Author: Redazione AEVF

A one-million euros project is focused on creation of a cultural center and a hostel along the Via Francigena in Medesano, Parma in northern Italy.

The project foresees urban architectural redevelopment of an area along the Sigeric’s route, divided into three steps. The first step – development of a cycle path from Medesano to Felegara – was inaugurated in September 2020. This widely successful initiative is frequently used by citizens and pilgrims en route.

The second and third steps will take almost a year to complete and will involve two major renovations: a farmhouse and a tower. The farmhouse, located in the municipal area, will be transformed into a pilgrim hostel for 24 beds and will provide citizens with a community room.  

The Tower, after reconstruction, will serve as a multipurpose cultural center, a museum dedicated to Adolfo Tanzi, renowned choir master; a library and an educational laboratory for primary school.

The project was developed by the previous administration and is carried out by the current Mayor with fundamental support of the parish.  “The ambition is to make Medesano a particularly attractive center for pilgrims and, on the other hand, to promote the county from a cultural and tourist perspective”, says the Mayor Michele Giovannelli.

The EAVF General Assembly will take place on 23 October 2020 at 14:30 – 18:00, in Pontremoli, Tuscany in the convent of Santissima Annunziata.

This EAVF General Assembly is a biannual event, gathering together routes’ members, friends’ associations, private stakeholders and interested parties. The previous General Assembly, scheduled for May 2020 in Canterbury UK, was cancelled due to the global health emergency.

The Pontremonli General Assembly will tackle important issues and discuss the situation of the Via Francigena cultural route post-lockdown. Recent initiatives and actions will be shared to the members and friends’ associations – new guides published in English and French, official route variants, outcomes and conclusions of the walking initiative along the Swiss Via Francigena and the roadshow in France in July – August 2020.

Upcoming projects will be in the centre of discussion:  the association will lead an “Erasmus Plus” project starting October 2021 and will participate in an ambitious Horizon 2020 project “RurAllure” which will start in January 2021. The EAVF will also present a project Relay Francigena 2021 – walking celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the EAVF to take place in the second part of 2021.

The General Assembly will host an award ceremony “Via Francigena Living Itinerary: best practices along the route“ praising municipalities and friends’ associations for their active engagement and commitment to the Via Francigena development.

We draw your attention that once a maximum capacity of the room (60 seats) has been reached, a priority access will be given to the EAVF members with voting rights (one person per organisation, with a proxy), followed by friends’ associations and interested parties ( as the Assembly is open to public).

Minimal graphics for a grandiose project: a map of the European route that binds, unites and enhances local authorities in four countries. Designed for the EAVF members, this analytical map demonstrates an international scope of the route at a glance.

The European Association of the Via Francigena ways EAVF defines the Via Francigena as a “pearl necklace“: the route is the thread and municipalities, cities and regions are the pearls, each one shining with its own cultural, historical and gastronomic heritage. As with the best works of art, the Via Francigena needs to be admired from afar, taking a step back to enjoy its integrity.

The EAVF conducted a project to create this analytical map which visually enhances transactional scope of the journey. The project was coordinated by the EAVF project manager and graphic designer Luca Faravelli with fundamental support of Leslie Maussang and Gaëtan Tornay from the EAVF French and Swiss offices.

All 635 municipalities, 48 ​​departments, 16 regions and four member states together with the Vatican City are depicted on the map running 146 stages from Canterbury to Santa Maria di Leuca. It also reports mileage of the entire route, macro-sections in north and south of Rome, each regional route and individual stages.

The map is complemented by two Roman routes – Via Germanica and Via Romea Strata, the Saint James’ ways and two routes leading to Jerusalem –coastal and terrestrial, giving an overview of European pilgrimage landscape.  

The analytical map will be distributed among the EAVF members and bodies.

The Cultural Route of the Via Francigena participates in the World Tourism Day 2020 by celebrating the rural communities along the route. The Via Francigena, medieval pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, attracts walkers and pilgrims with its diverse culture and natural beauty of ever-changing landscapes. 

World Tourism Day 2020:

Organised by the World Tourism Organisation UNWTO, the World Tourism Day 2020 is feted on Sunday 27 September 2020 under a focus on “Tourism and Rural Development”. This day celebrates the sector’s unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind. World Tourism Day 2020 also highlights the important role tourism plays in preserving and promoting culture and heritage all around the world. The Via Francigena crossing 3200 km of rural areas from Canterbury to the harbours of Italian Apulia via France, Switzerland and Italy, provides significant opportunities for economic development of rural areas and enhancement of their cultural and natural heritage

On 26 September and 3 October the European Association of the Via Francigena ways organises its free walking event “I love Francigena” in the rural area from San Pancrazio to Collecchio and Fornovo di Taro to Corte di Giarola in Italy. During these walks tourists will discover picturesque variants of the cultural route of the Via Francigena in the northern Italy (Province of Parma, Emilia Romagna region). These stretches are famous for its Romanesque parish churches of San Pancrazio, San Prospero, Santa Maria Assunta and landscapes shaped by the Roman centuriation more than 2,000 years ago: irrigation canals, rows of mulberry trees and ancient agricultural courts. The area of Taro Park is famous for its greenery and natural wonders.

 “I love Francigena” is a series of annual walking events, celebrating the cultural route of the Via Francigena and offering a unique opportunity to enjoy the path, its cultural and natural heritage and local gastronomy.

The Via Francigena, the cultural route of the Council of Europe, crosses England, France, Switzerland and Italy along 3200 km of slow travel in mostly rural areas. The route provides significant opportunities for economic development for local communities thanks to the development of sustainable tourism and flow of pilgrims and walkers. The route facilitates intercultural exchange and dialogue of tourists and local population, enhancing shared European identity and heritage.

More information about the walking events here https://www.viefrancigene.org/en/resource/news/cammina-con-noi-sabato-3-ottobre-partecipa-i-love-/