On 13–14 May 2025, project partners of the ICTr-CE (Innovative Cycling Tourism along the Iron Curtain Trail – Central Europe) initiative convened in Gdańsk, Poland, for their seventh coordination meeting and Steering Committee session. While the agenda encompassed important discussions around pilot actions and training modules, the meeting offered something more profound: the opportunity to engage with the rich and layered historical landscape of Gdańsk.
Hosted at the European Solidarity Centre—a symbolic venue dedicated to the peaceful resistance movements that reshaped modern Europe—participants began their exchange with welcoming remarks from the City of Gdańsk and the Pomorskie Region’s Department of Tourism. This context set the tone for a gathering that combined project development with deeper cultural and historical immersion.
A key highlight of the programme was the study visit to the Museum of the Second World War, providing insight into Gdańsk’s pivotal role in one of the most consequential conflicts in human history. Located near the site where the war began in 1939, the museum offered a sobering reflection on the war’s impact, particularly relevant to a project tracing the former Iron Curtain.
The second day of the meeting culminated with a guided tour of the Gdańsk Shipyard, the birthplace of the Solidarity movement—a turning point in European history that marked the beginning of the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe. The walking tour provided participants with a deeper understanding of the region’s post-war political developments and the spirit of collective resilience that ultimately led to the peaceful dismantling of authoritarian regimes.
This context-rich backdrop complemented the core themes of the ICTr-CE project, which seeks to develop inclusive and sustainable cycling tourism along historical routes. By grounding discussions of tourism development in the realities of the region’s past, the Gdańsk meeting reinforced the importance of historical consciousness as a foundation for meaningful and responsible tourism.
In between technical sessions and partner updates, participants were also given the opportunity to explore the city and its surroundings by bicycle using MEVO metropolitan bikes—aligning with the project’s vision of low-impact mobility and accessible travel infrastructure.
Overall, the Gdańsk meeting not only advanced the ICTr-CE’s operational goals but also fostered shared understanding and appreciation for the cultural and historical dimensions that define the Iron Curtain Trail.