On 26-30 March 2025, the village of Albarracín, Spain, hosted the Youth Heritage Days, a European event gathering more than 50 young professionals and students from across the world. Organised by ESACH and Hispania Nostra within the framework of the EU-funded European Heritage Hub pilot project, the five-day programme combined roundtable discussions, workshops, and field visits to explore how cultural heritage can support the green, digital, and social transformations. Particular attention was placed on addressing rural depopulation, using Albarracín – a historic village facing such issues – as a case study for reflection and action.
Participants were presented with a real-world challenge: how to design sustainable and community-based responses to the risks of both rural depopulation and the pressures of overtourism. In this context, the HIKE – HIKing for a healthier lifestylE project was showcased by Aleksandra Fomina, Communication Expert from the AEVF team, as a practical example of how slow tourism and the valorisation of cultural routes can help revitalise local economies while safeguarding natural and cultural resources. With events held along historical trails in Italy, Greece, and Türkiye, HIKE illustrates how physical well-being, cultural discovery, and environmental sustainability can come together to create inclusive opportunities for rural development. Additionally, the project was discussed as an example of how walking itineraries can help decentralise tourism flows, guiding visitors toward lesser-known destinations while enhancing the visibility of both tangible and intangible heritage.
Another takeaway from the event was the idea that heritage must be co-managed with those who live it daily. Participants stressed that lasting preservation relies on empowering residents to take ownership of their cultural landscape. At the same time, digital innovation was explored as a tool to widen access and foster interaction – especially among younger, tech-savvy audiences.
HIKE’s participation in the Youth Heritage Days helped frame cultural routes not only as tourism products, but as tools for well-being, regeneration, learning, and community resilience. It contributed to a shared European conversation on how heritage can anchor rural futures in inclusive, sustainable ways.
