IBC Workshop in Timisoara/Rumania

More than 170 kilometers of the Eurovelo 13 route will cross 24 localities in Timișoara and will draw a route of memory linked to the Iron Curtain period. The first workshop of the "Inclusive Border Cycling" (IBC) project took place at Timis County Council, which complements the infrastructure investments that will realize the cycle-tourism route, adding cultural content to the route. Representatives of local communities, non-governmental organizations and public institutions, authorized guides took part in the discussions.

During the meeting, topics, places and people were identified that may be of interest to tourists who will travel Timis on two wheels. Being a thematic trail, the discussions focused on cultural and historical aspects related to the political, military and ideological barriers erected during the Cold War, the lifestyle of people then and now, how communities functioned and resisted in an oppressive regime. Subjects such as deportation to the Bărăgan or the USSR, the flight across the border with all the risks it entailed, petty trafficking, the intercultural context of Banat and the connection with Serbian and Hungarian neighbors, culinary creativity in the context of acute food shortages and even resistance through humor were identified as relevant to give personality to the route.   The stories behind the Iron Curtain are real history lessons for younger generations, but also for tourists discovering the unique atmosphere and character of this region. 

The topics proposed by the participants will be processed and used to provide visitors with interesting information about local histories. The route also offers development opportunities for the localities it passes through. Artisans, locals, small entrepreneurs, all can benefit from the development of cycle tourism. Moreover, the project also has an important educational component, which will be capitalized on in cooperation with local schools, using the information materials developed as part of the project for teaching purposes. 

The project "Inclusive Border Cycling" aims to capitalize on the natural and cultural heritage existing in border areas, through the transnational development of bicycle routes and by paying attention to the involvement of vulnerable local groups. Eurovelo 13, the Iron Curtain route, will enter Timiș at Lunga and will exit our county at Stamora Moravița, passing also through Timișoara. The IBC has a funding of € 100,420 through the Danube Region Program 2021-2027.

The "EuroVelo 13 - Iron Curtain Trail" is the only cycle touring route certified as a Council of Europe cultural route. With more than 10 thousand km in total, it is the longest route of the 17 EuroVelo trails crossing the European continent.