
ANNIVERSARY OF 50 YEARS OF THE EUROPEAN FOOTPATH E6 was officially opened with a grand march of nearly 400 hikers – travelers from Šared to Strunjan.

Many speakers, led by the European Hiking Federation ERA president, our friend Boris Mićić, spoke on European footpaths as a symbol of connection, cooperation, and respect.
Here is an extract of his speech:
… This year, 2025 is dedicated to the E6 path, which is 6,030 km long and passes through 7 European countries: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia and Greece. We expect to receive the first kilometers of the E6 path through Albania this year. We are missing parts of this path through Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia, so that this path is complete.
The idea of creating a network of hiking trails in Europe, prompted the creation of a European organization that took shape through the founding of the ERA in 1969. Starting with the first president of the ERA, Dr. Georg Farbach, and vice president Walter Zeugin, who was also the first president of the commission for the realization of the basic idea, numerous generations of hikers have already made an immeasurable contribution to creating what we have today.
The ambition of the Austrian ERA president, Dr. Robert Wurst, led to a new goal in 1985 – 4 years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, by breaking through the Iron Curtain between Austria and Hungary, thus realizing the idea of a friendly, hiking DRANG NACH OeSTEN. The interest in this idea from the eastern part of Europe was enormous and many new kilometers of hiking trails sprang up throughout Eastern Europe.
Finally, the idea of the ERA founder came true! ERA broke through borders and enabled the acquaintance of neighboring, but also distant territories, history, languages, culture and other sociological elements. People are connected, they understand each other better, although everyone speaks their own language, we accept other people’s customs, but we also respect our own.
Slovenia, as part of Yugoslavia, which was not behind the Iron Curtain, was farsighted and, with the jointed efforts of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia, the Slovenian Tourist Organization and the Slovenian Forestry Institute, became the only member of the ERA early enough and “introduced” and marked the three European paths E6, E7 and E12 on its territory.
The beginnings of the creation of the E6 route date back to 22.06.1975. when the ceremonial “opening” of the intersection of the E4 and E6 routes in Seebergsattel bei Mariazell in Styria, Austria, was scheduled, when the FERNWANDERWEGE – KREUZ was built.
The Slovenian part of the E6 path was ceremonially opened a little earlier on 24.05.1975. in Mašun during the Forest Week, on the occasion of the centenary of the first forestry society in Slovenia.
The section of the E6 path through Slovenia is called Ciglar’s Trail and is 350 km long and starts from the place Radlje ob Drava crossing and ends on the Adriatic in Strunjan. It was named after the forestry engineer Milan Ciglar, who was involved in promoting hiking along the European route through Slovenia.
The route is marked from north to south of Slovenia, crosses mountain Pohorje, the Posavina hills and then the hills of the Slovenian Dinaric karst, climbing to the highest point – Snežnik at 1796 m until it ends on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.
Here is an opportunity to thank everyone who participated in the creation of this E6 road. We thank all the chairmen and members of the committees for marking and maintaining hiking trails and paths, without whose valuable individuals, true volunteers, this network would not have been created. They diligently maintain and care for the trails, improve digital support for the growing number of E-path users, and pass this light on to younger generations.

We know that European footpaths are established for cooperation without borders, promoting better understanding and respect for the environment and its protection, knowledge of European history and culture, preservation of heritage, and promoting the principles of sustainable development.
The opening day of E6 was on June 22, 1975, in Mariazell, and on May 24 in Mašun, Slovenia. You are invited to the events and more information at era-ewv-ferp.org/e6-in-2025/ and eupoti.com/praznovanje-e6-2025.htm.

Current Updates: Photography Competition: SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 30, 2025. More information on the competition website here: www.natecaj.eu. In case of any issues, you can also reach us via email at narava@fotodrustvo-grca.si.

The Commission for European Footpaths in Slovenia INVITES you on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 2 PM to the POVODNI MOŽ hall for a lecture titled “50 YEARS OF THE EUROPEAN FOOTPATH E6.” The lecture will be enriched by the performance of “Duo SIMI and Planinci.”
E6 symbol of unity and love for nature and cultural heritage.
This article and pictures are copied from Facebook and the post of Joze Prah:
Enjoy the pictures from a fantastic day:























