The Royal Monastery of Oia was invited this weekend to participate as a speaker at the 4th International Meeting of Cistercian Abbeys, held at Alcobaça Monastery in Portugal.
The event brought together representatives from some of Europe’s most important Cistercian monasteries and abbeys, alongside delegates from organisations including UNESCO, the European Institute of Cultural Routes, researchers from several universities, and the Procurator General of the Cistercian Order. Together, they explored the new challenges of managing Cistercian heritage through sustainable development.
During the conference, the Monastery’s General Director, Xoán Martínez, addressed an international audience representing more than six nationalities. His presentation focused on the challenge of applying sustainability in all its dimensions to the management of cultural heritage, using Oia Monastery as a case study. The topic prompted a lively and constructive debate, leading participants to agree on the importance of continuing to exchange knowledge, experiences and collaborative initiatives.
This year, Alcobaça Monastery once again hosted the prestigious international forum, coinciding with two significant anniversaries: the foundation of this remarkable monastic complex, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989, and the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
For more than two decades, the Royal Monastery of Oia has played an active role in European initiatives dedicated to promoting the heritage of the Cistercian Order, whose network of monasteries helped shape medieval Europe. Since joining the European Charter of Cistercian Abbeys and Sites in 2010, the Monastery has participated in numerous international meetings held at leading Cistercian sites across France, Belgium, Germany and Italy. These collaborations have fostered the development of transnational heritage projects, including the European Cultural Route of the Cistercian Abbeys.
