The Phoenicians’ Route and Iter Vitis, two Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, organized the First Edition of the Iter Vitis Phoenicians Route Awards, an international award on the topics of archaeological culture combined with that of wine.
The award was divided into 18 categories, with the aim of support and reward projects and innovation in the field of enhancing the cultural and wine heritage, promoting responsible, creative, experiential and sustainable forms of tourism in the member countries of the two international networks.
The event received the patronage of the Sicilian Region – Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity.
The award was also supported by numerous partners, among which we mention the National Association Women of Marble, the Archaeological Groups of Italy and the CROSSDEV project, co-funded by the ENI CBC MED Programme.
On October 23rd, at Palazzo Pannitteri in Sambuca di Sicilia (Sicily-Italy), the Award Ceremony was held.
Among others, Giuliana De Francesco, Representative of the Italian Ministry of Culture at the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and Domenico Coco, Honorary consul of Azerbaijan to Sicily and Calabria attended the event.
Here are the 18 Awards with their respective winners:
For Iter Vitis
1) Best Practice of Archaeobotanical Tourism
Winner: SHUMY WINERY (GEORGIA)
2) Most original practice of wine tourism
Winner: CHATEAU VARTELY (MOLDAVIA)
3) Best crossborder wine tourism product
Winner: AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD (AZERBAIJAN)
4) Most innovative wine museum
Winner: LEFKADIA VALLEY (RUSSIA)
5) Paolo Benvenuti Award for the safeguard of ancients and autochthonous grapes
Winner: GAL KROTON (CALABRIA)
For The Phoenicians’ Route
1) Innovative and creative enhancement of a cultural / archaeological site
Winner: LARNAKA TOURISM BOARD (CYPRUS)
2) Innovative and creative enhancement of an Archaeological Museum
Winner: MUSÉES MÉDITERRANÉE ASSOCIATION (FRANCE)
3) Innovative Soft mobility cultural tourism practice
Winners: MUNICIPALITY OF PARENZO (CROATIA) and MUNICIPALITY OF OTRANTO (APULIA)
4) Innovative and creative enhancement activity carried out by an Association
Winner: MOSAIC CENTRE JERICHO (PALESTINE)
5) Innovative and creative enhancement activity carried out by a Foundation
Winner: VILLA ROMANA DELLE GROTTE FOUNDATION (ELBA ISLAND – TUSCANY)
6) Best creative territorial enhancement initiative
Winner: GAL TERRA DEI MESSAPI (APULIA)
7) Best practices of innovative and creative enhancement carried out in the field of communication (sub-category: journalism)
Winner: PLEIN AIR magazine (ITALY)
8) Best practices of innovative and creative enhancement carried out in the field of communication (sub-category: literature)
Winner: INIZJAMED ASSOCIATION (MALTA)
9) Best practices of innovative and creative enhancement carried out in the context of research
Winner: University Institute for Research in Iberian Archaeology, University of Jaén (SPAIN)
10) Special Award for the personality who has distinguished himself/herself for his/her activity in the archaeological, cultural and enhancement fields
Winner: PAOLO GIULIERINI, Director of the MANN – National Archaeological Museum of Naples
For both Cultural Routes (Iter Vitis – Phoenicians’ Route):
Best innovative and creative enhancement activity carried out in a location – destination that combines archaeology and oenology
Winner: MUNICIPALITY OF MENFI and MUNICIPALITY OF SAMBUCA DI SICILIA
Finally, the CROSSDEV Award, in collaboration with the CROSSDEV project
1) The best practice that involves local communities in the development of a sustainable cultural / archaeological / gastronomic or naturalistic tourism product
Winner: PALESTINIAN HERITAGE TRAIL (PALESTINE)
2) The best practice implemented by a local authority for the promotion of sustainable tourism in its area
Winner: MUNICIPALITY OF SAN BELLINO (VENETO)
Domenico Coco, Honorary consul of Azerbaijan to Sicily and Calabria attended the event.
