Over Easter Stefano Dominioni, Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, decided to walk with his family on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrim route, certified "Cultural Route of the Council of Europe" 30 years ago. We are very pleased to welcome him the day after tomorrow to our Kick-Off Event in Vienna. On the 20th April 2017 he gives the keynote speech ​and provides an important incentive for the upcoming dialogue.

The Danube area is characterised by rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage, diversity and territorial imbalances. Both to safeguard and develop heritage, to enable sustainable tourism thus contributing to economic prosperity, and to strengthen cohesion joint forces to fully develop the potential of transnational cultural routes are needed. These routes have important integrative power and put themselves forward to touristic exploitation.

The Danube Culture Platform plans a new cooperation of culture and tourism with the aim of supporting and expanding European cultural routes. Well-trodden paths will be left, hidden cultural heritage revealed, contemporary artistic interpretations and new educational formats for historic sites and events developed. In order to meet this goal successfully our project involves experienced institutions as Associated Strategic Partners (ASP) including the European Institute of Cultural Routes.

Further information on the European Institute of Cultural Routes can be found at http://culture-routes.net/

© Image rights: European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR)