The Via Francigena del Sud: 1ST CULTURAL ROUTES ACADEMIC WORKSHOP

On October 18th, 2019, the European Vie Francigene Association (AEVF) unanimously approved the Via Francigena in southern Italy, from Rome to Santa Maria di Leuca. The new route enriches the historical cultural itinerary approved by the Council of Europe in 1994. Encompassing about 900 km of history, traditions and locations, the "Via Francigena del Sud" crosses five Italian regions. After briefly outlining the historical process that led to the recognition of the Via Francigena del Sud, the paper analyses its aims and the problems it faced during its creation and its implementation in the social, economic and cultural contexts of reference. Furthermore, it sets out the policies adopted by two different regions in Southern Italy -Puglia and Campania- focusing on the needs and the interpretation of the planning implications by the local stakeholders and public bodies involved. The interest in the latter is based on their importance in the participatory development of the itinerary in accordance with shared planning criteria. By means of desk analysis and the consultation of both primary and secondary sources, the research mains to identify and assess the existence of conditions that justify the investment of resources by institutions and local stakeholders in the preservation and appropriate exploitation of the itinerary. Where possible, it also seeks to indicate potential measures that might generate multilevel benefits. The analysis is also supported by the direct observation of the itinerary's users by means of quantitative-qualitative interviews conducted with a random sample of walkers passing through a limited portion of the Route in Puglia (about 60 units, including men and women, Italians and foreigners, in 2020).