The Councillor for Heritage of La Laguna, Adolfo Cordobés, participates in Toledo in the Assembly of the 15 Spanish cities recognised by UNESCO.

The General Assembly of the Group of World Heritage Cities of Spain (GCPHE), of which La Laguna is a member, has approved the extension of ‘Heritage Night’ to two days, which will now be called ‘Heritage Nights’.

The event, which is held simultaneously in September in the Group’s 15 cities, is expanding in response to the high demand generated year after year by this event, in which historic centres are opened to the public with free cultural activities, such as guided tours of monuments, concerts and workshops, to showcase its rich cultural heritage. The initiative will offer a more complete experience to citizens and visitors to this event, whose activities will also extend into the night from Friday to Saturday, thus facilitating greater participation.

It is one of the main initiatives approved by the GCPHE Assembly, held this Saturday in the Chapter House of the S.I. Primada Cathedral of Toledo, and in which the Councillor for Cultural Heritage of La Laguna, Adolfo Cordobés, took part, together with the mayors and representatives of the cities that make up the network. “The meeting has once again confirmed the high degree of collaboration between the 15 cities in the Group and their commitment to protecting our heritage, promoting it and strengthening the bond between citizens and the places to which they belong,” said the councillor.

In addition, the Assembly approved the awarding of the 2025 Heritage Prize to the Tatiana Foundation, in recognition of its commitment to culture, education and the conservation of historical and artistic heritage. The nomination received unanimous support from all 15 cities, symbolising gratitude to those institutions that make a decisive contribution to caring for and protecting heritage.

It has also been agreed to create the Heritage Advisory Council, a consultative body made up of experts from the local councils of the Executive, which will support the Assembly in matters of heritage management, as well as to hold several specialised seminars in 2026; one on religious place names in Alcalá de Henares and another on alternative energies in Toledo.

Another agreement reached during the Assembly was to hold a concert commemorating the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Ávila, Santiago de Compostela and Segovia as World Heritage Cities by UNESCO. It will take place on 6 December at the Lienzo Norte Conference Centre in Ávila, with the participation of the Orfeón Terra a Nosa choir, the Segovia Symphony Orchestra and the Escolanía de Segovia choir. The event will be free and open to the public.

In addition, the World Heritage Cities Group continues to promote sport with the Running Circuit in the 15 cities, which will be held in 2026, and is consolidating the World Heritage Cities Rugby Tournament, which will be held in Toledo next year.

On the other hand, the Group has given the green light to international promotional campaigns with joint actions with the Spanish Tourist Office in Mumbai and Milan, as well as familiarisation trips for the press and tour operators in Rome and Mexico.

Finally, the Assembly ratified the appointment of Gumersindo Bueno Benito as the new manager of the GCPHE, whom the Group’s president welcomed, highlighting his extensive experience in cultural and heritage management, and approved the drafting of a White Paper on Historical Heritage Management, which will be distributed in physical and digital formats.

During the day, in addition to the Executive Committee meeting and the General Assembly, a meeting was held with representatives from universities based in the 15 cities that make up the Group, with the aim of advancing collaboration between the academic world and urban heritage. This meeting led to the creation of a monitoring committee that will coordinate future joint working lines.

The Group of World Heritage Cities of Spain was created in 1993 as a non-profit association, declared of public utility by the Ministry of the Interior, with the aim of acting jointly in the defence of the historical and cultural heritage of these cities and in the maintenance and promotion of certain ways of life that these historic centres need, carrying out common projects and proposals, establishing policies for the exchange of experiences and addressing common problems.