President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed law No. 1235-IX on Ukraine’s accession to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on February 16, 2021, and which allows Ukraine not only to participate in cultural routes, but also to promote its own historical and cultural heritage.
“We have a wonderful country, very multifaceted and interesting. But, unfortunately, due to bad roads and lack of attention from the state to our historical monuments, Ukraine was almost not present on the tourist routes of Europe. But we will change that. This year, within the framework of Big Construction we are starting the Big Restoration project, which is aimed at the restoration of historical and cultural sites in Ukraine. So that both Ukrainians and foreign tourists can see the beauty and cultural diversity of Ukraine. We are building roads, improving the management of cultural heritage sites and joining the European agreement on cultural routes so that people both inside and outside the country learn more about Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes was confirmed by Resolution CM / Res (2013) 66 in the city of Strasbourg. This agreement aims to create a common cultural space in Europe by raising awareness of cultural heritage, promoting cultural dialogue in Europe, and through cross-border tourism.
Some 34 countries are parties to the agreement, and partners are the European Union and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Some 40 European cultural routes, which run in more than 50 countries, have received the Cultural Route of the Council of Europe certification as a quality distinction. Three European cultural routes now pass through the territory of Ukraine.
