On September 23, the official opening of the 15th Advisory Forum of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes, titled ‘Routes through Time and Cultures: Education for Sustainable Heritage,’ took place in Yerevan.
Opening remarks were delivered by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia Zhanna Andreasyan, Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan, Head of the Democratic Freedoms and Institutions Department of the Council of Europe Roberto Olla, Chair of the Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes Sergio Ortega Muñoz, and Nikola Nikolov, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Armenia.
The forum was organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport as part of the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes.
Welcoming the participants, Minister Zhanna Andreasyan emphasized the importance of holding the forum through joint efforts:
“The forum provides a platform for strategic discussions on the preservation of cultural heritage and on the important mission of making visible, through heritage, the commonalities and interconnections of global cultures to our countries and communities. The issues on the agenda are aligned with the 2023–2027 Strategy of the Government of the Republic of Armenia for the Preservation, Development and Promotion of Culture. Particular importance is attached to cross-sectoral ties, which are especially vital in the fields of education and culture. They create synergies between different programs and policies, contributing to better outcomes.”
Speaking about cross-sectoral cooperation, the Minister presented an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport aimed at school-age children, providing them with simple guidelines on how to help care for historical and cultural monuments located in their communities.
“We simply connected one sector with another, combining the extensive expertise of our cultural heritage specialists with efforts to make better use of the potential of children. These solutions demonstrate that, by becoming more creative and innovative, we can see opportunities where we once saw boundaries. Perhaps these new opportunities will open up new avenues that were previously invisible. This is also what the Cultural Routes are about: they connect countries and societies.”
She emphasized that Armenia is actively participating in six international Cultural Routes: “Routes of the Vine,” “Impressionisms,” “Prehistoric Rock Art Trails,” “European Cemeteries,” “European Fairy Tale Route,” and “Jewish Heritage.”
The Minister expressed her gratitude to all partners for their cooperation, including the Municipality of Yerevan and the Council of Europe.
Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan welcomed the organization of the annual forum, emphasizing that Yerevan’s historical heritage, museums and educational institutions provide extensive opportunities for cooperation within the program.
“This forum is a valuable opportunity to exchange experience, establish new partnerships and develop joint programs. We expect the connections and proposals formed here to transform into practical initiatives.”
The opening ceremony was followed by a discussion entitled ‘The Role of Education in Preserving Sustainable Heritage,’ with the participation of representatives from Armenia, the Council of Europe, Georgia, UN Tourism and other international organizations.
On September 24, panel discussions will focus on strengthening cultural and educational ecosystems through Cultural Routes, as well as the use of digital tools, new technologies and artificial intelligence in heritage education.
Parallel working sessions will also address the following topics: integrating heritage into educational policies, school curricula and formal education, practical and non-formal education, access to culture and inclusion, tourism, exchanges, and learning through travel.
The sessions on September 25 will address the development of the Cultural Routes program, youth participation, the geographical and thematic representation of Cultural Routes, sustainable tourism, and standards for heritage education. Seven new routes seeking Council of Europe certification will also be presented.
One of the key outcomes of the forum will be the development of a framework of recommendations for Cultural Routes.
Alongside the professional discussions, participants will have the opportunity to explore Armenia’s historical and cultural heritage and its contemporary cultural life. The program includes cultural visits in Yerevan.
The forum was organized in partnership with the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the Cultural Development Foundation of Armenia and the European Institute of Cultural Routes, with the support of the Municipality of Yerevan.