On 4-5 May 2018 Vidzeme Tourism Association participated in the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail Conference held in the German federal parliament. Representatives of 20 European states came to Berlin to discuss how to improve the Iron Curtain Trail (ICT). Green Member of the European Parliament Michael Cramer was there to present this project which he has been actively involved in since 2005.
The 8th European Greenways Awards have been given on September 28th 2017 during the official ceremony in Limerick Co. (Ireland)
Seven greenways from Belgium, Serbia, Portugal, Spain and Ireland were awarded as reference of best practices in Europe. The Award ceremony was held in Adare, Limerick Co. (Ireland)).
A new application has been launched for smart phones and tablets to help people plan and then cycle the route of EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail. The route invites people to retrace and experience the former border that for almost half a century divided Europe into East and West.
The second interregional workshop with study visits dedicated to ‘Industrial heritage Tourism’ took place in Borås on 14 – 16 March 2017, organised by Region of Vastra Gotaland/Vastarvet, at an old industrial site transformed into the Textile Fashion Centre.
There can be few more symbolic locations to hold a project meeting related to EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail then Gdańsk – home of the Solidarity (Solidarność) movement, which played such a key role in bringing down the iron curtain.
President of European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), Mr Raitis Sijats (who is also VTA's Chairman of the Board), addressed the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Forum, which took place at the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva from 26 – 27 October 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. This year`s forum focused on ‘Expanding the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe: challenges and opportunities’.
On Saturday 15th October representatives of the National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators’ (NECC/Cs) met in Vienna to present best practices, exchange experiences and agree how to continue the successful development of EuroVelo across the continent.
The first exchange of experience process started with capitalization of good practices related to one of the priority theme ‘Intangible Heritage Tourism’ on 22 – 24 September 2016 in Guimaraes, Portugal, at the ‘Platform for Arts and Creativity’ centre, linked to the European Heritage Days and European Cooperation Day.
