THE AWARD IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE REGION’S HISTORY. CIMDOURO ORGANIZES MANY INITIATIVES TO SHOW THE GOLD TO EUROPE since the beginning of the year
On June 15, in Brussels, Belgium, the Douro was distinguished as the “European City of Wine 2023”. The Douro World Heritage Site is thus becoming a European benchmark for wine, vineyards, culture and the harmonious celebration of nature and the centuries-old work carried out by generations of Douro people.
“All Aroud Wine, All Around Douro” is the motto of the Douro’s candidacy for European City of Wine 2023, which the region will use as a primary goal to guarantee the present and future of our territory.
The presentation gala for the Douro European City of Wine took place on February 4 at the Multiusos in Lamego.
Considered one of the greatest collective challenges the Douro has ever taken on in its history, materializing the desire and heartbeat of an entire region, this project also reflects the will of a territory that is, according to Miguel Torga, “the most serious reality we have” in Portugal.
With this distinction as the European City of Wine 2023, the Douro has the legitimate desire to make the region a major contributor to national exports, making wine and vineyards a real and concrete lever for the development of its economy and the wealth of those who live and work here.
The aim is for the territory to convey, represent and be a well-known economic, social and cultural brand, an example of the harmonious interaction between man and nature. The essence of this project is the authentic and supportive spirit of the Douro, the oldest demarcated and regulated wine region in the world.
CIMDOURO’s 19 mayors are ready to take on the challenge of “Douro European City of Wine 2023”, together with local and regional entities and the 22,000 or so producers, taking on the urgency of enhancing the product and building a balanced and sustainable region.
Opening up the Douro to the world is another of our aims. For decades, the Douro region focused solely on wine production. Today the Douro, a territory of charismatic landscapes with soul and attitude, with its pleasant navigable river, has the legitimate ambition of bringing the world to the Douro. And it will be this discovery of the Douro, this experience of the Douro in situ that will generate added value for what we produce, for what we create here, for our wine, for our vineyards, for our people.
This is an opportunity for us to promote wine tourism, culture and heritage and to welcome visitors properly and comprehensively, highlighting wine as a strategic element and the essence of our economic activity.
Given the scale of this project and the involvement of all its municipalities, from January 1, 2023 they will all adopt the same image in their communications with the outside world, they will all “wear” the same Douro jersey of wine, landscape, culture and heritage.