The Official College of Architects of Tenerife, La Gomera, and El Hierro is hosting the fifth edition of the Cultural Heritage Conference on Thursday, June 25, starting at 9:00 AM. The event will take place in the institution’s auditorium and is funded by the Territorial Planning, Landscape and Historical Heritage department of the Cabildo Insular de Tenerife.
This year’s conference will focus on managing, supervising, and intervening in built heritage. Following an initial phase that covered foundational aspects of heritage protection and relevant legal frameworks, the college launched a new phase in April that delves deeper into practical applications within the architectural landscape of the Canary Islands.
The theme for this year’s event addresses the complex issue of effectively managing protected heritage. This includes discussing the challenges that arise from aligning conservation efforts with available resources—technical, financial, and administrative—as well as the rights and obligations of both citizens and institutions involved.
María Nieves Febles, the Dean of the college, emphasises the importance of this event for advancing the analysis of built cultural heritage, especially during such a critical time. She notes that discussions like these are vital for resource coordination among various administrations.
Isabel Esteban Ramos, the Director of Territorial Planning, underscores that the protection of built heritage requires technical precision and clear procedures that transform conservation criteria into actionable guidelines. She highlights that the management process extends beyond simply cataloguing heritage; it involves ensuring continued protection while considering each property’s legal, technical, and economic context.
Thursday’s Schedule:
The conference will begin with an official presentation by María Nieves Febles and Isabel Esteban Ramos at 9:00 AM.
The first talk at 9:25 AM will focus on “The Values in Cultural Heritage and their Protection through Heritage Impact Assessments,” presented by Juan Carlos Molina Gaitán, the President of the Spanish National ICOMOS Committee. This will be followed by a presentation from Ana de la Cueva, President of the National Heritage Administration, discussing the management of a centennial architectural and natural legacy.
Joaquín Manoño Valderrama, an architect involved in coordinating the conference, will address heritage protection and management, using historic groups as a reference. A panel discussion will follow this segment.
The second part of the day will commence with Atonio Peral López, from the Alhambra and Generalife Patronage, who will discuss integrated management strategies for the Alhambra. José Carlos Cabrera Pérez will present updates on intervention procedures for the architectural heritage of Tenerife, while Alejandro García Medina, from the Gran Canaria Historical Heritage Department, will cover necessary permits and project licenses. Guillermo Rodríguez Serrano will conclude the talks with insights on catalogue entries and their implementation.
