The Teguise City Council presented this Tuesday the program of commemorative events for the III Centenary of the birth of José Clavijo y Fajardo (1726–2026), an event of cultural, historical, and academic relevance that will take place throughout the year 2026 with the participation of various public and academic institutions.
The mayor of Teguise, Olivia Duque, highlighted the responsibility of public administrations to preserve and promote the legacy of José Clavijo y Fajardo from Teguise, underscoring the importance of knowing the past to build the present and the future. She also stated that Teguise is the cradle of Lanzarote's history and affirmed that the Historical Archive will bear the name of José Clavijo y Fajardo as he was one of the first archivists in Spain, in recognition of his intellectual relevance and the cultural projection he achieved at a European level.
The Minister of Culture of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Jesús Machín, highlighted institutional coordination and stated that the Cabildo, through its Culture and Education departments, will continue to support the nomination of José Clavijo y Fajardo for the 2026 Canarias Literature Awards. He also expressed his recognition for the efforts of the José Clavijo y Fajardo Foundation, the Teguise City Council, and the Cabildo's Education Department team. During his speech, he dedicated a few words of remembrance to the recently deceased Juan Santana, for his firm commitment to the island's culture and historical research.
The president of the José Clavijo y Fajardo Foundation, Mario Pérez, indicated that the commemorative programming will take place from March to the end of 2026, with a rigorous and informative approach. The events will begin on March 18 with the official opening and a talk by a speaker from the Canary Islands Universities, and their central event will be on March 19, the birth date of José Clavijo y Fajardo, with the placement of a commemorative plaque at the Teguise Archive, a cultural evening with music, art, and theater, and the screening of a documentary.
Among the most notable milestones are a multidisciplinary roundtable on April 23, a major exhibition on his life and work in May, the presentation of the Digital Collections project on June 5, a theatrical tour in July integrated into the patron saint festivities of Carmen, and the International Journalism Congress, organized by the University of La Laguna, on September 24 and 25. The program will also include educational activities aimed at 4th-year ESO students, the creation of educational and essay awards, concerts dedicated to the music of his era, and will culminate with an official closing ceremony at the end of 2026, organized by the Teguise City Council
The III Centenary program is structured under the motto "JCYF 300 Years of Enlightenment from the Canary Islands" and aims to disseminate the figure and thought of José Clavijo y Fajardo as a reference of the Enlightenment, reinforcing his connection with Teguise and bringing his legacy closer to citizens and the educational community through culture, research, and dissemination.
The program is organized by the Teguise City Council and the José Clavijo y Fajardo Foundation, with the collaboration of the Canary Islands Universities, the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, and the Government of the Canary Islands.
