| On 23rd October 1987, the Council of Europe brought together many
European Ministers of Culture and representatives of its Parliamentary
Assembly in Santiago de Compostela. The General Secretary, Marcelino
Oreja presented a Declaration that founded the Programme of Cultural
Routes of the Council of Europe.
In its conclusion we can read: “May the faith which has
inspired pilgrims throughout history, uniting them in a common aspiration
and transcending national differences and interests, inspire us
today, and young people in particular, to travel along these routes
in order to build a society founded on tolerance, respect for others,
freedom and solidarity ”
The Paths of Santiago de Compostela were thus named as the ‘First
European Cultural Route.’
After the registration of the camino francés (‘French
path’) on the List of World Heritage in 1993, at Spain’s
request, UNESCO registered the ‘Paths of Compostela’
in France in 1998, including the ‘Hotel Dieu’ and the
Cathedral of Le Puy-en-Velay.
This year, 20 years after the birth of one of the most important
programmes for cultural cooperation which now involves 49 countries,
Le Puy-en-Velay has been chosen to hold a large European anniversary
conference on the subject of European paths and cultural routes
(27th-29th September), carried out under the guidance of the Council
of Europe and with the help of the scientific advice of the European
Institute of Cultural Routes.
The conciliation of tourism, culture and the discovery of heritage
is shown year after year in Europe to be one of the strongest tendencies
of tourist practices. A new approach, based on local cultural values
related to a dimension of a diverse European identity, serves as
a basis for a tourist product whose success is growing day by day.
This synthesis is registered in the restoration plan for the ‘Hotel
Dieu’ of Puy-en-Velay whose building works will begin on the
occasion of these ‘European Days’. These days, through
their magnitude, will also provide a premise for the annual meetings
expected in this building which symbolises spirituality and the
sharing of values.
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