HCR President Arnold G. Klingeis introduces the HCR Theme
MALTA IN THE CULTURAL ROUTES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
A seminar for partners and stakeholders in Malta involved in or interested by the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme
Birgu, Malta
29-30 October 2025
PROGRAMME
Organised by the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government - within the programme of the Presidency of Malta of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Wednesday 29 October
Morning:
Arrival of foreign participants and guests
15:00: Plenary gathering of participants at the National Viticulture and Oenology Centre, Buskett: introduction to the programme and practical information
16:00: Cultural programme: exploring Cultural Route sites in Malta
- Tour of the National Viticulture and Oenology Centre, Buskett, with a special intervention by Mr Joséf Bonello, Brand Ambassador
- Transport to Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra Archaeological Park (17:00)
- Sunset tour of Ħaġar Qim led by the site curator (18:00)
19:00: Debrief and exchange about the visits
19:30: Taste History standing reception, Ħaġar Qim
Thursday 30 October – Venue: Fort St Angelo, Birgu
08:30: Registration of participants (pre-registration online)
09:00: Opening of the seminar – welcoming remarks from:
- A representative of the Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (TBC)
- Maria Giusi LUPRANO, Member of the Bureau of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA)
- The Hon. Dr Owen BONNICI, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, Malta
09:30: Keynote speech: Malta and Cultural Routes – a reflection on Europe and the Mediterranean with Malta and the Cultural Routes at its core, with particular reference to the Phoenicians' Route
- Dr Karsten XUEREB
10:00: The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme – definition, operation, quality criteria, added value and cooperation
- Introduction by RUI GOMES, Executive Secretary of the EPA and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR)
- Testimonies from representatives of certified Cultural Routes:
- Ildefonso DE LA CAMPA MONTENEGRO, Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes
- Ernesto DI RENZO, Iter Vitis
- Theodora Virginia NTALLI, European Cemeteries Routes
- Elton MICALLEF, European Route of Ceramics
11:15: Break
11:40: Malta and the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe – presentations by certified
Cultural Routes related to Malta:
- Ana Rosa MORENO, European Route of Historic Gardens
- Ursula WARNKE, European Route of Megalithic Culture
- Viola SCALACCI, Liberation Route Europe
- Sergio FERRARO, Aeneas Route
- Antonio BARONE, Phoenicians’ Route
- Luca FARAVELLI, Via Francigena
- Raffaella ROSSI, Saint Francis’ Ways
- Rögnvaldur GUÐMUNDSSON, Viking Routes
- Marina D’AMATO, European Fairy Tales Route
- Alina MARINCEAN, European Route of Jewish Heritage
- Arnold KLINGEIS, Historic Cafés Route
- Charles BONAPARTE and Alexander DEBONO, Destination Napoleon
13:00: Lunch
14:30: Cultural Routes in Malta – experiences and expectations of local stakeholders in Malta:
- Heritage Malta
- Local Councils Association
- Café Cordina
15:00: Open Space on Networking and Cooperation
- Participant-led meetings and workshops to explore closer cooperation among stakeholders in Malta and Council of Europe certified routes
16:45: Break
17:15: Closing session
- Presentation of conclusions and evaluation of the seminar
- Insight into the role of the Cultural Routes in the programme of the forthcoming Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
- Presentation of Heritage Malta as a new member of the European Route of Megalithic Culture
- Conclusions and closing words by the Hon. Dr Owen BONNICI, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government
- Presentation of certificates of participation
18:00: End of the seminar
20:00: Dinner, Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu
Friday 31 October
Departure of participants (non-resident in Malta)
Historic Cafes Route - Experience Map Methodology - to develop sustainable cultural tourism based on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and beyond
Historic Cafes Route - Experience Map Republic of Moldova - under development
Implementing the Three-Dimension Approach
- Dimension 1 :
Historic Cafes Route infrastructure based on members - Dimension 2 :
Interface to cultural route available in Malta or in any other cultural route that might be improve the attraction and competitiveness of our cultural travel offers - Dimension 3 :
Include mainstream attractions available in Malta to reach a diversity of target groups – also beyond the mainly targeted tourism segment profile - Main cultural travellers profile to be approached :
1. 50+ years old
2. Highly Educated
3. Upper medium market segment
4. Huge interest for cultural information and historic background 5. Preferred off-season travel time to avoid high temperature and crowded places
Our contribution, offer and request to the Malta Seminar representatives
Requesting to designing together the Historic Cafés Route - Experience Map for Malta
Sharing and promoting European values based on the immense coffee story within the coffee belt as coffee is produced in dozen of countries that supply Europe with coffee beans to run cafés!
Conclusion
The Historic Cafes Route particularly by taking into consideration the tourism infrastructure
which is available naturally within our members:
-historic cafés
-historic restaurants
-historic emblematic hotels
Historic Cafés Route has established a technical team that might evaluate Malta’s unique
cultural heritage as well as Malt’s main stream attractions and is when ever you would like to
consider to start working together prepared to design the:
