Isabel Vera Santiago is from Tenerife, from Santa Cruzwhich is already a quarter of a century old residence on the Italian island of Sardinia. This expert in intercultural tourism and communication, as well as a Spanish teacher, arrived there for work in 1988. She stayed for love, since she has been married for more than two decades and she has a 17-year-old son. The illusion of her is power build an intercultural bridge between their two lands, the native and the adopted, between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. To do this, she promotes the Islas del Mar Project initiative, through the Eurínsula collective, which he chairs. He intends to unite through tourism and culture these two shores separated by 3,500 kilometers, but very close in his heart. And, furthermore, do it permanently, not occasionally.
Isabel has already presented her idea to institutions Canary Islands public and private as Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Municipalities or the regional Executive itself. He wants to make it official. Work for that to promote a House of the Canaries in Sardinian territory and fights for a direct air route between the two territories to become a reality one day.
Reflects who is proud of her roots: «The Canarian culture is not just folklore, which I respect a lot; there is more, like history or archaeology, for example. I want to show them.” He explains: “There is a lot of ignorance of the Canaries about Sardinia, they confuse it with Sicily.”
no tourist mentality
With respect to tourism, Vera Santiago stresses that «here (there) there is no tourist mentality, they think that it can alter the traditional tranquility of the Sardinian people. I don’t see it that way because it’s about bet on sustainable tourism, that can generate economy, and not only from sun and sand ». She considers Isabel that the Canary Islands model in this matter, where she has enormous experience, is “exportable” and that “at a tourist level it can teach the Sardinians a lot.” She states: “Although Sardinia is a wonderful island, touristically it has a lot to learn from what is done in the Canaries.”
«The Canary Islands have a lot to teach in terms of tourism with a model that goes beyond sun and sand»
With respect to irregular migratory phenomenon, which affects both archipelagos, sees it as something “very sad because these people do not choose to leave their countries but do so by force. I think there is work there, at the origin, but it is somewhat complicated because behind it, unfortunately, there is a business ». He maintains the hope of “being able to do something, contribute a grain of sand with interculturality. It is hard work but little by little and from Europe I hope that we can contribute.
Isabel usually comes to Canary Islands but he admits that he feels some magua from his land. It is also clear that this nostalgia must be focused on the work of uniting two islands or rather a group of islands.
Just a few days ago Isabel Vera, in her capacity president of the Eurinsula association, intervened in a forum with the Consular Corps stationed in Sardinia, some 26 consuls. He focused his speech on the potential for the development of Mediterranean island tourism and anticipated the contents of the I Intercultural Forum of the Islands of Europe to be held in Cagliari, the Sardinian capital, on the 18th and 19th of this month. She is the ambassador of the Islands of Europe, as they know her in Sardinia. She promotes the culture and values of her islands from her heart and intellect through her Islas del Mar Project. Fostering the cultural potential of the Atlantic islands (Canary Islands) in the Mediterranean (Sardinia) is the objective of Eurínsula.
intercultural forum
Isabel is currently immersed in the organization of the aforementioned I Intercultural Forum of the Islands of Europe. It is an event whose objective is promote and connect island territories through intercultural tourism to publicize and promote the typical culture of each island. On this occasion, it will bring together diplomatic corps, politicians, European experts, teachers, students, researchers and other people interested in the constant transformation of the intercultural promotion and development of the islands. They will analyze the challenges facing island economies. Some 20 European islands are participating and the guest of honor will be the Canary Islands, how could it be otherwise with Isabel in the middle.
“Here there is no tourism mentality, they believe that it puts their peace of mind at risk”
A heart divided between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and the dream of bringing them together. It is the vision of Islands of the Sea Project of this enterprising woman who always takes her islands as her flag. The one where she saw him born and the one in which she has built her home and a family of hers.
Understand that “this is like a mission, unite the two territories and so I do from the personal and professional. Unite what the sea separates and be able to transform that obstacle into an opportunity for cultural exchange, twinning between islands to promote intercultural dialogue and appreciate the importance of diversity. He insists that the Canary Islands models may be applicable on the Italian island. This is how she exposes it from her status as an expert in all the forums in which she participates and there are many in Europe.
To make this cultural bridge and manage to unite the Canary Islands and Sardinia, Vera bets on the air connection. Indicate about it. I have had conversations with binter I hope they will bear fruit because it is a Canarian company ».
Another idea is to open a Casa de Canarias on the Sardinian island. Isabel assesses in this regard: «It would be a reference, a meeting point and a place where the Archipelago is represented in a fixed way. not punctually. In addition to being able to host events or other acts.
Unite, merge, join, despite the distance. With interculturality as the axis. This canary is determined to achieve it and takes small but sure steps in search of the goal. «My project is in charge of uniting culture with intercultural language, which is universal. Joining my two lands, that is my dream,” concludes Isabel Vera, from Tenerife and in Sardinia.
