The Extraordinary General Assembly, held on 12 and 13 October in Torun, ratified its new statutes, with the aim of making it more open and efficient.
The European Federation of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago is growing and incorporates six new members: the municipalities of Šibenik and Dubrovnik, and the Tourism Cluster of South Istria, all of them in Croatia, together with the municipality of Pistoia (Italy), the French Agency of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago (ACIR Compostelle) and the Association of Municipalities of the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago in Spain (AMCS). A significant agreement, which was made formal during the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Federation, held on 12 and 13 October in Torun (Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland).
The Assembly ratified the modification of the Federation’s statutes, with the aim of making it more open and efficient, allowing the incorporation of new members (up to a maximum of six organisations per country) and extending the term of office of its officers to four years.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Federation members: Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria (Spain), Vila Pouca de Aguiar and the Portuguese Federation of Saint James Way (Portugal), South Limburg (Netherlands), Lithuania, Winnica (Ukraine), the hosts: Regional Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, and distinguished guests. The Extraordinary General Meeting is held in the framework of the celebration of the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus – the creator of the heliocentric theory, born in Toruń.
Objectives: to incorporate new members and to intensify the activities for the promotion of the Pilgrims’ Roads to Santiago.
The most important decision taken by the General Assembly was the modification of the Federation’s statutes. The members agreed to extend the term of office of the authorities (president, manager, secretary, treasurer) to 4 years. The Federation intends to always be open to new members, and it was also decided that a country can represent a maximum of six organisations.
It was also discussed the need to intensify the promotional activities of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago, organising events and obtaining EU funds for development, especially for infrastructures.
Along these lines, the president of the Federation, Ildefonso de la Campa Montenegro, stressed the need to be more dynamic and efficient, reasons which, as he pointed out, motivate the changes in the statutes. -Our organisation needs a fresh look and new projects that contribute to the promotion of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago, objectives that are in line with the advice and recommendations of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. I count on the initiatives of the newly admitted members and on working together to put them into practice,” he stressed.
On the welcoming day, Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the host Region expressed his pleasure at welcoming the delegation to the Dąmbski Palace in Toruń – We wanted to organise the General Assembly in Kujawsko-Pomorskie for two reasons. Firstly, on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, as we believe that the promotion of the idea of pilgrimage along the Ways of St. James corresponds perfectly with the legacy of the Great Astronomer. Secondly, it is an opportunity to present our activities on the Polish Way and the touristic values of our Region, he said.
The meeting in Toruń was also an opportunity to present the activities of the Pomeranian Region in the field of the Pilgrims’ Routes to Santiago, which intends to join the Federation next year. The delegates also agreed that the next General Assembly will be held in June 2024 in Santiago de Compostela.
