SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 23 October (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canary Islands Parliament approved a Non-Law Proposal from the Popular Group this Wednesday, with Vox abstaining, aimed at further promoting and sharing the anthem of the Canary Islands within educational institutions across the islands, as well as in universities, cultural centres, and various media outlets.
The initiative, championed by deputy Rebeca Paniagua, also suggests that RTVC undertake an information campaign to educate the island’s inhabitants about the history of the Canary Islands anthem and its lyrics, and to ensure that the song’s lyrics are subtitled during broadcasts on television.
Through this PNL, the Parliament additionally agrees to advance a legislative proposal seeking to amend Law 20/2003, dated 28 April, regarding the Anthem of the Canary Islands, with the objective of including a mention of the eight Canary Islands in its lyrics, in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Statute of Autonomy.
Rebeca Paniagua clarified that the Canary Islands have had an official anthem for over twenty years, “a melody – the arrorró from Teobaldo Power’s Cantos Canarios – that is acknowledged by all Canary Islanders, yet there exists limited familiarity with its lyrics, identity, narrative, and official recognition”.
Consequently, she indicated that the essence of this NPL is to ensure “it is promoted, appreciated, and understood because, despite being approved more than twenty years ago, the anthem of the Canary Islands remains largely unknown to many citizens and has been overlooked, similar to numerous other historically marginalised symbols of our identity.
In this regard, the popular deputy referred to a survey conducted to assess the level of awareness of the anthem and its lyrics among Canary Islanders, revealing that over 60% admitted to not being familiar with the hymn’s lyrics or melody—essentially, 6 out of every 10 individuals.
Therefore, Rebeca Paniagua emphasised the importance of “preserving our culture, history, and roots, so that future generations possess knowledge of our past and present, thus enabling them to safeguard it moving forward.”
Jesús Ramos Chinea, from the Gomera Socialist Group, praised the introduction of this initiative and subsequently requested the Parliament president, Astrid Pérez, to consider commencing plenary sessions with the anthem of the Canary Islands.
Nationalist deputy Diana Lorenzo also expressed gratitude to the PP for bringing forward this PNL that “recognises the value of our anthem and its significance, advocating for increased promotion and dissemination, not only within public administrations but also in educational institutions, universities, and the media”.
Raúl Acosta from the Mixed Group (AHI) endorsed this proposal, emphasising that the promotion of the anthem “must be a collective effort from all convening administrations or organisations and, above all, a source of pride for the Canary Islands’ eight islands”.
The Vox group’s spokesperson, Nicasio Galván, remarked that prior to promoting the anthem of the Canary Islands, there needs to be a focus on the dissemination and promotion of the Spanish anthem and its history within educational institutions, cultural centres, and the media throughout the islands.
Deputy Luis Campos (NC-bc) also backed the initiative, proposing that the anthem of the Canary Islands should be performed at all matches across different sports disciplines, including games featuring the Canary National Football Team.
In conclusion, socialist deputy Yaiza López Landi expressed support for educating and promoting the anthem of the Canary Islands but admitted to being taken aback that this PNL originated from the PP, especially when “the first action upon entering government was cutting funding for culture.”
“You cannot advocate for the promotion, protection, and enhancement of the anthem as a cultural initiative without demonstrating a genuine commitment to the cultural sector and the culture of the Canary Islands,” she critiqued.
