Galicia, a region in northwest Spain and an autonomous community within the country and Lazio, central Italian region bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea signed a cooperation agreement to boost the promotion of the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena internationally including an exchange of experiences between two most iconic pilgrimage routes.
The President of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, and the President of the region Lazio, Francesco Rocca, signed a memorandum of understanding in Rome for the joint promotion of the Camino de Santiago or Way of St.James, famed network of pilgrimages routes in Spain that lead to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, one of the most highly – sought pilgrimages in the history of humanity and the Via Francigena, also known as Via Romea Francigena, an ancient road and pilgrimage route running from the cathedral city of Canterbury in England, through France and Switzerland reaching Rome and then the Apulia region in Italy where there were ports of embarkation for the Holy Land.
The aformentioned partnership between the two regions aims to strengthen the international prohection of both emblematic historical itineraries in Europe, promoting their unique, cultural, spiritual and economic value through coordinated actions in the field of tourism, research and training and in addition enhancing the attractiveness and image of the territories situated along these iconic itineraries with a pact sealed in a particularly significant context for both routes.
In 2025 the Catholic Church celebrates the Roman Jubilee, a time of pilgrimage, prayer, reflection and a renewal of faith, a special time of remission during which sins are forgiven, a year - long global celebration among those of the Catholic faith with epicentre the Italian capital, Rome, while in 2027 it will be time of the Xacobean Year, also known as a Santiago de Compostela Holy Year or Ano Xacobeo, honouring the perpetuum tied to Saint James and its sanctuary, that allows believers to gain a plenary indulgence, two milestone that will attract thousands of pilgrims to Rome and Santiago de Compostela.
Within this framework, the collaboration between Galicia and Lazio will facilitate joint participation in international fairs, the development of promotional activities and the exchange of knowledge on tourism management and sustainability.
This cooperation agreement is in especially relevant given the growing interest of Italian pilgrims in the Camino de Santiago, in 2024 nearly 30.000 walkers from Italy received the Compostela title which positions the country as the second nationality with the most presence on the Jacobean route, only behind the United States of America.
Slow tourism and sustainability are the cornerstone of the agreement, the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena share, an essence based on slow tourism promoting a way of travelling focused on connection with the environment, culture and history and through this alliance, both regions will strengthen their heritage preservation and accessibility strategies, betting on a tourism model that guarantees an authentic and sustainable experience for the pilgrims of the future.
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