Tourism News

Kerala to Host Academic Exchange among Spice Route Countries

Published in Newsletter Issue No. 280 - December 2016

In a bid to promote academic exchange between the countries linked by the ancient Spice Route, an international conference will be organised in Kerala in 2017. The conference forms part of the Spice Route Project-an initiative of Kerala Tourism in association with UNESCO to revive the ancient Spice Route.

The decision was taken at a meeting which saw participation of Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, Dr. T. M. Thomas Isaac, Minister for Finance, Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi, Director and UNESCO Representative to India, Dr. Venu V., Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism, and ambassadors of 16 countries which fall in the ancient spice trade. 

The meeting initiated by Mr. Alphonsus Stoelinga, Dutch Ambassador to India and held at his residence in Delhi on 14th November saw the representatives pledge support and cooperation to initiate knowledge sharing and academic exchange between the countries. 

The Spice Route project is one of the ambitious projects of Kerala Tourism which attempts to rekindle the cultural exchange, promote academic exchange, intercultural dialogue and joint heritage conservation projects among the 32 countries which were part of the ancient trade route.