With the conference “Ancient Land and Sea Routes as a Key to New Territorial Development Projects”, held in Selinunte on November 11th and sponsored by the General Directorate for Education, Research and Cultural Institutes of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, in collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Selinunte, Cave di Cusa and Pantelleria, and with the support of the Archaeological Groups of Italy and UNPLI – the National Union of Pro Loco Associations of Italy – on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its certification by the Council of Europe, promoted a reflection on methodologies for enhancing widespread heritage by following the communication routes of the ancient Mediterranean world.

These are land and sea routes, corridors spanning different historical periods which, by enabling the occupation and enhancement of new territories, commercial activities, integration, and exchanges among peoples and ideas, constituted—and still constitute today—a fundamental factor of civilization. Owing to this cultural significance, in addition to their functional role, and because of their nature as monumenta of our past, capable of shaping the modern landscape, roads represent a tangible and intangible heritage of extraordinary interest, both in their technical aspects and in their political and ideological value, combining the analytical methods of field archaeology with those of historical research.

The conference also highlighted the role of underwater archaeology and the ongoing international projects promoted by the Phoenicians’ Route.