Transhumance, Memory, and Monumentality in the Balkans: A Perspective from the STONE Project

The international workshop VIAE – Valuable Itineraries Across Europe, promoted by Newcastle University and the University of Lleida, brings together researchers, institutional representatives and territorial stakeholders with the aim of advancing the recognition, protection and valorisation of European pastoral routes as a shared cultural heritage and as a resource for sustainable territorial development.The initiative forms part of the broader European efforts dedicated to the conservation and promotion of pastoral heritage and will involve the participation of international partners, experts and representatives of various institutions engaged in the management and enhancement of these historic routes.Programme Summary: The three-day international workshop will combine institutional sessions, academic debate and results-oriented collaborative work.The first day will focus on the current state of pastoral routes and on European good practices, with the participation of institutional representatives and Ministries of Culture (Spain, Italy and France), alongside presentations of European initiatives dedicated to the protection and valorisation of pastoral routes. During this session, the Lleida Declaration will be presented and formally adopted. The second day will be dedicated to the definition of a shared strategy, including the presentation of the draft European Protocol and a collective working session aimed at formulating a set of final recommendations. The third day will include a technical visit to a local pastoral route project and a meeting with livestock farmers, with the aim of connecting the European policy debate with territorial realities and local stakeholders.