The Camino Dubrovnik-Međugorje project was presented at a thematic conference organized in the European Parliament in Brussels by the EU representative Željana Zovko and the European Parliament Intergroup for European Cultural Heritage.
The conference attracted a significant number of representatives from European institutions, and it showcased the Croatian Camino heritage, examples of best practices, and the achievements of the Camino Croatia project. Camino Croatia is part of the European network of St. James paths, under the protection of UNESCO and the Council of Europe, leading to Santiago de Compostela, with over 1.5 million people walking them across Europe annually.
In her opening speech, Željana Zovko highlighted the example of Spain and how local, regional, and national cooperation in the development and promotion of the Camino has exceptionally positive effects on culture and tourism. According to research by the Galician regional government, every euro of public investment in the Camino results in a return rate of over 400 percent.
Zrinka Raguž, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, spoke about the potential of this project for the rural development of the Dubrovnik hinterland, improving the tourism offer and dispersing tourists, which aligns with the Dubrovnik “Respect the City” project.
Ante Blažević, the President of the Croatian Brotherhood of St. James, stated that “this strong support from European institutions represents a significant stimulus for the further development of the Croatian part of the European network of the Way of St. James and the presentation of the rich Croatian cultural heritage.”
The Camino Dubrovnik-Međugorje project is a collaboration between the City of Dubrovnik and the Brotherhood of St. James, the official Croatian representative in the central and oldest Camino institution – the Brotherhood of St. James in Spain. The Dubrovnik Camino consists of six stages with a total length of 147 kilometers, and the City of Dubrovnik signed a cooperation agreement on this project with the municipalities of Dubrovačko Primorje, Ravno, Neum, Čitluk, and the city of Čapljina. According to the plan, the Dubrovnik Camino is expected to be open to visitors by May 2024.
Source : Dubrovnik Times
