The choice of Rijeka to play host to the thematic meeting of the network is recognition to the City of Rijeka for its long-term active participation in the organisation's work and the efforts it has put in positive activities and new visions in the field of culture and cultural policies. The meeting will be an occasion to promote the City and its cultural policies. The organisation of the meeting is supported by the Ministry of Culture.

The representative of the Les Rencontres network, Batoz expressed her satisfaction with the fact that for the first time the meeting of the Les Rencontes network will take place in Rijeka.
"The fact that the meeting will take place for the second time in Croatia, points to the important role that Croatia plays in the map of Europe concerning the development of cultural policies. In the development of cultural policies and cultural tourism, the City of Rijeka also plays an important role," said Batoz, emphasising that the outcome of the meeting will be the adoption of the Rijeka Declaration on Cultural Tourism.

About 70 participants from many European cities and regions take part in the meeting, as well as the representatives of the Council of Europe and UNESCO. Within the meeting of the Les Rencontres network, which working part will be held at the City Hall, cultural tourism will be discussed, with 3 sub-themes announced:
• Cultural tourism between economic development and sustainable local development strategies;
• Cultural tourism in territorial planning;
• What are the prospects of cultural tourism at European level and what concrete steps are to be taken by local self-government units?

In the tradition of Les Rencontres, participant will have an opportunity to see the sights of Rijeka and Opatija and enjoy an excellent dance show, a film evening where five contemporary Croatian film authors will present themselves, an exhibition by young artist Ivan Fijolić in the Small Gallery and the exhibition titled "Splendid pop" at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka. In this way, the meeting participants will have a concrete example enabling them to check the Rijeka offer of cultural tourism, pointed out Kregar Šegota, senior associate for international co-operation, City Department of Culture.

The Les Rencontres network gathers more than 160 local self-government units from across Europe and it operates as a platform for co-operation, discussion and action in the field of cultural policy in European cities, counties and regions.

More information about the conference is available on the official website of the Les Rencontres network.
Ivanka Persić, Morgan Batoz and Irena Kregar-Šegota