Social innovation, culture, heritage, and nature come together this Thursday in the project Contramapas, walking towards social inclusion, which will tour the Canary Islands from May 1st to 30th via the Gran Canaria Trail GR131, an approved route within the European Network of Trails. Contramapas, promoted by the Atlas Association, will complete its almost 600 kilometers starting in La Graciosa and ending on Canary Islands Day at the Orchilla Lighthouse in El Hierro.
Contramapas materializes through a format where hiking, traditional music and dance, community participation, and social inclusion of young people merge, generating an innovative project, also aiming to promote knowledge and appreciation of the GR 131 by the local population. This resource, which connects the Canary Islands, has high potential as a tool for eco-social transformation. Many of the endings of the 24 stages will be enriched by cultural events and community gatherings – the first of them this Wednesday at the Sociedad Democracia de Arrecife – which aim precisely to disseminate the values and benefits of the GR131 wherever it passes.
The initiative was presented on Wednesday morning in the Plenary Hall of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, with the presence of the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Immigration of the Government of the Canary Islands, Francisco Candil; the Councilor for Culture of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Jesús Machín; the Councilor for Social Welfare and Inclusion of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Marciano Acuña; and the head of the Atlas Association, Manuel Cabezudo, as well as representatives from the municipalities of Teguise and Haría and various sponsors and collaborators.
Francisco Candil pointed out the importance of "promoting a space for meeting and coexistence among young people between 15 and 24 years old, who will share the experience of touring the Islands on foot." The Deputy Minister also noted that "the goal is to enhance the knowledge among participants of our traditions, our culture, and respect for our environment, in order to ensure the care of them by our youth, while working on the social integration of a part of the young people who are in a situation of exclusion."
For his part, Machín emphasized the value of Contramapas as a backbone of the island community and defined it as "a project around which to share identity and territory." In addition, he recalled that the people of Lanzarote "carry in their DNA the care of our landscape." Marci Acuña referred to the inclusive nature of this edition, "where socio-educational dynamics will be developed in which both young people in vulnerable situations and those who are not will participate, facilitating the coexistence of the participants throughout all the islands." Acuña also thanked the corporate social responsibility shown by the private companies that join the initiative.
"We have a fantastic tool, the GR131, and we must value it to take advantage of everything it can offer in the coming years. It is a splendid scenario to implement educational and social innovation projects, enhancing our environment and our cultural heritage, and if we support it and know how to develop it, it will also generate economic revitalization in a large number of municipalities in the Archipelago," stressed Manuel Cabezudo, alma mater of the project.
The head of the Atlas Association, who has been walking this path for a decade, thanked the sponsors for "contributing to spreading the existence of this great asset" but also wanted to warn that "there are already foreign eyes that are looking at the GR131 and if those of us who live here do not take it where we are interested, it runs the risk of becoming a low cost experience," he warned.
'Contramapas, walking towards social inclusion' has the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood and Families of the Government of the Canary Islands, as well as the "la Caixa" Foundation. Sponsors such as the Cabildo of Lanzarote – in addition to the fact that the seven Cabildos participate in one way or another – Casa África, Fred Olsen – which covers maritime crossings between islands – Toyota Canarias, Runize, the Foresta Foundation and the Trans-Pyrenean Social Solidarity Association, a state reference in social inclusion projects in the natural environment, also make the project possible.
The Contramapas team is made up, in addition to Manuel Cabezudo – cultural manager and president of the Atlas Association – by Elena Carbó, physical-sports educator, physiotherapist and facilitator with extensive experience in training related to nature; Aníbal García Llarena as artistic director – disseminator of the culture of Canarian roots through music and dance and a reference in its reinterpretation –; Hans Thomsen, from the musical formation 'Ínsula' and the collective 'Yo Silbo', highlighted in the revitalization of autochthonous artistic expressions.
Also by the documentary filmmaker from La Palma, Natalia Morales, photographer and filmmaker, recognized for her audiovisual work as director of Awara Producciones; the mountain guide will be Yaiza Cardona, sports technician in hiking and medium mountain, as well as facilitator of group therapy in integration with nature; and Laura Purroy, personal trainer in open spaces, physiotherapist and graduate in Sports Sciences, in charge of logistics.
Start in La Graciosa and Lanzarote
According to Manuel Cabezudo, head of the project, the first beacon of the route is in Órzola and the last in the Orchilla Lighthouse, in El Hierro. "We always incorporate La Graciosa into the route, so we do stages 1 and 2 on the eighth island," he points out.
On this tour that begins this Thursday, May 1, Lanzarote will be divided into three stages. The first will begin in Órzola, passing through Haría until reaching Teguise. That same day, there will be a community event in Teguise at 7:00 p.m. in the Plaza de los Leones.
On the 2nd, the route will continue through Teguise, San Bartolomé and Yaiza, which will continue to Playa Blanca on the last day where they will then travel to Fuerteventura to continue with the project.
Anyone who wishes can join the community events that are taking place along the route.
