The Turism of Portugal started creating new paths on the top of parts of the old ones to promote turism in Portugal. We made a press release:
The future cannot be built by disrespecting the work of the community.
The markings of “Rota das Carmelitas”, a new route towards the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima created by the Portuguese government, is destroying the work of other routes with the same destination causing misinformation, and is also acting without consideration to the work previously done by the Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima which works on the maintenance of five routes.
The Portuguese government has received funds from the European Union to implement this new route with a map designated by the CCDRC (
http://www.ccdrc.pt), with touristic interests, which can generate good economic benefits to the regions involved. It so happens that in spite of having different texts, the routes intersect in some places and the markings of the new route did not ensure that, where they do overlap, they had to respect the landmark previously set by the Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima, a non-profit entity.
For more than a decade, members of the Portuguese community, united through the Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima, have been promoting the structured organisation and maintenance of the routes which the pilgrims take to get to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, with five marked routes done by continuous voluntary work that does not result in any burden to the Portuguese government. Our maps are used by thousands of people from all over the world and they are accessible on our site;
http://www.caminho.com.pt/mapas_e.html.
The disrespectful markings, placed on top of the previous ones done by Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima, have inclusively been causing much confusion to the pilgrims, which we believe is not something positive. We have dozens of pilgrims calling us and asking where the routes of the map of the Municipalities Association are, as shown on the attached photos and on which you can see, on landmarks, the official logotype of Caminhos de Fátima overlapping the markings previously done by our Association.
To add to the confusion, an association was created by the Municipalities which is called Associação Caminhos de Fátima, very similar to ours which is named Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima. For the last 11 years, volunteers of the Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima have been working to expand the routes towards Fátima, which were in a state of abandonment. We enumerated five routes, that were restored and where more than 8.000 arrows were painted in Portugal and Spain. Maintenance of these routes is done by us, we guide and advise pilgrims and our aim and objective is to encourage the emerging of new shelters to accommodate them.
The Routes of Fátima are considered immaterial heritage, integrated into local communities and empowered by the members of those communities.
We are aware of the importance and the economic potential resulting from the European Union’s funds for the structures surrounding the route, “Rota das Carmelitas”, nevertheless, the future cannot be built by disrespecting the work of the community.
We know that difficulties abound along the Camino, lack of infrastructures, shelters’ improvements, and resting areas. We know that a lot can be done when there are funds available and political interests involved. We don’t want the project of Rota das Carmelitas to stop. We just want to be able to proceed, with respect to human dignity and to our work, which is based on the ongoing voluntary marking of the routes and the guidance of the pilgrims from around the world, heading to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima.
Communication has a crucial role when the information is assured, but mainly that the information is precise and does not result in double understanding or confusion. It is important to think about the inconvenience caused to individuals and seek to resolve this dilemma urgently.
Regardless of the touristic meaning that may be associated to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima it is also a place where people across the world move towards to, having faith as their guidance. The difficult walking route must be preserved, the path requires attention, physical preparation and mental disposition. It is our responsibility to ensure that there are no inaccuracies in the information given to the pilgrim, which might cause problems to their physical and mental disposition.
Pilgrims of different nationalities are witnessing the situation through videos which can be watched on our website
http://www.caminho.com.pt.
Besides all this, the spiritual meaning of Fátima transcends religion, it reaches the heart of all people with different devotions, with the simplicity of their demonstrations that indicate their quest for Peace, symbol of the image of the Holy Mother that sees and begs her children wisdom to be in Peace, in all their ways.
Contact:
Associação de Amigos dos Caminhos de Fátima
Rodrigo Cerqueira - President
Tel: +351 913131300
e-mail:
info@caminho.com.pt
www.caminho.com.pt
