A Year of Celebration Culminates in La Laguna
This Thursday, the City Council of La Laguna presented the closing events for the year-long commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The announcement was made at the Teatro Leal, setting the stage for a packed final program from December 1st to 4th. After a year filled with commemorative activities, these first days of December will feature highlights including International Conferences on Diversity, Immigration, Sustainability, and the Rights of Future Generations; an exhibition by the celebrated artist Angélica Dass; the inauguration of the “Punto Cero” (Point Zero) marking the city’s foundational layout; an audiovisual show on the side facade of the Cathedral; and a solemn closing ceremony at the Teatro Leal, where the new “Himno de La Laguna” (Anthem of La Laguna), composed by Diego Navarro, will be unveiled.
A Shared Vision for a Unique City
The press conference was led by Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, who was joined by the Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García; the Tenerife Councilor for Employment, Education and Youth, Efraín Medina; the General Director of Culture and Cultural Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands, Miguel Ángel Clavijo; and the Councilor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés. Reflecting on the anniversary year, Mayor Gutiérrez stated that it has been “more than an institutional commemoration; it has been an opportunity to reaffirm the unique role that our city, the only one in the Archipelago with this distinction, plays in the Canarian context.” He emphasized that the program, which featured over fifty activities including exhibitions, theatrical routes, guided tours, and international forums, has helped “generate spaces for dialogue about the city model we want to build for the next 25 years.”
Institutional Collaboration and Lasting Legacy
The success of the anniversary year was attributed to a powerful alliance between institutions and civil society. The mayor thanked the numerous cultural and social entities involved in this “shared roadmap that seeks to reconcile the contemporary needs of the city with the preservation of its outstanding universal value.” University Rector Francisco García highlighted the institution’s 233-year historical bond with La Laguna, noting its pivotal role in the initial UNESCO nomination process led by Professor Maisa Navarro. He added that the university’s participation has helped “open a reflection on the major themes of the city today and for the years to come.”
Councilor Efraín Medina from the Tenerife Cabildo underscored the collaborative work of different administrations, stating, “Protecting our heritage is a shared responsibility because, in doing so, we care for our roots and protect our identity.” The island government contributed 500,000 euros to support the program, which also helped fund the first phase of the Master Lighting Plan for the Historic Center.
Highlights of the Final Celebration Program
Councilor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés, provided a detailed look at the exciting final events. The culmination will be the central closing ceremony on the afternoon of December 4th—the exact date marking 26 years since the UNESCO declaration—at the Teatro Leal. The event will feature “many surprises” and the premiere of the city’s new official anthem.
The festivities kick off on December 1st with the opening of the International Conferences on Diversity, Immigration, Sustainability, and the Rights of Future Generations at the Espacio Mutua Tinerfeña. This forum, moderated by philosopher Inma Perdomo, will position La Laguna as a reference in the global debate on heritage cities and features exceptional guests like Edith Brown Weiss and Nicolás Castellano. Admission is free.
Art, Workshops, and a New City Landmark
Art takes center stage with workshops and an exhibition by the internationally acclaimed artist Angélica Dass. Her “Humanae” workshops, taking place on December 2nd at Casa Anchieta, offer a unique opportunity for educators and families to share in knowledge and creation with an artist whose work has been displayed at the Reina Sofía and the UN. Spaces are limited and require prior registration.
Another cornerstone event is the inauguration of La Laguna’s “Punto Cero” (Point Zero) at midday on December 2nd. This spot marks the very center of the wind rose that defines the city’s original grid layout, a foundational landmark for residents and visitors to connect with the city’s history.
On Wednesday, December 3rd, the public is invited to an audiovisual spectacle projected onto the side facade of the Cathedral. The following day, December 4th, a 25th-anniversary plaque will be unveiled in the Plaza del Adelantado, and Angélica Dass’s “Humanae” exhibition will open at Casa Anchieta. This profound artistic and social project, coming to the Canary Islands for the first time, invites a deep reflection on human diversity and can be visited until January 25th.
Not the End, But a New Beginning
Adolfo Cordobés insisted that December 4th “will not be a closure, but a starting point,” as the city now moves to award the Management Plan for the Historic City and prepare for the 2026 tender to update the Special Protection Plan. Mayor Gutiérrez concluded, “The celebration of the 25th anniversary has shown that heritage is not a set of buildings, but a way of understanding the territory, building community, and projecting the future. Thanks to the joint effort of institutions, groups, and citizens, La Laguna is consolidating itself as a laboratory for heritage, urban, and cultural innovation, and as an international benchmark in the defense of conservation, sustainability, and inclusion.”
The commemorative program for the 25th anniversary of La Laguna as a World Heritage City is supported financially by the Government of the Canary Islands and the Tenerife Cabildo.
