Greenways Heritage Study Tour in Flanders and Wallonia

20th May 2019

Duration: 20 May, 2019 - 22 May, 2019

Greenways Heritage next open activities in Flandres & Wallonie (Belgium)

Press conference.

Visit by bike (*) along greenways from Averbode to UNESCO Beguinage of Diest in the afternoon.

(*) Previous confirmation required. Reservation until 15 May: Kris.ROCKELE[at]provincieantwerpen.be

10.00 hours: Welcome by Björn Siffer, (political representative of the city of Mechelen).
10.15 hours: Jan De Haes, (political representative of the Province of Antwerp): “The innovation in leisure industry and cycle tourism: opportunities and treats for SMEs”.
10.30 hours: Mercedes Muñoz, (director of European Greenways Association (EGWA), project coordinator): “Greenways Heritage: state of affairs (project status) and future actions in this COSME-EU funded project”.
10.45 hours: Giulio Senes, (Milan University): “Greenways Heritage and Touristic GIS/multiplatform Web-GIS based application: opportunities for SMEs in Europe”.
11.00 hours: Bram Van Oost, (marketing manager of POPPR): “The development of Augmented Routes for the cultural and creative industry: the app we are launching today”.
11:15 hours: Melissa Geerts, (coordinator – heritage consultant De Merode): “The beguinages of Mechelen and Diest: a paradise for heritage lovers and slow tourism thanks to the greenways between the two World Heritage sites”.
11:30 hours: Signature of the Guimarães Declaration: declaration for the promotion of UNESCO sites and greenways as common destinations in Europe. Political representatives can sign the declaration if they want to do that.
11:45 hours: Björn Siffer, talks about how Mechelen stimulates sustainable tourism.
11:55 hours: Bram Van Oost, gives a demonstration of the App that connects greenways and heritage.

Venue : boat lift nr 3 on the Historical “Canal du Centre

⇒ Confirmation of attendance by e.mail: direction[at]aevv-egwa.org

⇒ Language: English

Mercedes Muñoz, (Director of the European Greenways Association, Greenways Heritage project)to the attention of the Walloon attendees with interventions of the project partners.
Hainaut-Tourisme: “Waterways heritage in the Walloon Hainaut Province”.
AWAP, Agence Wallonne du Patrimoine (Walloon Heritage Agency): “UNESCO heritage in Wallonia and other regional heritage resources”.
SPW, Service Public de Wallonie (Walloon Public Administration), Waterways Direction: “The historical boat lifts, history, renovation, maintenance, management”.
SPW, Infrastructure and Mobility Direction: “RAVeL (regional greenways network) and long distance cycle routes in Wallonia”.
WBT (Wallonia-Belgium-Tourism): “Cycling across Wallonia, news and prospective.
Questions and answers.