The European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) joined 48 other certified Cultural Routes at the annual Training Academy, held this year in Torres Vedras, Portugal. The 2025 edition was hosted by the Destination Napoleon Route and Iter Vitis, with support from the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR) and the Council of Europe. 

The venue lies at the crossroads of the two hosting Cultural Routes: a region known for its historic forts built against the Napoleonic invasion and its rich viticultural heritage, which still shapes the local landscape and economy. 

Focusing on Cooperation, the Academy brought together over 80 participants from more than 30 Council of Europe member states, providing an invaluable space for dialogue, exchange of best practices, and new partnerships. 

The Via Francigena, represented by European Project Manager Elena Dubinina, shared its EU-funded HIKE and DETOUR projects as examples of successful inter-route collaboration. During the opening plenary session, EAVF, together with the European Federation of St. James Way represented by President Idelfonso de la Campa Montenegro, presented their cooperation agreement and the memorandum of cooperation between the regions of Galicia and Lazio—highlighting the shared commitment to strengthen ties between the two destinations. As a concrete outcome of this collaboration, both organisations will co-host a joint event at the European Parliament on 7 October 2025 in Strasbourg. 

The next important appointment for the Cultural Routes network will be the Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes, which will take place in Turkey from 22 to 24 October 2025 — a country where the EAVF already actively collaborates through the HIKE and DETOUR projects.