ADRM at the "Cultural Routes – Bulgaria 2026"

The Association of Danube Municipalities "Danube" participated in the two-day National Information Event "Cultural Routes – Bulgaria 2026", held on 11–12 June in Plovdiv. The event was dedicated to exploring Bulgaria’s potential for more active participation in the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Programme. The panel on cultural routes and cross-border cooperation was moderated by Ms. Amelia Gesheva.

During the forum, Mr. Milen Dulev, President of the Management Board of the Association of Danube Municipalities "Danube" and Mayor of Belene Municipality, presented the Danube Region as a unique cross-border cultural space. He introduced the activities of the Association – the first and largest regional association of municipalities in Bulgaria, bringing together 35 municipalities with a combined population of more than 800,000 inhabitants.

A key focus of the presentation was the international project Roman Legacy, which brings together institutions, museums, research organizations, and local authorities from countries along the Danube River with the aim of creating a shared transnational cultural route dedicated to the Roman Danube Limes. The project promotes the use of digital technologies, the development of sustainable cultural tourism, and the establishment of a European network for the promotion of archaeological sites along the Danube. One of its main objectives is the creation of a common Roman route with the prospect of certification as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.

The initiative THE RIVER REMEMBERS was also presented. Scheduled for 27 June 2026, on the occasion of Danube Day, municipalities from different countries along the river will simultaneously launch paper boats carrying messages of connectivity, cooperation, and unity. The initiative aims to highlight the shared cultural space of the Danube Region and to foster a sense of belonging to a common European history.

Other good practices showcased during the presentation included:

• the reconstruction of a 4th-century Roman Danube patrol vessel, which now navigates the river and symbolically connects Danube countries through their shared history;

• the concept of the Danube Festival of the Senses;

• the cross-border cultural route “Roman Frontier in the Romania–Bulgaria Region”, which brings together numerous Roman heritage sites, museums, festivals, and cultural initiatives on both sides of the Danube.

The participation of the Association of Danube Municipalities "Danube" in the event represents another important step towards strengthening the Danube Region’s position as a significant part of Europe’s cultural heritage and towards developing sustainable partnerships in the fields of culture and tourism.