Participants in the 5th Meeting of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Managers in Spain. Huelva, Spain.
From 23 to 25 March 2026, the 5th Meeting of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Managers in Spain took place at the Foro Iberoamericano de La Rábida in Huelva, coordinated by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the Provincial Council of Huelva
Following four editions dedicated to consolidating and strengthening the Cultural Routes programme—focusing on citizen participation, local development, heritage preservation, and communication—the 2026 edition centred on research and knowledge networks developed within the framework of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme.
The opening session featured contributions from Rui Gomes, Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes; Emanuela Panke, President of Iter Vitis Europe; María Agúndez, Deputy Director General for Cultural Heritage Management and Coordination at the Spanish Ministry of Culture; and Sergio Ortega Muñoz, Head of the Heritage Protection and European Programmes Service at the Ministry of Culture.
Two round tables, moderated by Elena Regodón and Déborah Jiménez, structured the morning session on 24 March. The first focused on the role of research in interpreting heritage linked to Cultural Routes, while the second explored strategies to make research outcomes accessible to citizens.
Both sessions brought together specialists and representatives of several Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, fostering a productive discussion that continued into the afternoon working groups. These sessions aimed to analyse the role of Scientific Committees within Cultural Routes, highlighting the central importance of research within the programme.
In this context, the meeting also provided an opportunity to review the current state of the Cultural Routes University Network, which will convene in November 2026 in Lugano. It further explored the opportunities offered by the Ibero-American dimension of the programme, particularly in relation to research, social knowledge transfer through innovative educational practices, and the promotion of sustainable cultural tourism models rooted in historical memory as a driver of social cohesion and sustainable human development.
These themes were brought together in the final session of the meeting, opened by Natalia Briales, Head of Cultural Tourism and Content Marketing at Turespaña, and closed by Esther M. García Vidal, who presented the proposal “Great Nautical Explorations of the Atlantic” (AGREE) as the basis for a future Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.
The programme enabled a valuable exchange between Cultural Routes and other cultural stakeholders, complemented by a cultural agenda that highlighted the rich and diverse heritage of Huelva—from its archaeological and natural landscapes to its deeply rooted intangible traditions, expressed through local gastronomy, music, and dance.
