THE EUROPEAN CEMETERIES ROUTE HAS BEEN AWARDED THE RECOGNITION OF “EUROPEAN CULTURAL ROUTE” OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

For further information, please contact with
Jorge Llopis Planas
Responsible of Media & Public Relations
Tel. (+34) 91 533 55 49 – (+34) 677 058 350
e-mail: mediarelations@cemeteriesroute.eu
www.cemeteriesroute.eu  /significantcemeteries.org

PRESS RELEASE    MAY 2010

The European Cemeteries Route is composed of 49 cemeteries in 37 cities of 16 European countries.

Barcelona (date) The Council of Europe has recently recognized The European Cemeteries Route with the award of “Cultural European Route”

The European Cemeteries Route is an initiative promoted by the Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe (ASCE), a not for profit organization founded with the main objective of preserving cemeteries of special historic and artistic importance in Europe. DMC Destination Management, a company with recognized expertise in promoting and managing themed tourism routes, is responsible for its development.

Cemeteries are part of our tangible heritage, for their works, sculptures, engravings, and even for their urban planning. Cemeteries are also part of our intangible heritage, our anthropological reality, giving a support to the environment surrounding the habits and practices related to death.

This Route refers to cemeteries as places of life because it offers places that, as urban spaces, are directly linked to the history and culture of the community they belong to and where we will find many of our references. Cemeteries represent unique settings where to find part of our historical memories, places where to remember periods of our local history that communities do not want and should not forget, and that we have the duty to preserve and transmit to future generations.

The Cultural Routes Program was developed in 1987 by the Council of Europe with the objective of bringing awareness, in a tangible manner through a trip in space and time, to the way in which heritage from different countries and cultures in Europe represent a shared cultural heritage, highlighting the main principles of the Council of Europe: human rights, cultural democracy, diversity and cultural identities, dialogue, exchange and mutual enrichment across boundaries and centuries.

The European Cultural Route recognition of the Council of Europe is a quality seal awarded to initiatives that bring together, in a comprehensive manner, the cultural and social values that the Council of Europe promotes. Some of the cultural routes that also carry this prestigious award include: Saint James Way, Via Francigena, the Phoenician Route, Route of the Legado Andalusí, the Routes of the Olive Tree, etc.