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xxx xxxx maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MARCH 2019 5 THIS WEEK CULTURE you deserve special treatment... I often hear people complaining about lack of support, lack of funding... truth is, we have to work like everybody else to re- alise our dreams; and it is only by work- ing hard that we can achieve our goals. Where I Lay Down will be on display at the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de la Salle, Republic Street, Valletta until March 28. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm Saturday (9pm to 1.30pm) Shining a light on the inter- connected Mediterranean How would you describe the Phoenicians' Route to somebody who may never have heard of it before? "The Phoenicians' Route" comes from the consideration that the Med- iterranean Sea in ancient times was contact tool between the communi- ties of different ethnic groups and the civilizations that inhabited it. Then it became a frontier. This is why the Council of Europe, within the Cultural Routes Pro- gram (1997), includes the proposal for a route called "The Phoenicians' Route" whose journey is not terres- trial (such as Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes). It refers to the con- nection of the major nautical routes used by the Phoenicians and by other great Mediterranean civilizations: Greeks, Romans, Etruscans, Iberi- ans and many others, since the 12th century BC, as essential routes for trade and cultural communication in the Mediterranean. These sea routes connecting all the shores of the an- cient Mediterranean today unite the Mediterranean countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. The theme of certification by the Council of Europe is the theme of the intercultural dialogue in the Medi- terranean; conceived by the Interna- tional Network responsible for man- agement, as a cooperation between experts and stakeholders in the terri- tories involved (11 countries), on the themes of the innovative enhance- ment of the material and immate- rial cultural heritage, on sustainable, responsible, experiential and crea- tive tourism practices and on herit- age education/pedagogy. Therefore, the Phoenicians' Route becomes an international reference for dialogue between peoples, between tourism and culture, between territories and global market (g-local approach), thanks also to the creation of specific networks for museums, for schools, for the nature sector. Furthermore, on March 7th at the ITB fair in Ber- lin, during a "Capacity building Fo- rum for Tour Operators", organised together with the UNWTO - World Tourism Organisation, the "Phoeni- cians' Route Tour Operators Alli- ance" initiative will be presented. The more than 200 Tour Operators who follow the Phoenicians' Route will join this alliance. What happens on the Phoenician Route, and what do participants get out of it that transcends the merely touristic? Every year on the Phoenicians' Route, many people discover the dif- ferent countries and the new propos- als that the Tour Operators create together with our Cultural Route. On the Phoenicians' Route schools, from eight countries belonging to the In- ternational Network of Mediterrane- an Schools (Edu.Net), meet each oth- er; and many events are organized, dedicated to various themes related to the route in the various countries that are part of it, as in the case of the Malta event, scheduled for March. There is also an International Uni- versity Network (IUN) of the Phoeni- cians' Route to promote a Knowledge and Cooperation Network in the re- search and development of econom- ic, scientific and cultural projects of common interest. The International University Network (IUN) proposes research conferences, seminars, re- search networks and internships at the various partner universities. Moreover, a particular form of com- munication and promotion of the ancient Mediterranean will soon be available through a videogame that will allow reaching even the most re- mote countries. How would you describe the intimate link between the Phoenicians and the Mediterranean? How familiar would you say the general populace is of this link, and what can be gained –culturally, socially, politically – through a wider awareness of it? The Phoenicians' Route refers to the connection of the major nautical routes which, since the twelfth cen- tury BC, were used by the Phoeni- cians as essential routes for trade and cultural communication in the Med- iterranean. Through these routes, the Phoenicians – genial sailors and merchants – gave origin to a great civilization, for some verses still little known, that asserted itself through an expansion towards the West, pro- ducing an intense exchange of manu- factured articles, people and ideas and contributing in ancient times to the creation of a koinè, a Mediter- ranean cultural "community" and to the circulation of this culture. But even other great Mediterranean civilizations used these routes for the same purpose: Greeks, Romans, Etruscans, Iberians and many oth- ers. Therefore, these routes have be- come an integral and essential part of Mediterranean culture. Even today, the Phoenician heritage is perceived throughout the Mediterranean: in languages, traditions, craft produc- tions, in the landscape. It is the Phoe- nician landscape itself that suggests that salt processing was a key com- ponent of their economy, since their settlements lie along coastal areas in both the East and the West and, as is well known, the sun and the sea breeze facilitate the evaporation pro- cess. The Phoenicians are also attrib- uted to the development of artisanal and tuna fishing techniques (later enriched by the Arabs), and a notable contribution to the diffusion of tech- niques of production and transfor- mation of Mediterranean products. The Mediterranean diet has to thank the Phoenicians: their dishes, mas- terfully studied by archaeologists and gastronomists on several occasions, are the basis of dishes that still today we consume, perhaps with different versions in terms of taste. Knowing the culture and the mate- rial and immaterial heritage that the Phoenicians have left us, we discover the bonds that still today unite the shores of the Mediterranean. How important are events like the ROTOT seminar, and what do you hope to get out of the experience of participating in it? ROTOT is an important oppor- tunity to compare and dialogue is a meeting between important wit- nesses of the Route and of the ter- ritories represented. However, it is also an opportunity to present the Phoenicians' Route and its potential in Malta. Events like these are very important because they stimulate discussion, ignite debate and involve local communities, with a special eye to the younger generations. The expectation is that Malta will be in- creasingly involved in the Route and takes on a role of relevance within it. The ROTOT seminar will be tak- ing place at the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de la Salle, Republic Street, Valletta on March 27 at 6pm. En- trance is free of charge Ahead of the ROTOT seminar on intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean, Dr Antonio Barone, Director of the Phoenicians' Route, speaks to TEODOR RELJIC about this exciting approach to culturally-aware tourism