The broad objectives pursued by European institutions include highlighting cultural elements shared by the peoples of modern Europe and strengthening—as well as fostering—a sense of common belonging among European citizens. These are vital political and cultural imperatives for preserving Europe’s dignity and prestige as a beacon of Western culture—a culture built upon millennia of history that, despite periods of darkness, has cultivated a system of universal values ​​that no technological innovation can supplant. Today, European Cultural Routes serve as key reference points for promoting and disseminating knowledge about the many facets that make up culture—and not just European culture.

By its very nature, the "Longobard Ways across Europe" Route—which boasts historical precedence as well as a convergence of interests for potential collaboration with other existing European routes—positions itself as an active participant in this comprehensive enhancement program. Indeed, the migratory journey undertaken by the Longobards over the course of their epoch-making, centuries-long trek from the North Sea to the Mediterranean highlights the formative era of Europe as a distinct entity; in doing so, it disseminates knowledge of and promotes Longobard Culture as a "primary root of European Culture, subsequently developed by the Carolingians" (UNESCO, 2011). Finally—not least through Museums and Archival collections—it offers an opportunity to explore the monumental, artistic, religious, and legislative achievements that laid the foundations of the medieval era, thereby providing further essential elements for the development of the second millennium.

Regarding the fostering of a contemporary “sense of belonging,” the Longobard Route offers two concrete perspectives: the division of the route into four macro-areas (each characterizing a specific historical phase of the migration) and the further subdivision of each macro-area into multiple smaller territorial units—areas that are compact yet homogeneous in terms of geographical features and the nature of the local longobard presence. Each of these constitutes a distinct little world with its own specific identity, while remaining connected to the broader European “network.” This entails recognizing both oneself and one’s own unique identity traits and the “others,” while simultaneously grasping a shared, unifying thread that encourages mutual understanding and cooperation.