They were tireless navigators and highly skilled merchants. The Phoenicians, a civilization that emerged more than three thousand years ago along the coasts of present-day Lebanon, crossed the Mediterranean founding ports and trading cities and creating a network of exchanges linking the Levant with North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, and as far as the Iberian Peninsula. Their ships carried precious goods—from purple dye to metals—but also ideas, technologies, and languages. In doing so, they helped build one of the earliest systems of cultural exchange among the peoples of the Mediterranean.

This history of connections inspires the Phoenicians’ Route, one of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, recognized in 2003. Today the project brings together more than 80 institutions, including regions, cities, museums, universities, and cultural organizations from 18 countries across the Mediterranean and Europe. Rather than a single linear path, it is a network linking archaeological sites, historic ports, and cultural landscapes connected to Phoenician and Punic presence. The symbolic itinerary extends for over 3,000 kilometers of maritime routes, from the Levant to the Iberian Peninsula, while on land it takes shape through cultural trails, cycling routes, and walking paths that pass through historic locations such as Cadiz, Carthage, Tyre, Mozia, Selinunte, Nora, and Tharros.

On March 19 and 20, 2026, this international network will gather between Aquileia and Ajdovščina, Slovenia, for the 19th Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue on the Phoenicians’ Route, an annual meeting that brings together scholars, public administrators, and cultural tourism professionals. A central role is played by the Aquileia Foundation, partner of the Phoenicians’ Route and co-organizer of the event. The Foundation, committed to enhancing the archaeological site of Aquileia—a UNESCO World Heritage site—promotes dialogue between institutions and territories, encouraging collaboration among European cultural bodies and supporting shared projects focused on sustainable tourism.




The conference will provide a forum for discussion on themes such as heritage management, the promotion of historic landscapes, and the opportunities created by international cultural cooperation. Among the speakers are representatives of major Italian cultural institutions. Cristiano Tiussi, director of the Aquileia Foundation, will present the experience of the Friulian site in the integrated management of a major archaeological heritage. Simone Quilici, director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, will offer insights into strategies for protecting and enhancing one of the world’s most visited monumental complexes. Felice Crescente, director of the Selinunte, Cave di Cusa and Pantelleria Archaeological Park, will discuss a territory deeply connected to Mediterranean routes and Phoenician presence in Sicily. They will be joined by Paolo Giulierini, archaeologist and heritage expert for the Municipality of Cortona, and Anthony Muroni, president of the Mont’e Prama Foundation, which works to promote the archaeological heritage of Sardinia.

An important part of the dialogue will focus on synergies between the Phoenicians’ Route and other Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, networks that highlight different aspects of Europe’s shared history. These include ATRIUM, which explores the architecture and urban planning of twentieth-century totalitarian regimes; Iter Vitis, dedicated to the history of viticulture and the wine cultures that have shaped Europe for millennia; the European Route of Ceramics, linking cities and craft districts associated with ceramic traditions; and Romea Strata, an ancient pilgrimage route crossing Central and Eastern Europe on its way to Rome. Connecting these itineraries helps create new opportunities for cooperation between territories and encourages forms of slow and sustainable cultural tourism.

The dialogue will continue the following day in Ajdovščina, Slovenia, with workshops dedicated to intercultural dialogue, community participation, and new strategies for managing cultural destinations.

The Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue on the Phoenicians’ Route thus confirms itself as an important meeting point between Europe and the Mediterranean—demonstrating how the ancient routes once traveled by Phoenician merchants can today serve as a contemporary model for cultural cooperation, heritage enhancement, and responsible tourism.