SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11th May (EUROPA PRESS) –
The mayor of La Laguna and head of the Group of World Heritage Cities in Spain, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, has praised the progress made by the Group during La Laguna’s Presidency “to enhance the coordinated efforts of the 15 cities whilst moving beyond the pandemic, strengthening our policies on heritage preservation, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural development, as well as advancing the Group’s international strategy.”
This statement was made today, Saturday in Ibiza, at the Assembly of Mayors of the 15 Spanish cities recognized by UNESCO. La Laguna will conclude its presidency on June 30, a period that has been extended for an additional 18 months from January 2023. Therefore, this marks the final Assembly chaired by Luis Yeray Gutiérrez before handing over the reins to the mayor of Santiago de Compostela, Goretti Sanmartín.
The mayor of Ibiza, Rafael Triguero, has hosted the meeting, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listing on December 4, 1999, the same date La Laguna received its recognition. “The fact that our Group, with its rich cultural and heritage diversity, includes two island cities is an added benefit,” stated Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, who expressed gratitude to the mayor of Ibiza for their hospitality during the press conference following the Assembly.
Luis Yeray Gutiérrez reiterated that the Group has “a long journey ahead, but the groundwork has been set to continue progress in this direction,” expressing that it has been a “great honour” to lead the Group and offering full support to the incoming president, the mayor of Santiago de Compostela, who will assume office on July 1.
La Laguna’s presidency has coincided with the primary celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the Group’s establishment, with notable events such as the Extraordinary Assembly in Ávila, where the association was founded with only six cities initially, the concert attended by Queen Doña Sofía in the Cathedral of La Laguna on March 8, and the private audience with Pope Francis in early April involving the mayors of the 15 cities.
CULTURAL OCCASIONS.
The XXX anniversary events continue with “an extensive program of cultural events that will enable citizens and visitors to enjoy the most iconic monumental settings in our country, featuring a variety of activities and major concerts in the next semester,” as announced by the Mayor.
The highlight of this cultural program is the celebration of Heritage Night scheduled for Saturday, September 14 this year. “With the coincidence of this event alongside our municipality’s grand festival, the Day of Christ of La Laguna, this edition of The Heritage Night in our city will be very special. We are currently working to ensure that both events complement each other in a coherent and fruitful manner,” explained the mayor of La Laguna, who mentioned that the Group has decided to revamp the corporate image of The Heritage Night to make it a more accessible event aimed at younger audiences.
The Group’s president also outlined plans for lighting displays featuring up to 200 drones simultaneously and shows with specially designed figures for each Heritage City. The initial shows will take place in Salamanca, Úbeda, and Toledo. These nighttime drone displays are safe, environmentally friendly, and respectful of both humans and noise-sensitive animals, as well as the environment. The Group aims to share the celebration of three decades of shared history and culture with the broader public. Additionally, candlelit concerts will be held in all 15 cities.
The first concert kicks off this Saturday at the Municipal Auditorium of San Francisco de Ávila. All concerts will be held at unique venues with limited capacity until the end of the year. In La Laguna, the concert is scheduled for December, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of UNESCO’s World Heritage declaration.
The president of the Group’s Culture, Education and Sports Commission and mayor of Segovia, José Mazarias, announced that the XXX anniversary events will include “the inaugural rugby 7 tournament of the Heritage Cities, to be held on the final weekend of June in Segovia, bringing together athletes from the 15 cities in this unique and inclusive competition. The tournament will tour the 15 cities in subsequent editions. The Alcázar of Segovia has also been announced as the next Heritage Award recipient from the Group of World Heritage Cities in Spain, as proposed by the mayor of Segovia.
The Assembly has also approved the international promotional calendar for the latter half of the year, which includes presentations to tourism professionals in Mexico City and Monterrey on May 21 and 22, in collaboration with Paradores and Turespaña. These activities will involve a meeting with the Mexican Association of World Heritage Cities, complemented by a co-marketing campaign with the Viajes El Corte Inglés Group targeting the Mexican market.
NEW LEADERSHIP.
Goretti Sanmartín, the mayor of Santiago de Compostela, expressed gratitude to the outgoing president for his productive tenure leading the Heritage Cities Group, marked by international promotion and consensus on heritage preservation efforts. She stated that she takes on the presidency of the Group with enthusiasm and dedication starting from June 1.
“We will carry the voice of the 15 Heritage Cities, aiming for our message to be heard everywhere. A message that promotes tourism in a unique and sustainable way, focusing on the cultural route and heritage responsibility, all while acknowledging our diversity since we are cities distinguished by our individuality.”
Luis Yeray Gutiérrez affirmed that the Group “reaffirms its commitment to preserving the heritage legacy and reiterates the desire to foster collaborative projects, share experiences, and address common challenges, while respecting the distinctiveness of each city.”
