Ecrcm newsletter 7 final

EUROPEAN CULTURAL ROUTE OF SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS

Newsletter no. 7

22th May 2015

Building a network of places affiliated with the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius with reference to the Christian roots of Europe

LATEST NEWS

IN THIS ISSUE PRESENTATION OF CYRIL AND METHODIUS CULTURAL ROUTE

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ECRCM IN MEDIA

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ACTIVITIES LEADING TO FULFILMENT OF ECRCM IDEA

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OPENING CALLS FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS

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CM ROUTE ACTIVITY PLAN – SHORT VIEW FOR 2015

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VISION OF ROUTE NETWORK

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Dear readers, last Cyril and Methodius Route newsletter was launched in January 2015. This issue contains information and news Secretariat of an Interest Association of Legal Entities “European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius” (ECRCM Association) accumulated since that time.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CM ROUTE International Conference “Development activities of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route” took place in Zlin on 21st May 2015. Participants got acquainted about the prepared and implemented activities and good practices in pilgrim tourism of Diocese Graz-Sacau. (more on Page 2)

Membership is growing.

Currently, 14 members of Association Since the January 2015, two meetings of the General Assembly took place.

According to the decisions of the General Assembly, four institutions joined the Association in March and another four will join it in June. There will be total of 14 members from the 1st June 2015, 11 regular and 3 associated.

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Permanent Secretariat coordinates all activities of the Association. For further details please feel free to contact project managers: Martina Janochová Secretary General martina.janochova@cyril-methodius.eu Phone: +420 577 043 904 Martin Peterka martin.peterka@cyril-methodius.eu Cell: +420 733 161 675

Contact address of the Association: European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius, IALE J.A. Bati 5520, 760 01, Zlín (CZ) www.cyril-methodius.eu www.facebook.com/sv.cyrilmethodius European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius

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EUROPEAN CULTURAL ROUTE OF SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS

Newsletter no. 7

22th May 2015

PRESENTATION OF CYRIL AND METHODIUS CULTURAL ROUTE The Association ECRCM focuses on the exhibition activities In order to raise awareness of general public about the project European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Association initiated the travel exhibition of the Route. The first exhibition is presented at two levels in Moravian Museum in Brno, Czech Republic from 30th April to 30th June 2015. The first level present the route through information panels, which answer to questions related to the needs of the implementation of such European cultural route. The second level presents three dimensional material, which completes the panels with ceramics of missionaries’ motifs, unique tragacanth sculpture under glass lid and a souvenir graphics from Velehrad.

Our intention is to disseminate this travel exhibition to other places around the Europe and we are preparing the calendar of this exhibition. Within the near future, the exhibition will be presented during the Cyril and Methodius celebrations in Nitra, Slovakia from 3rd till 9th July 2015 and then the exhibition will move to the Senate of the Czech Republic from the 14th July till 28th July 2015. The Association has received interests from members and stakeholders to prepare this exhibition in their territory. At the second half of 2015, it is under discussion with Cammini d’Europa the travel exhibition in Italy, particularly in Milan, Udine, Ravenna and Rome. It is planned that the exhibition will be associated with the seminar for stakeholders.

Meetings of General Assembly of the Association Extraordinary meeting of General Assembly through Correspondence voting From the time of the last meeting of the General Assembly, which was held on 15th October 2014, the Association received four new applications from Olomouc Region, Moravia-Silesia Region, Trenčín Self-governing Region and Tourist Authority – South Moravia in order to join the Association. Therefore, the Association utilized the

possibility to carry out the correspondence voting of the General Assembly, which was held from 3rd till 18th February 2015. According to the positive vote from all the members of the Association, the applications were approved for the admission of new candidates to the Association.

European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius

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Newsletter no. 7

22nd May 2015 Ordinary meeting of General Assembly, 21st May 2015

Members of the General Assembly met in Zlin on 21st May 2015 in order to decide significant development of the Association European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius, IALE. Besides the members of the Association there was also invited representative of the European Institute of Cultural Routes from Luxembourg for the purpose of the assistance within the preparation phase for the submission of an application of the Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route for certification as “Cultural Route of Council of Europe”. Besides other points, there were approved applications of new candidates for admission to the Association: Nitra Tourist Board (Slovakia), The Zobor Embellishing Association (Slovakia), Archeological Institute of SAS (Slovakia), City of Thessaloniki (Greece). Since the 1st June 2015 the Association gathers 14 members (11 regular and 3 associated). The list of all members is available on the webpages www.cyril-methodius.eu. The General Assembly also approved the establishment of multi-disciplinary Scientific Committee of the Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route including 11 members of that Committee. The Scientific Committee is being set up in order to work on developing the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius’ (hereinafter the ‘Route’) as an attractive and profitable tourism product that unites countries of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe on the Route’s common platform and central topic – “The Roots of Slavic Culture”. Activities of the Scientific Committee are focused on developing the Route’s central topic so that it can be presented to and perceived by the general public as a subject of European importance.

Conference “Development Activities of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route”, 21st May 2015 Representatives of regions, cities, towns, dioceses and religious foundations, cultural and educational institutions, tourist agencies and a network of European pilgrimage routes Cammini d'Europe attended already fifth international conference "Development activities of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route", which was held in 14|15 Bata Institute in Zlín (Czech Republic) on 21st May 2015.

The aim of the conference was to inform participants about the concrete prepared or implemented Cyril and Methodius Route projects as well as motivate them for further cooperation at different field of the route development. The conference shows that the building of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route includes multidisciplinary elements: it is not only about the creation of infrastructure of services of tourism and related marketing. The phenomenon of pilgrimage also carries the spiritual dimension of man, culture, art and education.

Project ECRCM includes all this aspects and the multidisciplinarity requires close cooperation of many partners.

Slovak Museum in Uherské Hradistě presented educational project "ROSTISLAV", which should gain interest mainly of

youth through innovative applications of Cyril and Methodius topic. Cyril and Methodius Trail of Pilgrim Žilina / Nitra - Skalka nad Váhom - Velehrad" was presented by Miriam Janegová from Diocese Žilina. The program "Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe" was presented by Sorina Capp from European Institute of Cultural Routes. The project "Multimedia didactic tool of History in the web environment - Slavs and Europe in the early Middle Ages," was presented by Peter Ivanič from the Institute for Research on Cultural Heritage of Constantine and Methodius, Martin Peterka from the Permanent Secretariat of the Association ECRCM planted topic of Cyril and Methodius in the context of specific activities of the Association and EMTA. Miroslav Horák from Mendel University commented the results of sociological research on the subject of pilgrimage and the tracing of Cyril and Methodius Route in Zlin and South Moravia Regions. Martina Maria Linzer from Diocese Graz-Sacau in Styria, described how the church works with the public sector and the general public just in developing the pilgrimage tourism.

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Newsletter no. 7

22nd May 2015

CYRIL AND METHODIUS CULTURAL ROUTE IN MEDIA Upgrading of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route website From the beginning of 2015 there were made several upgrades of the website www.cyril-methodius.eu. Our intention is to make English version of the web the main pages presenting the Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route as a whole informing about the theme, Association, presentation of members, the Route and implemented events of the Association. Other mutations will presented CM cultural trails implemented within a country. There must be chosen a person within each country, who will full this page with relevant information related to the Route. For example, we have arranged to fill the Slovak mutation by Mrs. Mária Prekopová from the Civil Association “Spojené Ruky”, who is involved in the building of pilgrimage routes in Slovakia. Currently, there are Slovak and Czech mutation, but it is available to open other mutations.

Please, contact the Permanent Secretariat in this issue.

Facebook pages of Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route You have been informed in last newsletter that in parallel with the establishment of website EKSCM it was created the Facebook page Cyril and Methodius Cultural Route https://www.facebook.com/sv.cyrilmethodius/timeline, within which is developed on-line communication and presentation prepared and organized events. The texts are mostly published in English. Our intention is to use that Facebook pages also as the marketing tool for promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage along the Route through reaching the inspirations from European projects focusing on the cultural route development. You will be informed about it within next issues of Newsletter.

ACTIVITIES LEADING TO FULFILMENT OF THE ECRCM IDEA Project “Cyril and Methodius, authentic story of our country” Project is aimed at creating a tourist product in conjunction with the brand Cyril and Methodius - based on traveling and operation of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the territory with historically documented actions of both saints. For this purpose, it is used marketing communication based on the principle of the story. In the first phase of the project there will be created a tourism product that encourages tourists to visit the regions involved, specific tourist destinations and events related to the theme of Great Moravia and the story of Cyril and Methodius. The intention of the upcoming product recall in potential visitors to the thirst for knowledge of the region, where they can still see with their own eyes the prints of past times and experience the genius loci.

Communication will be implemented in trendy ways, involving audio-visual media, social networks, road show, a key happenings and active public relations.

Implementation date is set for the year 2015. The cost of the project "Cyril and Methodius, authentic story of our country" are estimated to 800 thousand EUR. Defined activities:  Website of the product + Applications for smart phones in two language versions  Promotional brochure - spring and autumn version in four languages  Set of postcards  Roadshow thematically focused on the journey of Cyril and Methodius  School roadshow  Exhibition of roadshow  Marketing campaign to promote the roadshow and the overall promotion of the product European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius

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22nd May 2015

Newsletter no. 7

Project „HOLI-SPACE (Holistic Star Pilgrimage Alliance in Central Europe based on cultural heritage of St. Cyril and Methodius)“ – Program Interreg Central Europe Association of European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius, together with seven other partners from Central Europe, prepared for the first call of the program Interreg Central Europe the project HOLI-SPACE, whose aim is to take advantage of Cyril and Methodius heritage and create interdisciplinary alliance of public and private sector, linking historically significant places of pilgrimage, by using (in)tangible cultural heritage. On the one hand, we are trying to improve the capacity of public and private sector in terms of management and renewal of cultural heritage, on the other hand, we will look for new business and job opportunities based on the use of cultural heritage through pilot actions and innovative communication tools to attract investment to rural areas.

Defined activities:  Feasibility studies and a framework for a common methodology using the cultural heritage  Transnational management tool of European cultural routes for EU projects based on public-private partnerships  Guide to training in restoration and use of tangible and intangible cultural heritage resources for educational institutions  1 multinational and 8 regional action plans Cyril and Methodius routes for Regional Development Agencies  Creating ICT tools for presenting cultural heritage, including the introduction of NFC technology for communication and dialogue with stakeholders, citizens and tourists  Creation of 6 pilot activities aimed at developing cultural heritage C & M trails Sources of funding: INTERREG Central Europe Financial framework: EUR 1.84 miles eur Partners: University of Constantine the Philosopher, Diözese Graz-Seckau, Federacja Regionalnych Związków Gmin and powiatów RP, Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Cammini d'Europe s.cons.rl, Simbio, d.o.o, Tourist Authority South Moravia, IALE

OPENING CALLS FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS Call for proposals: Supporting competitive and sustainable growth in the tourism sector (COSME program) The main aim of this call is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the European tourism sector by encouraging the extension of the tourism season, by diversifying the EU tourism product and by enhancing its accessibility. Given these varied targets, this year's call is divided in three themes: 1. Increasing tourism flows in low/medium seasons for seniors and youth target groups Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will facilitate the increase of tourism flows during the low and medium seasons, targeting seniors (any person over 55 years old) and the youth (aged between 15 and 29).

2. Diversifying the EU tourism offer and products - Promoting transnational thematic tourism products Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will diversify the European tourism offer by supporting transnational tourism products in the fields of a) sport and/or wellness and b) cultural or industrial heritage.

3. Enhancing tourism accessibility – improving facilities and services for tourists with special access needs Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will maintain and expand the "Tourism for All" principle of the EU treaties, by providing accessible tourism services for tourists with special access needs.

More information here.

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Newsletter no. 7

22nd May 2015

CM ROUTE ACTIVITY PLAN – SHORT VIEW FOR 2015 Month/year

Activity

IV-VI/2015

Travelling exhibition “European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius” at Moravian Museum, Brno

VI/2015

Participation in a seminar for project managers of candidate routes and already certified cultural routes organized by the European Institute of Cultural Routes

VII/2015

Presentation of ECRCM within the Cyril and Methodius Celebrations 2015 in Nitra

VII/2015

Travelling exhibition “The “European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius” in Senate of the Czech Republic

IX/2015

Submission and presentation of an application for the certification of the ECR C&M as a “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”

IX-XI/2015

Travelling exhibition “The “European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius” in Mikulčice and will follow in Velehrad

PEOPLE REPRESENTING THE ASSOCIATION The representative role of the Chairperson of the Association is performed for the two years period Ladislav Krystof, Councilor of the Zlin Region for culture, heritage preservation, tourism and cooperation with churches.

The head of the team is the interim Director of the Association Dana Danova, who is as well the director of East-Moravian Tourist Authority (EMTA), organization established by Zlin Region aimed at tourism marketing development since 2007.

Secretary General – Martina Janochova as the first secretariat fulltime member, is prepared to coordinate all the communication regarding the Route with Czech as well as foreign partners.

Martin Peterka, who has managed several CM Route projects and is in charge of preparation new projects, as well as communication with European Institutions and the CM Route stakeholders.

NOTIFICATION: If you would like to share your information about your projects or activities related to the Cyril and Methodius theme with CM Route Secretariat, please contact us at info@cyril-methodius.eu. These information will be published as well on the website www.cyrilmethodius.eu or on facebook www.facebook.com/sv.cyrilmethodius.

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Newsletter no. 7

22nd May 2015

PRESENTATION OF NITRA REGION Basic data about the Region Nitra region is situated in the southwest of the Slovak Republic. Its territory covers an area of 6,343 km2, with the number of 714,602 inhabitants. The main flow of the whole area is the river Nitra with its tributary, the river Žitava, on the east to the river Hron and Ipeľ. The southern border of the territory is bordered by the Danube River. The bulk of the Region's territory occupies the flat landscape with hills and rivers. Nitra region belongs to the oldest settlement areas in Slovakia. The region is directly linked with the oldest national history, and his heart is the Mother of Slovak towns and cradle of Christian traditions of the nation, City of Nitra.

Beginnings of the Slavic nation in the Region Slavic tribes settled the territory of Ponitria, Hron and Ipeľ during the 5th and early 6th century, when began to write the most important stage of the Slovak national history. In the area of today's Nitra Slavs built a significant settlement agglomeration, seeds of the oldest early medieval town in Slovakia. Already in the 8th century, there was formed the Principality of Nitra headed by Duke Pribina in the ancient Nitra, to whom Adalrám the Archbishop of Salzburg consecrated Christian church around 828 – the first in Central and Eastern Europe. At the turn of the 8th and 9th century, there was founded a major regional center of Principality of Nitra in Bojná and later in Starý Tekov. Other regional centers of power were forts in Nitra’s Blatnice and in Bíňa. After the establishment of the Great Moravian Empire in 833, Nitra became the center of the eastern part of the empire. The ancient history of the Region is linked with the arrival of the Byzantine missionaries Constantine and Methodius to Great Moravia Empire in 863, today co-patrons of Europe. Pope John VII. established Diocese in Nitra by the Bull “Industriae tuae”, thus the city became the most important Christian center in Central and Eastern Europe. In the 9th century, there was established Benedictine Monastery at the base of Nitra’s Zobor. Hippolytus, which became the main propagator of Christian traditions, architecture and development of literature in a wide region Pitria and Pohronia. Nitra as the natural center of the wide region maintained its role of political, economic and cultural center even after integrating Slovakia in the Kingdom of Hungary in the 11th century. During its establishment the members of the Nitra Aristocratic Lineage – Hont-Poznan and Diviackov played an important role. Nitra became the seat of the ruling Voivodeship. With Nitra and Monastery of Saint Hippolytus is also linked the formation of the oldest preserved written records called Documents of Zobor from 1111 and 1113, which are an extraordinary sources for understanding the earliest history, and contain the names and the first written records of nearly forty residential areas in Ponitrie, Pováží and Pohroní. In 1075, the Benedictine monastery was founded in Hronský Beňadik, by which was established a more important center of medieval culture and literature in the region.

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