KOCHI: Kerala Tourism on Tuesday set in motion a path-breaking project -- International Spice Routes Heritage Network -- aimed at promoting the history, culture, creativity, and tourism of the state across nations by leveraging the legacy of the fabled Spice Routes.

Minister for Tourism P A Mohamed Riyas launched the project virtually at the three-day International Spice Routes Conference, themed ‘Ancient Trails, New Journeys’, which began at the Bolgatty Palace in Kochi.

The minister said the network has been conceived as a platform to promote collaborative research, organise events, undertake joint projects, and share resources in fields such as history, heritage, preservation, documentation, archiving, archaeological excavations, and museum establishment.

“More than an academic event, this conference is a celebration of the history of Kerala as a meeting ground of civilisations and a reaffirmation of the responsibility to safeguard and reimagine the legacy of the Spice Routes for the future,” Riyas said.