European Projects
ReCult: Via Querinissima, Associación de Concellos do Camiño da Ría de Muros-Noia and St. Olaf Way Together to Promote Civic Engagement through European Cultural Itineraries
Via Querinissima, Associación de Concellos do Camiño da Ría de Muros-Noia with St. Olaf Ways, have jointly submitted a proposal to the European Union Programme (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values). The project, titled ReCult, aims to enhance and preserve a significant part of Europe’s medieval cultural heritage, with a particular focus on the intersection among pilgrimage routes. ReCult seeks to promote cultural routes as a meaningful way to encourage civic participation and to foster a stronger, shared European identity.
The general objective of the project is to ensure long-term awareness and recognition of historic pilgrimage routes as vital components of Europe’s medieval and cultural landscape. The initiative will strengthen the cooperation among public institutions, civic society organizations, and local communities from different regions of Europe. Through the active involvement of local communities, the project will raise public awareness of this cultural heritage and promote a deeper sense of connection to our collective European identity. By doing so, ReCult contributes to building a more inclusive narrative of Europe’s past, helping citizens understand how their local histories are intrinsically linked within a broader continental framework.
European identity is deeply rooted in the history of the Middle Ages, a time when trade and religious pilgrimages facilitated the exchange of stories, traditions, and values that continue to unite the peoples of Europe today under the umbrella of the European Union. The project emerges from the already existing collaboration among three important cultural routes: Via Querinissima, Associación de Concellos do Camiño da Ría de Muros-Noia (the latter being part of the extensive Santiago de Compostela network) and St. Olaf Ways. These routes not only share parts of their physical paths but also embrace common values related to solidarity, hospitality, and the preservation of cultural and natural heritage.
Submitted in April 2025, the proposal is now under evaluation, results expected in the Autumn. Through this collaboration, ReCult demonstrates how cultural heritage can serve as a living bridge between people, traditions, and generations, reinforcing a collective European identity that draws strength from a shared past.
INCREMENTAL: Protecting and Enhancing Intangible Cultural Heritage
Among the winners of the call for proposals under the INTERREG EUROPE Programme are two founding partners of the Via Querinissima Association: the Veneto Region and the Nordland Region with the project “INCREMENTAL – Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and local development. Communities, safeguard and resilience”
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This success opens the door to an important opportunity for Via Querinissima, which has been identified as a strategic stakeholder.
The INCREMENTAL project is an initiative funded under the INTERREG EUROPE Programme that aims to develop innovative strategies for the protection and enhancement of ICH. The project brings together partners from Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, and Greece, in addition to the metropolitan area of Amiens (France) and the municipality of Gjirokastra (Albania) as a discovery partner. The goal is to improve six existing regional policies by integrating the protection of ICH with sectors such as tourism, cultural events, and the local economy. Through these actions, the project aims to support economic and social development, promote cultural identity, and counter challenges such as depopulation and over-tourism.
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Via Querinissima has been identified as a strategic stakeholder because it is an example of the integration between tangible and intangible heritage. Indeed, the itinerary is not only based on material evidence, such as Pietro Querini’s diaries, but also embraces the living traditions that still characterise the communities along the route.
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Among the most significant examples are the culinary traditions linked to stockfish, a symbolic product that has inspired local events, celebrations, and crafts. These elements fully embody UNESCO’s definition of intangible heritage: living, representative, and capable of connecting communities across time and space.
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In conclusion, INCREMENTAL proposes a multidimensional approach, where intangible heritage becomes a driver of innovation and sustainability. Moreover, the project will serve as a laboratory to test and implement these strategies, demonstrating how cultural heritage can become a lever for the future of local communities.
MED4REGEN
Via Querinissima has been selected as one of the strategic pilot initiatives of MED4REGEN, a newly approved project under the prestigious EURO-MED Programme, led by the Veneto Region Culture Department.
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Within MED4REGEN, Via Querinissima will explore a pioneering model of regenerative tourism, one that not only promotes sustainable travel but also creates lasting benefits for local communities and environments.
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At the heart of this vision, museums and cultural institutions will act as key hubs, sharing the richness of our cultural heritage and promoting responsible, conscious lifestyles.
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This marks an important step toward building a tourism model that values culture, community, and connection.