Conferment of the Council of Europe Cultural Route label on the Cistercian sites route across Greater Europe
Motion for a resolution
| Doc. 11900
| 05 May 2009
- Signatories:
- Ms Josette DURRIEU,
France, SOC ; Ms Fátima ABURTO BASELGA,
Spain, SOC ; Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT,
Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Denis BADRÉ,
France, ALDE ; Ms Deborah BERGAMINI,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Roland BLUM,
France, EPP/CD ; Ms Anne BRASSEUR,
Luxembourg ; Mr Georges COLOMBIER,
France, EPP/CD ; Ms Elvira CORTAJARENA ITURRIOZ,
Spain ; Mr Alain COUSIN,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Gianpaolo DOZZO,
Italy, EDG ; Mr Renato FARINA,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Giuseppe GALATI,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO,
Monaco, EPP/CD ; Ms Gisèle GAUTIER,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Marcel GLESENER,
Luxembourg ; Ms Claude GREFF,
France, EPP/CD ; Ms Arlette GROSSKOST,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Michel HUNAULT,
France ; Mr Mogens JENSEN,
Denmark, SOC ; Ms Marietta KARAMANLI,
France, SOC ; Mr Jean-Paul LECOQ,
France, UEL ; Mr Gennaro MALGIERI,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Muriel MARLAND-MILITELLO,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Bernard MARQUET,
Monaco, ALDE ; Mr Jean-Claude MIGNON,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Philippe NACHBAR,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr René ROUQUET,
France ; Mr Giacomo SANTINI,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Luigi VITALI,
Italy, EPP/CD
This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.
In 1991 the Council of Europe certified the “Monastic Influence
Route”.
Since then, several cultural routes such as the “Baroque Routes”,
or just lately in 2006 the “Cluniac Sites” route, have been certified
in this framework.
Accordingly, the signatories to this motion ask that their
request be examined by the Institute of Cultural Routes in Luxembourg,
with a view to certifying a “Cistercian Sites Route”. For the purposes
of this examination, the Institute will have regard to the structured
networks already in existence, first of all the European Charter
of Cistercian Abbeys and Sites, as well as to the consent of the
owners and managers of the sites concerned and the opinions of the
responsible local elected representatives.
This approach is altogether in keeping with the goals and
principles that determine the recognition of the Council of Europe
cultural routes:
- the movement
must have a significance of European breadth, which is obviously
true of the Cistercian establishments (founded in 1098, the first
Cistercian monastery was very quickly followed by many foundations
from Italy to Norway, from Spain to Denmark, from Portugal to Poland
and Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany and even
as far away as Russia; links have already been cemented between
some of these sites, for example the abbey of Escaladieu en Bigorre,
south-western France);
- the material expressions of the movement must display
not only affinities, of an architectural nature for example, but
also cultural links between the different areas of the Council of
Europe: Cistercian monuments bear clear witness to this common aspiration
to learning which was to triumph during the Renaissance;
- the Council of Europe is attentive to “sustainable” heritage
management. The Cistercians sites embody to the utmost this quality
of sustainable area development. Usually being sited in remote places,
out in the countryside, near streams, monasteries comprised in addition
to the religious edifices farm buildings, barns, fish ponds – a
whole built complex designed to ensure the community’s self-sufficiency;
- finally, the Cistercian order was responsible for a renewal
of study of biblical texts, then, more generally, for promoting
education and learning: many of the extant sites confirm their commitment
in this direction, take in young people, and make it their business
to further the progress of learning and dialogue – suffice it to
recall the transformation of the Collège des Bernardins, Paris,
or that many buildings housing training institutes.
The new route should encourage the use of computer technology,
firstly for visiting the sites (“virtual tours”) but also for optimum
dissemination of information on the route, the location of the sites,
the surrounding area and the programme of activities. The route
should seek to create a “digital pathway” conducive not only to
the enhancement of the sites through imaging and electronic communication
technologies but also to proficiency in the use of these techniques
for managing the sites and the training offer to the advantage of
the populations dwelling nearby, that is often in rural areas (on
the model of what is offered by the “Centre européen des technologies
de l’information en milieu rural”, sited in the small municipality
of Saint-Laurent de Neste).
Promotion of the Cistercian sites route as a Council of Europe
Cultural Route is expected to foster not only a type of tourism
harmoniously spread over the broadest area of Europe, illustrating
the existence of material evidence of a common heritage, but above
all the urgent need to promote East-West as well as North-South links
in a resolutely future-oriented spirit.
;