11th ENPP Meeting defends European values

The defense of European values, the future projects of the Network and the election of the new Managing Bodies of the Association dominated the 11th  Meeting of the European Network of Places of Peace held on 4 and 5 May at the Cotroceni Museum in the city of Bucharest, Romania.
The Meeting discussed in detail the current certification process of  Places of Peace Route, in particular, the content of a report about the Route  elaborated by an “independent expert”  appointed by the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR), which received the most vehement repudiation by all delegations present since, in addition it  doesn’t reflect the reality and activity of the Route, this report is based on concepts that have nothing to do with the principles and practice of the Route and the ENPP. As a result, the Meeting approved the measures taken by the ENPP Board to solve the situation created by such Report and mandated the ENPP Board to continue to push for the reversal of the decision in not continuing the certification process this year taken by the Bureau of EPA Governing Body of Cultural Routes on last 16 and 17 February.

Regarding future projects, the Meeting discussed the future holding of a Conference on Tourism and Peace as well as the launch of the “Peace Games” a project of intercultural experiences among all members of the Network which was nominated for the EU Culture Program and awaits by a decision.
The Managing Bodies of the Association for the four-year 2018/2022 were unanimously elected and the ENPP Board continues to be headed by Eduardo Basso, representing the Evoramonte Castle Friendship Association (Portugal). The remaining positions of the Board will be occupied by Ulf Müller (Hubertusburg Castle Friendship Association, Germany), Janka Fabová (Oz TREUM, Slovakia), Bozhanka Dobreva (EICT Eureka, Bulgaria) and Anita Grzan-Martinovic (Municipality of Zadar, Croatia).

The Presidency of the General Assembly will be filled by the Association for the Promotion of Altranstädt Castle (Germany) and the Presidency of the Audit Statutory Committee for the Municipality of Vasvár (Hungary).

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Bucharest will host ENPP Meeting 2018

The European Network of Places of Peace Annual Meeting 2018 is scheduled for 4 and 5 May in the city of Bucharest, Romania, and will take place at Cotroceni Museum, located at Cotroceni Palace, the Romanian Presidential Palace (see photo). This meeting will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bucharest Peace Treaty and will be held at the invitation of the Youth Forum Romania, a non-profit association that joined the ENPP at the beginning of last year.
This Meeting will have a new development: a 2-day Parallel Program was prepared for all those who are interested and who want to support the objectives and activities of our Network. The program includes visits to some of the places in Bucharest where peace treaties have been signed as well as some of the most visited places in this countries such as Bran Castle, commonly known as Dracula’s Castle and the wonderful Peles Castle in Sinaia . The program will end with a dinner and musical entertainment at the historical restaurant “Hanul Lui Manuc”, located in the center of the city and where one of the 3 Peace Treaties of Bucharest was signed. Those interested can obtain more information about this Program through the Network’s email: enpp.ec@sapo.pt
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ENPP promotes the 1st European Conference on Tourism and Peace with the support of UNWTO

ENPP decided to hold the 1st European Conference on Tourism and Peace in September 2018 in Leipzig, Germany, after having obtained from Mr. Amr Al-Ghaffar, Tourism and Peace Senior Advisor of the Secretary-General of World Tourism Organization, the confirmation of the support of this organization of the United Nations. Details of this support will be discussed between the President of ENPP and that UNWTO High Representative at a meeting scheduled for January in Madrid, during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR).

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ALCÁÇOVAS (Portugal) CELEBRATED 538 YEARS OF ITS PEACE TREATY

The village of Alcáçovas (Portugal) celebrated its Treaty of Peace with several events during in the week of 4 to 9 September, with the Official Commemorative Session on Monday, 4th September, 538 years after the signing of its Peace Treaty, on September 4, 1479.

During the week several conferences related to the Musealization Program of Henriques’ Palace, recently recovered, were held including one on the Manufacture of Rattles,  another of the ex-libris of the village of Alcáçovas, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2015.

September 9, 2017

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A pleasant Meeting, in a pleasant Country

The delegations from several European countries had the opportunity to contact with Portuguese reality (and the Alentejo way of welcoming people).

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Places of Peace Route certification discussed in Alcáçovas Meeting

10th ENPP Meeting  was held last 26th  May in Henriques’ Palace, in the village of Alcáçovas, in the same place where on September 4, 1479, was signed the Peace Treaty  which has the name of this Alentejo village.

After a reception by the Mayor of Viana do Alentejo, Bengalinha Pinto and the Mayor of the Civil Parish of Alcáçovas, Sara Pajote, the delegations present at the 10th  Meeting dedicated special attention to the local development of Places of Peace Route as well as its certification process as Cultural Route of the Council of Europe and it was decided to formalize this application  next  September.

During the meeting the new ENPP Portal was presented and will soon be available online.

The new Network Portal will have pages dedicated to the places that constitute Places of Peace Route with information about the Peace Treaty signed there, main points of visit, local gastronomy, accommodation and a variety of other useful information that can be accessed through an interactive map allowing the user to easily identify their location in Europe.

The holding of a Conference on Tourism and Peace in Leipzig (Germany) meeting in the coming year with the support of the UNWTO and the discussion of the guidelines for future ENPP activity completed a fruitful and successful which had the presence and intervention of MEP Carlos Zorrinho as well as the Regional Director of Culture of  Alentejo Region, Paula Amendoeira.

Also on the 26th, the delegations present had the opportunity to visit Henriques’ Palace  recently recovered by the Municipality of Viana do Alentejo, the “Jardim das Conchas” adjacent to the Palace and the Manufacture of Rattles, classified as a World Heritage  by UNESCO in 2015 .

In the morning of the 27th, the delegations traveled to Évora Monte where attended the official session of the Commemorations of the 183 Years of the Peace Treaty signed in this village, also known as “Convention of Évora Monte”. The program of the day was completed in Viana do Alentejo  visiting the Castle, the Mother Church and the Sanctuary of Nª.  Sra D’Aires and attended one of the shows of the event “Pedreira dos Sons”, promoted by the Municipality of Viana do Alentejo.

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Alcáçovas (Viana do Alentejo), Portugal hosts the 10th ENPP Meeting

The 10th ENPP Meeting will take place on May 26th in the village of Alcáçovas (Paço dos Henriques), the place where, on September 4, 1479, the Peace Treaty with t name of this village of Alentejo Region was signed, by invitation of the Municipal Council of Viana do Alentejo and the Civil Parish Council of Alcáçovas.

The 10th ENPP Meeting will devote particular attention to the local development of the Places of Peace Route as well as to its certification process as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. It will also be presented the new ENPP Portal and discussed the proposals for the new image of the Route.

Delegations from The Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania in addition to the Portuguese delegations of Alcáçovas and Évora Monte have already confirmed their presence. MEP Carlos Zorrinho and the Regional Director of Culture of Alentejo, Paula Amendoeira will participate and will speak during the Meeting.

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ENPP met in Luxembourg with European Institute of Cultural Routes

Eduardo Basso, Apolónia Rodrigues and Stefano Dominioni meeting in Luxembourg

An ENPP delegation composed of the President of the Board, Eduardo Basso and the Coordinator of the Places of Peace Route, Apolónia Rodrigues met last May 11 in Luxembourg with the Executive Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, Stefano Dominioni. The meeting discussed the certification process of Places of Peace Route as Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.

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