The Cultural Foundation “Routes of the Olive Tree” participated in the works of the second Forum of Delphi which was held successfully on 17 & 18 April 2010 at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi. The 2nd Forum, as a Continuing cooperation platform for European Cultural Routes, was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Luxembourg and implemented under the bilateral cultural cooperation programs in Greece and Luxembourg, with the active support of European Institute of Cultural Routes.The aim of the Forum was to present the evolution of the Program, after the Declaration of the 1st Forum of Delphi in May 2006 in which the “The Routes of the Olive Tree” were officially called “Great European Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” and having in mind that the cultural routes are very important tools for the development of intercultural dialogue, rapprochement of cultures, sustainable development and promotion of cultural tourism and European integration.
The Platform of Delphi for the Cultural Routes to the second Forum, invited representatives of European and international bodies such as the Council of Europe, the European Commission, European Parliament, the Committee of Regions of the EU, Unesco, the ICOMOS, the World Trade Organization of Tourism, members of the Euro parliament and representatives of the Ministries of Culture in Europe, to present their current positions on cultural routes and cultural tourism in Europe.
During the works were examined the problems and new ways of management and financing of cultural routes and the economic models to promote the destination “Europe” together with representatives of the private sector.
On the first day of the Forum,the Executive Director of the Cultural Organization “The Routes of the Olive Tree”, Mr. George Karabatos participated with an extensive presentation and having as theme “The Routes of the Olive Tree ‘, a tool for sustainable development olive oil producing areas of the Mediterranean.
On the second day at the three round-tables were discussed the modern tools and tourist products of cultural routes and forms of tourism that respect local communities and their cultural identity, taking into account the culture and the values of material and intangible cultural heritage of each crossing region with the diversity that characterizes it.
Six collaborators of the Cultural Organization “The Routes of the Olive Tree” (M. Katsilieri, Audrey Guittard, Nourredine Ouazzani, Elisavet Chatzinikolaou, Edouard De Laubrie, George Sarantavgas) participated in the workshops with suggestions and proposals.
At the works participated among others Mrs Eleni Arveler, which documented scientific and historical the fact that culture and cultural routes are the gate to the economy and trade, the Secretary General of Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Ms. Lina Mendoni, the Secretary General of Tourism George Poussaios, the General Director of the Directorate for Education, Culture and Heritage of the Council of Europe Ms. G. Bataini – Dragoni, the Manager of the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, Mr M. Thomas-Penette and many others.
