The European Federation of Friends of the Way of St James Presents a Credential in Support of Ukraine and Camino Podolico

This took place on 26 May as part of the General Assembly of the Camino Europa Compostela, which was attended by representatives of more than 15 European countries, including Andrii Ocheretnyi, Deputy Mayor of Vinnytsia, Vice President of the European Federation of the Way of St James, Oleksandr Vesheleni, Director of the Marketing and Tourism Department of Vinnytsia City Council, and Iryna Sobko, coordinator of the Camino Podolico.

The Credential is a passport of the Camino, in which pilgrims mark their way and receive a certificate of completion. The cover of the Credential in support of Ukraine features a statue of St James in Vinnytsia (located near the Church of Our Lady of the Angels), the Church of St James in Panivtsi, Ternopil Region, and a wish for peace for our country (the inscription ‘Peace for Ukraine’). Two euros from each credential will be donated to the Association of Friends of the Way of St James in Ukraine to support and develop the route.

This document will be available for pilgrims starting in Logroño in Spain (a section of the French Way or Camino Frances), but will be valid for all sections of the St James' Way that cross 29 European countries, which is more than 80,000 kilometres of land and 30,000 miles of sea routes.

In addition to the Credential, the General Assembly presented a map of the St James' Way in Europe, which for the first time included Ukrainian marked sections: Camino Podolico in Podillia and Via Regia Lviv in Lviv. This is the third edition of the map, created by the National Geographic Society of Spain and the European Association of Friends of the Way of St James, Camino Europa Compostela. Its online version is available by the link.

In his video greeting to the assembly, Francisco Milan Mon, chairman of the newly created European Parliamentary Group for Cultural Routes, stressed the importance of the St James' Way, which is also present in Ukraine, a country torn apart by war, as a factor in protecting common European values and the right of people to live in peace and understanding.

Andrii Ocheretnyi also took the floor and expressed his gratitude for the support of Ukrainian pilgrims and our country by all members of both federations of the Way of St James:

‘At this year's congress, the Camino Europa Compostela Federation took several important steps to support Ukraine,’ said Andrii Ocheretnyi. ’For the first time, we can see the Podillia Way of St James, which has become a real national phenomenon over the past two years and is being joined by thousands of people, on the map of European routes to Santiago de Compostela. The communities that make up the route have rediscovered their own heritage, opportunities for tourism development and the preservation of endangered villages, even in such difficult times for the country. The creation of the Peace for Ukraine charity credential is also an important historical milestone, when the Way shows its support for those who seek peace, as opposed to a brutal war of exhaustion and destruction of an entire nation with its language, culture, traditions and values. Such gestures have weight, they are about an invisible connection with those who understand why Ukrainians are still fighting and why they want to live on their own land, which is safe to walk on foot without fear of mines or shelling.’

During the presentation, one of the charity passports was signed by the President of the European Federation of Associations of Friends of the Way of St James, Jorge Martínez-Cava, who initiated the issue of this credential. This copy will soon arrive in Ukraine and will take part in a charity auction to support the Association of Friends of the Way of St James in Ukraine, which plans to launch restorative walks of the Way for military personnel, veterans and their families.