News

There is always something going on in THE HANSA!
Here you will find news from the Union of Cities and its almost 200 Hanseatic member cities.

Screenshot newsroom Cultural Routes
25.03.2026

Cultural Routes programme has launched newsletter

The Cultural Routes oft he Council of Europe programme has recently launched its new newsletter. It will be published every six weeks and feature news from the programme and from the Cultural Routes. This opens up opportunities for Hanseatic cities to promote news and events to a wider European audience.

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Privileg des Königs Eduard IV. 1547 ©EHM Olaf Malzahn
23.03.2026

Annual Conference of the Hanseatic History Society in Lübeck

800 years ago, in 1226, Lübeck was granted the Imperial Charter of Freedom – a pivotal event in the history of the city and the Hanseatic League. This anniversary is more than just a historical retrospective: it invites us to reflect on power, autonomy and memory – themes that have shaped the Hanseatic League both then and now. The conference focuses on the question of how power was exercised, negotiated and narrated in the Hanseatic region.

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youthHansa exchange with EICR (c) Hopp
6.02.2026

youthHansa exchange with the EICR Director

At the end of January, Rui Gomes, Director of the Council of the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR), visited the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. In addition to exchanges with representatives of Cultural Routes in Germany, the youthHansa also had the opportunity to talk with Rui Gomes. 

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La Rochelle harbour ©Julien Chauvet, Ville de La Rochelle
6.01.2026

New Hanseatic association founded in La Rochelle

La Rochelle is the only French city in the Union of Cities THE HANSA. In order to promote the Hanseatic heritage in France, advance the international cooperation with other cities, and facilitate encounters between young Europeans, the association HANSERA was recently established in La Rochelle.

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ECR-Treffen Lübeck (c) Bischof
2.01.2026

Cultural Routes meeting in Lübeck

On 28 January, a meeting of the German network of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe took place in Lübeck at the invitation of the Union of Cities THE HANSA. The agenda included the further development of cooperation between the routes and with the various programme levels.

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