Potential of the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius for the Development of Cultural Tourism

The Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established in 2021 as a certified route within the program of Cultural Routes managed by the Council of Europe. The idea was to connect places with the Cyrillo-Methodian and Great Moravian traditions. The development of this cultural route is managed by the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius with a Permanent Secretariat in Zlín in the Czech Republic. The association currently has 23 members from 8 countries (CZ, SK, GR, SI, HU, BG, HR and IT). The Cultural Routes Program of the Council of Europe, which has been in development since 1987, is an expression of the basic principles of the Council of Europe: human rights, cultural democracy, cultural diversity and identity, mutual dialogue, mutual exchange and enrichment across borders and centuries. Certified cultural works are expected to initiate innovative projects in the field of cultural tourism and sustainability of cultural development. The aim of this paper is to point out how the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius can contribute to the development of cultural tourism – at international, national, regional and local level. These co-patrons of Europe are closely linked to Slovakia, specifically to the city of Nitra where the Bishopric of Nitra was established in 880 by Pope John VIII. From a methodological perspective, this work is based on qualitative approach (excerpts from print and electronic information sources of varying provenance; comparative analysis; authors’ own experiences with creation of strategic documents). The critical approach to information was supported by fieldwork and communication with stakeholders. The results of our research show that Saints Cyril and Methodius are part of everyday life in Slovakia in various forms – spiritual, landscape, cultural and economic. Religious tourism, which is also associated with their cult, significantly contributes to the visibility of several municipalities and cities and supports their development, especially in connection with the construction of infrastructure. The European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius has great potential to connect not only some of the most important European locations / points with a strong legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius and their disciples spreading their ideas, emphasising the authenticity and uniqueness of this legacy in each of the countries involved, but also, and above all, human generations throughout the centuries

Religious Tourism under Fascist and Communist Dictatorships: Portugal and Slovakia

Following the chronological analysis of Christian pilgrimages over the course of around 2,000 years of existence, we find that there have been swings in their level of popularity: strong whenever the ruling classes (whether religious or civil) protect the sanctuaries most in demand; with declines occurring whenever opinion makers manage to turn leadership against participation in pilgrimages. The paper analyses how religious tourism was influenced by two dictatorships: a fascist one in a western European country, Portugal (1928-1974) and a communist one in a central European country, Slovakia (1948-1989) – at that time part of Czechoslovakia. In the first case the transition from a dictatorship to a democracy didn’t alter much the continuous development of religious tourism. In the second case many changes occurred with the fall of the dictatorship; the democracy allowed people to manifest freely their religious beliefs increasing therefore the number of domestic and international religious trips

Marian Midsize Shrines: three itineraries between Portugal and Slovakia

Many travelers whose main motivation is religious tourism (Catholic) have visited the major shrines such as the Holy Land, the Vatican, Lourdes (France) and Fatima (Portugal). After having been in those places/shrines, numerous religious tourists want to visit other sanctuaries but not many programs offer that possibility. With that in mind, three researchers drove from Lisbon (Portugal) to Levoča (Slovakia) nearly always stopping along Marian midsize shrines. The data collected by participant observation allowed the researchers to design three different itineraries - they include the most important Marian midsize shrines and also towns/small cities along the way. On the one hand, this paper has a strong practical component in order to be used as a reflective tool by the travel agents/tour operators; on the other hand, academics can use the programs as training material for student exercises, demonstrating that an itinerary is not only a set of thematic resources but also used for time and travel management by visitors

Marian Midsize Shrines: three itineraries between Portugal and Slovakia

Many travellers whose main motivation is religious tourism (Catholic) have visited the major shrines such as the Holy Land, the Vatican, Lourdes (France) and Fatima (Portugal). After having been in those places / shrines, religious tourists seek to visit other sanctuaries but find that the offer is limited. With that in mind, in 2016, three researchers drove from Lisbon (Portugal) to Levoča (Slovakia) nearly always stopping at Marian midsize shrines and, in 2017, one researcher travelled by train from Nitra (Slovakia) to Lisbon also stopping along the way at Marian midsize shrines. The data collected by participant observation allowed the researchers to design three different itineraries that include the most important Marian midsize shrines and also towns / small cities along the way. The objective of this paper is two-fold. First, it has a strong practical component in order to be used as a reflective tool by the travel agents / tour operators. Second, academics can use the programs as training material for student exercises, demonstrating that an itinerary is not simply linking a set of thematic resources but also requires knowledge of logistics to facilitate the visitors´ decisions

Pielgrzymowanie Polaków i Słowaków Drogą św. Jakuba na początku XXI w.

Polish and Czech pilgrims on the Way of Saint James at the beginning of the 21st centuryThe Way of St. James is at present the most famous Christian pilgrimage route as well as the first European Cultural Route. An analysis of Polish and Slovak tours and pilgrimages to the Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela has shown an increase over the last decade in popularity of pilgrimages following the Way of Saint James among residents from these two Eastern and Central European countries. The number of Polish and Slovak “ de Compostela ” pilgrims increased seven-fold over the period 2004 – 2013. This was caused by a number of factors, most notably by the development of the Devotion to Saint James in many parishes, an increasing amount of information about the Way of Saint James in the mass media, individual promotion of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage by individuals who had reached Compostela and had received a “ Compostela ” document as well as an increase in the number of low-cost airlines connecting Spain with Eastern and Central Europe. During the study period 2004 – 2013, more than 60 % of Polish and Slovak “Camino ” pilgrims declared religious reasons for their expeditions. Unlike in the case of the whole population of Camino pilgrims, non-religious motives for visiting the tomb of Saint James were only marginally significant for Poles and Slovaks ( 1.7 % and 2.4 %, respectively ). Poles and Slovaks usually make their pilgrimage on foot ( 87 % and 94 %, respectively ). However, the share of Polish and Slovak bicyclists who have reached Santiago de Compostela is quite the opposite ( 12.9 % and 5.75 %, respectively ). All data are for the 2004 – 2013 period. More than 50 % of Camino pilgrims from Poland and Slovakia are people between 30 and 60 years of age. The part of the pilgrimage route to the town of Compostela most often chosen by Polish and Slovak Camino pilgrims is the French Way ( Camino Francés )

Desde la perseverancia de la iglesia en estados autoritarios hasta el turismo de inspiración religiosa de hoy

Un análisis cronológico de las peregrinaciones cristianas a lo largo de 2,000 años de existencia sugiere que ha habido cambios en su nivel de popularidad: fuerte, siempre que las clases dominantes (ya sean religiosas o civiles) protegen los santuarios populares, y débil, cada vez que las políticas restringen la práctica de las peregrinaciones. Este trabajo comienza con la caracterización de dos regímenes autoritarios, uno fascista en un país de Europa occidental, Portugal (1928‑1974), y uno comunista, en un país del centro de Europa, Eslovaquia (1948‑1989), en ese momento parte de Checoslovaquia. El objetivo de esta investigación fue explorar el status quo durante el período de gobierno de los dos regímenes autoritarios, analizar el enfoque adoptado por cada régimen con respecto a las manifestaciones religiosas y cómo, con la eventual transición a la democracia, sirvió para determinar la dinámica que encierra el santuario de peregrinación de cada país, Fátima (Portugal) y Levoča (Eslovaquia) respectivamente. Los resultados de la investigación muestran que en Portugal no hubo interrupción en la creciente popularidad y desarrollo de Fátima, desde los regímenes autoritarios hasta los democráticos. Mientras tanto, en Eslovaquia solo después de la reinstauración de la democracia, se permitió a las personas manifestar libremente sus creencias religiosas, lo que condujo a un renacimiento de las peregrinaciones y visitas a Levoča. Los resultados proporcionan una comprensión del papel del estado bajo regímenes autoritarios y las políticas implementadas que impulsaron la importancia y el potencial de los dos santuarios como destinos turísticos religiosos.A chronological analysis of Christian pilgrimages over the course of around 2,000 years of existence suggests that there have been swings in their level of popularity: strong whenever the ruling classes (whether religious or civil) protect popular sanctuaries and declining whenever policies constraint the practice of pilgrimages. This paper starts with the characterization of two authoritarian regimes, a fascist one in a western European country, Portugal (1928‑1974), and a communist one in a central European country, Slovakia (1948‑1989), at that time part of Czechoslovakia. The aim of this research was to explore the status quo during the period of government by the two authoritarian regimes, analyse the approach taken by each regime in regards to religious manifestations and how, with the eventual transition to democracy, it served to determine the dynamics surrounding each country´s main pilgrimage shrine, respectively Fatima (Portugal) and Levoča (Slovakia). The research findings show that in Portugal there was no interruption on the increasing popularity and development of Fatima, from the authoritarian to democratic regimes. Meanwhile, in Slovakia only after democracy was reinstated, was it allowed for people to manifest freely their religious beliefs that led to a revival of pilgrimages and visits to Levoča. The findings provide an understanding of the role of the state under authoritarian regimes and the policies implemented that prompted the importance and potential of the two shrines as religious tourism destinations

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

XXV. mezinárodní kolokvium o regionálních vědách

Title in English: 25th International Colloquium on Regional Sciences: Conference proceedings The conference proceedings consists of papers presented at the 25th International Colloquium on Regional Sciences that was organized by Department of Regional Economics and Administration FEA MU. It contains 57 articles arranged by topic. The individual articles deal with e.g. socioeconomic disparities among regions, regional policy, territory attractiveness, tourism, or regional public administration

XXIV. mezinárodní kolokvium o regionálních vědách

Title in English: 24th International Colloquium on Regional Sciences: Conference proceedings. The conference proceedings consists of papers presented at the 24rd International Colloquium on Regional Sciences that was organized by Department of Regional Economics and Administration FEA MU. It contains 79 articles arranged by topic. The individual articles deal with e.g. socioeconomic disparities among regions, regional policy, territory attractiveness, tourism or regional public administration