Last April 6th, the ERHG gathered its members in the beautiful Santa Clotilde Gardens to celebrate the Ceremony of its certification as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe

The ceremony took place in the context of the celebration of its General Assembly on April 6 in the Santa Clotilde Gardens, in Lloret de Mar.

The event was chaired by Jaume Dulsat, president of the European Route of Historic Gardens and by Stefano Dominioni, director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. Lukasz Pryzybylak, vice-president of the Itinerary and Pawel Gutt, head of Protocol at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, also spoke.

The European Route of Historic Gardens has been a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since December 2020, but due to the pandemic the official delivery of the certificate has been delayed, which finally took place last Wednesday in a ceremony held in the Santa Clotilde Gardens from Lloret de Mar.

The ceremony was presided over by the mayor of Lloret, Jaume Dulsat and president of the European Route of Historic Gardens, and by Stefano Dominioni, Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. Jaume Dulsat has highlighted that the certification is a recognition of the effort made over many years to preserve the natural heritage of the Historic Gardens. For his part, Stefano Dominioni welcomed the new European Route of Historic Gardens and stressed that in order to be officially recognized as a Cultural Route, a basic condition must be met that the Route of Historic Gardens fully complies with: its true transnational status, that it passes through at least four countries, that it is a project in which citizens are involved and that it focuses on working on the sustainable development of the tangible and intangible heritage of the Itinerary. Dominioni considered the European Route of Historic Gardens as a tourism model to be promoted and praised it as a common project that through culture makes it possible to value the European historical legacy.

The certification of the Council of Europe of the European Cultural Route highlights the value of the member gardens, both from the historical, artistic and social point of view, as well as from the point of view of their cross-border value, since it reflects the identity of the countries and regions Europeans throughout the centuries, as well as their common goal of creating a better life and landscape.

During the interventions of Pawel Gutt, responsible for Protocol and Foreign Relations of the Royal Castle of Warsaw, and Lukasz Pryzybylak, vice president of the ERHG, the values of democracy and human rights of the Council of Europe were emphasized, as well as the meaning of the Program of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, especially in the current context of conflict. In this sense, Pawel Gutt read a statement on behalf of the ERHG, condemning the war and supporting the values of the Council of Europe and the Ukrainians.