribute to reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, this project received the Best Practice Award 2024, granted by the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in September 2024.

Event highlights:

*The content is partially excerpted from the PR statement by Dr. Maja Turnšek.