Global Initiative ‘Unites’ Hiking Trails in Kythera and Canada

The official opening of the Kythera Hiking – Bruce Trail Friendship Trail, near Milton Ontario. © Rosemary Mitter

The hiking trails of the island of Kythera, located south-east of the Peloponnese, recently became a “twin” section of the Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, within the framework of the “Friendship Trails” initiative.

The official “Hiking Friendship” ceremony was recently held in Toronto in the presence of George Kasimatis, president of the Kytherian Foundation for Culture and Development, which is currently running the official program for the development of Kythera’s trail network (Kythera Hiking) and representatives of  Canada’s Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC).

BTC currently has 10,000 members and includes a network of 900 kilometers, while it has established eight friendship trails with organizations around the world.

Kythera Hiking’s expanding network currently includes 12 organized and signposted hiking routes, which guide hikers through  the island’s most scenic locations.

The “Friendship Trails” initiative is an international program, developed by the World Trails Network, which aims to connect the diverse trails of the world and promote the creation, enhancement, and protection of unique trail experiences.

“Paths of Greece” also contributed to the creation of the new “friendship trail”. The organization aims to promote Greek tourism through the development of hiking trails in Greece.