(Brussels) “While some countries are closing down, demolishing or abandoning more and more religious sites, at the same time interest in religious tourism and pilgrimages is increasing all over Europe”. This is the fact that prompted the two-yearly conference by Future for Religious Heritage (Frh), due to take place in Vicenza from 9th to 11th November, and, according to the promoters, “it will bring this paradox under the spotlight and will bring together experts and researchers from all over the world to discuss the future of religious heritage”. Future for Religious Heritage is an international lay association whose members are people who work to protect religious heritage in Europe; it is a partner of the EU and the Council of Europe. It has 133 members including NGOs, associations, governments, universities in 37 countries across the world, with headquarters in Brussels. The Vicenza conference “will gain an insight into pilgrimages, both in the traditional and in the moderns sense of the word, and will be a unique opportunity to understand their role for communities, for the development of tourism and for the European scenario of religious heritage”. Guest speakers will include David Freedberg (Columbia University, director of the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America) and Stefano Dominioni (director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes). For info: http://www.frh-europe.org/.