The Lanzarote landscape of La Geria has been awarded a new title. On this occasion it has obtained the CICOP International Award 2013, in the category of Cultural Landscape Award of the Canary Islands. La Geria has achieved this award for "representing the preservation of the joint work of people and nature and being an example of a cultural landscape on an island of exceptional heritage resources such as Lanzarote".
These awards, which celebrate their VIII edition, are promoted by the International Center for the Conservation of Heritage (CICOP), through its Foundation. The candidacy of La Geria was presented by the Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the Historical Heritage Service directed by Juan Antonio de la Hoz. The proposal was supported by the plenary session of the Island Corporation and by the municipal plenary sessions of San Bartolomé, Yaiza, Arrecife, Haría and Teguise.
The Councilor of the Historical Heritage area explains that these awards are conceived to contribute to the international projection of the Cultural Heritage of the Canary Islands and the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, as the headquarters of the International Federation of Heritage Conservation Centers CICOP and as a universal cultural link between Europe, America and Africa.
The International Center for Heritage Conservation Foundation (CICOP), in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental institutions in Spain, America and Europe, composed an international jury to assess the 21 candidacies presented to this eighth edition and selected La Geria in the Cultural Landscape Award 2013 category.
The president of the Cabildo, Pedro San Ginés, has expressed his gratitude for this award that "will undoubtedly give greater projection from the cultural field to this protected space, unique for its landscape characteristics and for the preservation of its heritage and cultural legacy".
Award for Los Sabandeños
In addition, the group Los Sabandeños have also obtained a CICOP award in the category of conservation of intangible musical heritage. Another award for the conservation of intangible heritage has been won by La Librea de Valleguerra, in La Laguna.
The international award for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage has been won by the Hospitaller Order of San Juan de Dios, in Spain, while the award for the human and professional career of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage has gone to the Portuguese José Manuel Marques do Carmo Mendes Tengarrinha. Likewise, the international award for the conservation and restoration of industrial-naval heritage has gone to the Isaac Peral Submarine (Spanish Navy).
The awards will be presented in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on December 12. The presentation of these awards is framed in the celebration of the XXVI Symposium of Historical Centers and Cultural Heritage, where the Heritage Service of the Cabildo of Lanzarote will present a paper on La Geria.
