Cultural Routes and Itineraries for Territorial Development

Partnership
Initiative

Background

Cultural routes and itineraries are considered a guiding strategy for collaboration between different organisations and entities, serving as tools for innovation, revitalising territories and promoting new models of governance, thus establishing collaborative partnerships as drivers of territorial development.

In this regard, this Partnership looked to the 'Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe' programme as a point of reference, which, over its 35-year history, had developed a solid and successful methodology which enabled the implementation of cultural routes and itineraries, with a commitment to quality and sustainability. The methodology had a positive impact in the respective territories, both in the preservation and local ownership of cultural heritage as well as in the social, economic and environmental spheres. The European Institute of Cultural Routes - EICR (Luxembourg) served as the technical agency of the programme, gathering the knowledge and expertise generated over the years.

One of the priorities of the programme and of the EICR was to create networks and partnerships, which was facilitated in Latin America and the Caribbean through the 'Inter-institutional cooperation programme on Euro-Ibero-American cultural routes and itineraries', coordinated by the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture - OEI. This regional organisation has extensive experience in this field and a strong connection to the EICR, in line with the commitments made at the XIX Ibero-American Conference on Culture in 2018.

In recent years, ties have been established with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that have implemented cultural routes and itineraries as drivers of development, including Mexico, and more specifically, the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas Francisco García Salinas - UAZ (Mexico); with significant experience in the field of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and a solid academic record (teaching and research) in the field. It is worth noting their participation in the 'Camino Real de Tierra Adentro' (Royal Road of the Interior) itinerary, registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.

Ecuador, which in recent years has sought to improve its strategy of promoting cultural routes and itineraries, was also selected as a participating country. In response to the development challenge, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage of Ecuador - MCYP requested support from the EICR, the OEI and the UAZ, thus forming a Triangular Cooperation Partnership. For the Initiative, three existing routes in Ecuador were selected as the pillars of this triangular exercise - the 'Ruta del origen del cacao' (Cacao Route), the 'Ruta La Florida Tulipe' (La Florida Tulipe Route) and the 'Ruta de acciones culturales' (Cultural activities route) - with the aim of improving the routes and replicating the successful experiences throughout the country. To this end, two entities with strong ties to the selected routes joined the Partnership: the Metropolitan Institute of Heritage of Quito - IMP (Ecuador) and the Secretary of Culture of the Metropolitan District of Quito - SECU (Ecuador).

Considering the nature of the challenge, the Fundación Academia Europea e Iberoamericana de Yuste (European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation) in Spain, a leading organisation in this field in Europe, was considered a strategic addition, thanks to its many years of experience and key role in the promotion and management of routes and itineraries certified by the Council of Europe. Among these, the 'Route of Charles V', certified by the Council in 2015, is particularly noteworthy. The Foundation was one of the main promoters of this route and for years has held the role of presidency of the 'Cooperation Network of the Routes of Emperor Charles V'.

In order to reinforce this knowledge, support from and occasional collaboration with leading public entities in Europe and Latin America was also considered important, such as the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture and the National Secretariat of Tourism of Paraguay, as well as specialised universities such as the Compostela Group of Universities (Spain); all of which have long-standing collaboration frameworks with the EICR and the OEI.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Ministerio de Cultura y Patrimonio de Ecuador

Ecuador

Instituto Metropolitano de Patrimonio de Quito

Ecuador

Secretaría de Cultura del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito

Ecuador

First provider entities

Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas "Francisco García Salinas"

Mexico

Second provider entities

Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (OEI)

Instituto Europeo de Itinerarios Culturales

Luxembourg

Fundación Academia Europea e Iberoamericana de Yuste

Spain

Collaborating entities

Grupo Compostela de Universidades, Spain

Ministerio de Cultura de España, Spain

Ministerio de Cultura de Perú, Peru

Secretaría Nacional de Turismo, Paraguay

Development challenges

Thanks to this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership member entities and the collaborating entities in the field of cultural routes and itineraries was used to strengthen and consolidate three existing routes in Ecuador, and to create a model of sustainable development through tourism. The aim was for the model to be applied throughout the country, with the goal of strengthening existing routes and creating new ones.

The objective was to achieve inclusive and sustainable development within the framework of SDG 8 and SDG 10, contributing to these by 'developing and implementing policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes culture and local products', 'promoting development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation', 'enhancing and promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all people' and 'progressively achieving and sustaining income growth for the poorest 40% of the population at a rate above the national average'.

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative sought to harness the Provider entities' knowledge of cultural routes and itineraries to transfer its model, based on the preservation of local heritage, in order to boost employment and promote sustainable development through tourism.

Triangular approach

There is a strong consensus that cultural routes and itineraries are one of the most effective strategies for promoting sustainable development in isolated or less developed territories.

In the case of Europe, the 'Council of Europe Cultural Routes Programme' was created in 1987 and is considered a success story. Through a proprietary methodology for tourism and cultural management, synergies are created between national, regional and local authorities and a wide range of social and economic actors, working together towards a common goal. There are 38 certified cultural itineraries (covering a wide range of themes, from architecture and landscape to religious influences, gastronomy and intangible heritage to major figures in art, music and literature) which are key resources in promoting responsible tourism and sustainable development. This knowledge was harnessed by the European Institute of Cultural Routes - EICR (Luxembourg), the technical agency of the programme, as well as the Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture - OEI (Spain), the organisation that acts as a liaison between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean and which held the role of coordinator in this Initiative.

Spain has a well-established tradition of cultural routes and itineraries. In fact, this country is featured in 24 of the 38 itineraries of the Council of Europe, playing a leading role in their development, design and implementation. Over the years, a number of organisations have gained a great deal of scientific and technical expertise, such as the Fundación Yuste, which promotes the 'Route of Charles V', spanning more than 80 cities and historic sites in 13 countries across Europe and Latin America. At the same time, in recent years it had been very active in the field of research, training, dissemination and awareness-raising in this area, promoting applied studies and supporting, organising and hosting a large number of congresses and specialised seminars.

In Mexico there are various initiatives and actors involved throughout the country, including the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas Francisco García Salinas - UAZ, which participates in the 'Camino Real de Tierra Adentro' (Royal Road of the Interior) itinerary. The Royal Road includes five sites already registered on the World Heritage List and 55 other sites along 1,400 of the route's 2,600 km, which starts in northern Mexico and reaches Texas and New Mexico in the United States.

At the same time, while some progress had already been made in Ecuador, the aim was to reinforce its strategy of cultural routes and itineraries; strengthening existing ones and creating new ones. Among the existing routes were the 'Ruta del origen del cacao' (Cacao Route), the 'Ruta La Florida Tulipe' (La Florida Tulipe Route) and the 'Ruta de acciones culturales' (Cultural activities route).

These routes were a useful test-bed for the development of a model that could subsequently be replicated throughout the country. Ecuador's Ministry of Culture and Heritage played a key role in expanding these experiences from the Quito area to the rest of the country.

Thanks to this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership member entities in Europe and Mexico in the field of cultural routes and itineraries was leveraged to enhance three existing routes in Ecuador, in order to develop their own model to be applied in the rest of the country. The aim was to strengthen other existing routes and create new ones (in accordance with a model based on enhancing the value of heritage, boosting employment and promoting local sustainable development through tourism).

This triangular approach was based on three pillars: a) A capacity building process through the exchange of successful experiences, with the aim of training those involved in the current cultural routes, b) A dissemination and awareness-raising process, in order to engage a larger number of public, private and social actors, and c) An advisory process, in order to promote research to establish the basis for the future creation and implementation of routes.

The model developed could also be used by third countries in the region. The regional scope of the OEI was key to identifying needs in the neighbouring countries, while its experience in establishing networks and partnerships was essential to designing and promoting new processes of knowledge sharing, in which Ecuador lent its knowledge and expertise derived from this Triangular Cooperation Initiative.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

Secondary SDG

Goal 8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

As previously mentioned, this exercise was based on three pillars: (a) A capacity building process through the exchange of success experiences, in order to provide training for the current cultural routes, (b) A dissemination and awareness raising process, in order to involve a larger number of public, private and social actors, and (c) An advisory process, in order to promote research to establish the basis for the future creation and implementation of routes. Within the framework of this approach, a series of activities were carried out, culminating in a model for cultural routes and itineraries to be implemented in Ecuador.

The first two pillars were coordinated through a series of five workshops held in Ecuador in the cities of Quito, Loja and Manta. Representatives of the Provider entities and collaborating entities participated in these workshops, adding to their particular knowledge and expertise. Participants included representatives of the Beneficiary entities as well as other actors with particular expertise or interest in the subject in Ecuador, fostering the dissemination and awareness of the issue. In addition to these workshops, a consultancy was carried out to define a specific roadmap to enhance each of the three cultural routes selected as pilot experiences in this Initiative. In terms of capacity building, this pillar was supported by the congress described below.

A study coordinated by the UAZ was the cornerstone of the third pillar, in which the foundations were laid for the design, creation and implementation of cultural routes and itineraries in Ecuador. This innovative governance-based approach aimed to build connections and synergies among all the actors operating in the territory.

The Initiative concluded with a congress held in the region of Extremadura, Spain and led by the Yuste Foundation, which aimed to reinforce the capacity building initiated within the workshops (first pillar) and validate the study carried out by the UAZ (third pillar), with the aim of scaling it up as a model. All of the activities took place in Europe in order for participants to visit the main routes and itineraries in Spain, and to engage key European actors interested in the potential development of collaboration frameworks with Ecuador or other countries in the region.

Throughout the Initiative, a gender-based approach was prioritised, with a focus on the environment and climate change; both in terms of highlighting and sharing specific experiences and in terms of presenting and reflecting these approaches in the joint work, and especially in the model.

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

According to Rule 9 of the Guidelines for Applicants: all persons participating in the activities of the Initiative.

The Initiative involved 207 direct beneficiaries, including authorities and technical staff of the Partnership member entities, as well as the participation of 109 people from various entities in the Beneficiary countries who, while not members of the Partnership, were invited to the workshops and the congress as a strategy for dissemination and awareness-raising on the issue.

Budget

EU contribution: 162,179.17 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 116,997.00 €

Total budget: 279,176.17 €

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