For the first time, two European Cultural Routes – the European Route of Jewish Heritage-Vineyards of Sefarad and Itervitis- have held a joint meeting in Girona (Spain), in order to strengthen ties and create new projects in the field of cultural heritage.

Besides representatives from the AEPJ and the Network of Spanish Jewish Quarters, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the Portuguese and Italian associations of wine cities, the General Secretary of Itervitis, and representatives of Aeonotour, and of the Gallician towns of Cambados and Ribadavia.
The meeting dealt with important issues such as:
• Signing a cooperation agreement which envisages the development of new cultural routes related to Jewish heritage and wine.
• Envisaging a joint promotion of both networks in those common routes to be created.
• Setting-up specific training for young wine producers, proposing the participation of the Network of Spanish Jewish Quarters in the next training activity, which will take place at the end of this month in Israel.
• The participation of both networks in the training courses taking place in Portugal at the end of the month of April, and which will include for the first time the process of producing kosher wine.

Itervitis has just presented the 14th international oenological competition “The Mayor’s Choice”, an original project which links the wine producers with the mayors and their territories. Furthermore, during the meeting it has been agreed to also include in this competition the wine category of Best Kosher Wine, besides the categories of Best Dessert Wine, Best Sparkling Wine, Best Organic wine, Best Cooperative, etc. The competition will be decided in Oeiras (Portugal), coinciding with the celebration of the Volvo Ocean Race 2015, where other cultural activities will also be held.
More information about the competition available at: info@selezionedelsindaco.it

The most important result of the meeting is the agreement to work together on a joint project of cultural and commercial development to present to the European institutions.