ROMAN LEGACY kick-off Meeting in Krems

From April 28 to 30, 2025, the official kick-off meeting of the Interreg Danube Region project ROMAN LEGACY took place at the University for Continuing Education Krems. 

The event was hosted by the university’s Center for Cultural Property Protection, which also serves as the project’s lead partner. The three-year ROMAN LEGACY project aims to establish both a cultural theme region and a European cultural route along the Roman Danube Limes. This initiative seeks to highlight shared European heritage and contribute to the socio-economic development of the Danube region. The project partnership consists of 19 full partners from ten Danube countries, along with 35 strategic associated partners. Over the next three years, a cross-border cultural route and a theme region encompassing the entire Roman Danube area will be developed. This includes both the western segment of the Danube Limes—already recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Germany, Austria, Slovakia)—and the eastern segment (Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania), which is currently on the UNESCO Tentative List. The meeting in Krems marked the starting point of this ambitious international collaboration.

The first day of the meeting focused on introductions and getting to know one another, as this was the first time the project partners had come together in this constellation. This initial phase was characterized by open dialogue about individual expertise, expectations, and regional perspectives. Each partner institution also presented a local or regional tradition as well as a Roman site from their country and brought a small regional specialty to the meeting in order to jointly create a âDanube Region Specialties Buffet”, which was opened and tasted on the second day of the kick-off.

1st day of the Kick-off meeting

In the evening, participants enjoyed a communal dinner in Krems-Stein, allowing for informal exchange in a relaxed atmosphere.

The second day was dedicated to the project's professional content: several sessions and presentations covered the project’s objectives and work packages, the collaborative methodology, communication and management structures, as well as planned outputs. A particular focus was placed on international cooperation and the involvement of national stakeholders throughout all phases of the project.

Meeting with a Traditional Food Tasting

On the third day, participants visited the Archaeological Park Carnuntum—Austria’s most renowned Roman archaeological site. A guided tour of the reconstructed Roman city quarter and heated bathhouse was offered, along with a presentation of the park’s interpretive concept. Simultaneously, a public project kick-off event was held in Carnuntum, where schoolchildren creatively designed a prototype costume for the project mascot, which will represent the visual identity of the Roman theme region along the Danube Limes.

Visit to the Archaeological Park Carnuntum