The seminars were organised by the Latvian Greenways Association and held in Keipene and Gulbene. EGWA Director presented European Greenways best practices that can inspire new actions in Latvia, as part of the EU Interreg project “Greenways Riga-Vilaka”. The seminars involved local administrations promoting greenways and private sector stakeholders who have set up businesses in the vicinity of greenways, in particular in former railway stations. EGWA director presented best practices in European greenways that can inspire new actions in Latvia, as part of the Interreg project “Greenways Riga-Vilaka”. It was a great opportunity to see the great progress and increase of public and private initiatives involved in the development of greenways in Latvia! => Transforming disused railway tracks as greenways. => Recovery of collapsed bridges and building new ones => Rehabilitation of old stations for tourist uses, community activity centers, museums. => Strong commitment to move forward with new greenways projects! The finishing touch was a “chance meeting” with the Latvian Minister of Transport on the way home. Sincere thanks to Minister Talis Linkaits for his support for greenway initiatives, and for listening carefully to our proposals for moving forward, enhancing services around greenways, improvements in intermodality with public transport, […]

Sixth meeting of the OurWay Steering Committee (27-28 April. Vratsa, (Bulgaria)   The aim of the 6th Steering Group meeting was to review the status of the Action Plans, to arrange the next steps, and to learn on site about examples of the Best Practices proposed by our hosts, which are linked to tourist attractions in the Vratsa district and make up a part of Bulgaria’s national tourist sites. This meeting was the first face-to-face gathering of the Steering Group after COVID   Overview of the main results of the partners’ Action Plans Region of Murcia (Lead Partner) and Consorcio de las Vías Verdes de la Región de Murcia, Spain An extensive promotion of the greenways of the region of Murcia, which includes a new slogan, “Life in every step“, network campaigns and plans to transform the website to a more tourist and multilingual webpage. In addition, and very relevant, the strengthening of collaboration with the administrations responsible for tourism and stakeholders. A very attractive pilot action, creation of a cycle-rail, the implementation of which is proving to be a considerable challenge. It will be the First Spanish rail-cycle trolley. It consists in using rails of a disused section of […]

Call for candidacies for the 10th European Greenways Award 2021 (Deadline for applications: Thursday 27th May 2021) The European Greenways Association (EGWA) announces the call for candidacies for the 10th European Greenways Award (EGA) 2021 organised by EGWA in co-operation with the Generalitat Valenciana (Valencia Region), through the Regional Ministry of Territorial Policy, Public Works and Mobility and the Spanish Railways Foundation (FFE).   The awards ceremony will take place on September 30th in Valencia.     The objective is to promote examples of best practices and to support their replication on other greenways all over Europe. The European Greenways Award will only be granted to greenways under the Lille Declaration, as well as to initiatives already in existence. This biennial award will recognise examples of greenways best practices in three categories: A) Excellence awards In this category the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded to three exemplary greenways that show the best integration of the various characteristics which define greenways (Art. 1 of Regulations) and that also demonstrate specific strengths which, in the opinion of the jury, make them exemplary. (… B) Exemplary initiatives  A 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize will be awarded to exemplary initiatives carried out in relation to greenways. This category is open to any activity related to […]

The European Greenways Association will celebrate its 20th anniversary on June 29 and 30 in Namur (Belgium), the city where it was born on January 8, 1998, with the patronage of the Walloon Region.   Friday 29th will be dedicated to a big meeting/conference for us to exchange experiences and viewpoints, after which there will be a festive musical evening. On the Saturday we will have the opportunity to discover Namur and its greenways at the crossroads of European cycle routes. It will be a grand reunion of the greenways “family” who, over the years, have contributed towards the launch, dissemination and consolidation of greenways in Europe as quality infrastructures for active tourism and sustainable mobility. Here at EGWA we would like to give our sincerest thanks to the Walloon Region for having made possible the organization of this gathering of European greenways and to Chemins du Rail, to the speakers from the various countries for giving their time so generously to share their experiences with us, and to all the attendees, experts in the subject, and friends of the greenways, who for sure will make this event a memorable one. We would be delighted if you could take part. We do […]

Conference “Accessible Tourism on European Greenways: Greenways for All” The European Greenways Association and the Spanish Railways Foundation, as project coordinator partner of “Greenways4ALL” project organize on Friday, September 30, the first conference of this European project which began last July 1, 2016. The conference will take place at the FFE headquarters (C / Santa Isabel, 44, Madrid). The conference “Accessible Tourism on European Greenways: Greenways for All” aims to publicize the “Greenways4ALL” project and share experiences on accessible tourism, improving accessibility around greenways and the dissemination of these routes as resources for all. It is aimed at political and technical professionals at national and regional level, county councils, municipalities, greenways managers, experts, entrepreneurs and workers in the tourism sector, the third sector and specialized media. View Program and presentations >> Registration Form >> The conference is the starting point of the European project Greenways4ALL with the aim of moving towards a product that meets the value chain of accessibility; from the accessible travel path to an accessible experience. Thus, accessibility is the common element to all resources that integrate the tourism product: walking the greenway, eating in restaurants in the area, lodging in the immediate vicinity to the greenway, […]

EUROPEAN GREENWAYS PHOTO CONTEST OPEN CALL The European Greenways Association organizes the “European Greenways Photo Contest” in the framework of the European project Greenways Outdoor (co-founded by the Cosme programme of the European Union). The objective is to promote greenways as a suitable infrastructure for different groups to practise outdoor activities at any time of year. The European Greenways and all the elements around them are the protagonists of this competition. Participating photos should show the infrastructure itself (viaducts, tunnels, old railway buildings, canal towpaths, etc.), or users, heritage and natural attractions of the environment, places and singular elements, and especially the practice of activities by different kinds of users (cyclists, hikers, sports, families, etc.). There are 5 prizes for the best photos and a special prize for the picture with the best engagement on the social media networks: 1st PRIZE: 2 tickets in 1st class for a round trip to any of the Renfe-SNCF en cooperación / en cooperation 2nd PRIZE: 3 Day trip to Madrid for 2 people – visiting two greenways sponsored by Rutas Pangea 3rd PRIZE: 3 Day trip to Olvera for 2 people – sponsored by Fundación Vía Verde de la Sierra (FVVS) 4th PRIZE: […]

Jury members at meeting in Brussels  The Jury of the 7th European Greenways Award was made up of experts whose professional background allowed them to approach, from a range of perspectives, the analysis of more than 20 exceptional candidates from 9 different countries. M. Pedro Ortún. Principal advisor, DG GROW, European Commission. Mr. Frederic Razee. Expert RAVeL – Mobilité  douce. Cabinet du Vice-Président du Gouvernement Wallon et Ministre des Travaux Publics, de la Santé, de l’Action Sociale et du Patrimoine Mr. Andreas Versmann. European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)/NAT section (Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. Mr. Bartlomiej Jesionkiewicz. Technical and Policy Adviser of EIM EIM aisbl (European Rail Infrastructure Managers)      Mr. Hildebrand P.G. de Boer. Programme Director  of European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH e.V.). Ms. Iulia Niculica.  Administration and Institutional Affairs Project Manager, European Travel Commission (ETC)  M. Gilbert Perrin – President EGWA. (Vote, in case of a tie vote) Jury was assisted technically by the EGWA representatives (with voice but without vote) Ms. Carmen Aycart, General Secretary and Ms. Mercedes Muñoz, Director and Jury Secretary. As laid down in the award regulations, the jury set out to select 3 awards for the categories Excellence and Exemplary Initiatives and 1 special […]