Heritage of Routes, Networks, and Connections: European Heritage Days (EHD) “highlight this year the inter-connections shaping Europe’s rich and diverse heritage, from ancient routes and trade networks to modern digital links”. The initiative, jointly promoted by the Council of Europe and the European Union, kicks off this week, involving over 40 countries. People in these countries “can discover how the movement of people, ideas, and cultures across time and space have shaped our continent. Learning about buildings, monuments, streets, networks, rituals, languages, and even food reveal how our national and European traditions and heritage are products of continuous exchanges and various influences”.
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić said: “At the time when we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the organisation, as well as the 70th anniversary of the European Cultural Convention, the 2024 theme of the European Heritage Days is a powerful reminder of how our shared heritage continues to connect us across borders and through time, enriching our collective European identity and supporting the foundations of democracy”.
Various events and activities will highlight how the European Cultural Convention “has, over the past seven decades, strengthened cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and mutual exchange”.