The Canary Islands Government is launching the Talento Canario project, a communication platform with a long-term vision. It aims to inspire the archipelago's youth through relatable role models, while simultaneously recognizing and promoting the talent developed within the islands. The initiative was declared a strategic project for the economic and social development of the archipelago on October 13th by the President of the Canary Islands Government, at the proposal of the Directorate General for Organic Coordination and Strategic Projects. It is jointly promoted by the aforementioned directorate general and the Vice-Ministry of Social Welfare.
Talento Canario was presented this Friday at the Cabildo de Lanzarote and was attended by the Vice-Minister of Social Welfare, Francisco Candil, the Director General of Organic Coordination and Strategic Projects, David Pérez-Dionis; and the Minister of Youth of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Aroa Revelo.
The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Francisco Candil, highlighted that “Talento Canario is born with the will to inspire the youth of our islands, to show them that there are real, close, and diverse role models who can serve as examples for them to discover their own potential”.
For the Minister of Youth of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Aroa Revelo, "hosting the presentation of Talento Canario on our island is a source of pride and an opportunity to highlight what we are capable of achieving from the Canary Islands when we invest in our people. Talent knows no borders, but it does have roots, and ours are full of creativity, effort, and commitment to the future." Revelo also emphasized that "projects like this strengthen the confidence of new generations in their own abilities and help young people see their homeland as a place to grow, create, and prosper."
For his part, the Director General of Organic Coordination and Strategic Projects, **David Pérez-Dionis,** emphasized that this strategic project will highlight the capabilities of young people in the Canary Islands to position our islands as a benchmark in scientific innovation, culture, sports, and entrepreneurship. The aim is to motivate the new generations of Canarians, through real stories, to discover and enhance their talent. In this regard, he specified, "attracting and generating talent and exporting our identity beyond our borders must be the leitmotif that drives the economic and social development of the Canary Islands."
The presentation, held in the auditorium of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, included the participation of 4th-year ESO students from various educational centers on the island. Following the institutional presentation, the first colloquium of the project took place, titled Scientific Talent, which brought together Lanzarote-born astrophysicist Mar Carretero and technologist Elena Corchero, also a native of Lanzarote with a distinguished international career in the field of smart materials and technological innovation.
Both shared their personal and professional experiences with the young attendees, reflecting on the importance of curiosity, perseverance, and creativity as drivers of transformation. The event, framed within the celebration of World STEM Education Day (November 8), aimed to humanize science and awaken scientific vocations among young people, reinforcing the idea that knowledge, technology, and research are also part of the Canarian DNA.
The first action of Talento Canario has been the production of a series of videopodcasts dedicated to the fields of science, culture, entrepreneurship, and sports, recorded in a Canarian wrestling ring as an agora, symbolizing identity and roots. Various prominent figures from the Archipelago participate in them, including footballer Pedri González, who converses with other Canarian voices such as boxer Aurora Barrabí, neurosurgeon Jesús Martín-Fernández, artist Pedro Paricio, singer-songwriter Andrea Rodríguez, technologist Elena Corchero, astrophysicist Mar Carretero, and artificial intelligence expert David Macías. All episodes are available on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, which can also be accessed through talentocanario.es.
Talento Canario thus begins its journey as a living, open, and constantly evolving platform, conceived to grow towards new formats, experiences, and communication territories. The initiative aspires to become a collective loudspeaker from which Canarian voices inspire, connect, and build a future where talent is a driver of social transformation.
