The programme includes an international symposium, a time tunnel, or a recognition ceremony for people who were instrumental in the recognition of the city by Unesco.

The hermitage of San Miguel Arcángel, a building of great symbolic character for the city and the island, today hosted the presentation of the programme of events for the ‘Semana grande’ with which La Laguna wants to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its declaration as a World Heritage City by Unesco, the only historical site in the Canary Islands with this recognition.

Among the activities planned, which will begin this Sunday with a drone show, are a ceremony to recognise all the people who were fundamental to the inclusion of La Laguna on the World Heritage list, an international symposium and, among many other proposals in its streets and monuments, a time tunnel in the Deán Palahi alley, which will allow visitors to travel back to the 19th century just by passing through a door.

Representatives of the island and Canary Islands institutions attended the presentation to commemorate this anniversary and show their recognition of the island’s first capital, its centuries of history and its enormous heritage. And they did so in a setting that reflects the evolution of the city, a chapel built in the early 16th century by order of the Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo to house his family pantheon, which was the site of the first meetings of the Tenerife Cabildo and which has now been converted into a cultural and exhibition space.

Speakers included the mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez; the rector of the University of La Laguna (ULL), Francisco García; the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila; and the councillor for Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Migdalia Machín. They were accompanied by the mayor of Cultural Heritage of La Laguna, Adolfo Cordobés, and several councillors of the municipal corporation.

The mayor pointed out that ‘we are celebrating a quarter of a century of an event that has marked the recent history of La Laguna and a collective success that is above any acronym. Since that date, we are called to continue building a city firmly rooted in its historical legacy, but which looks to the future’.

Luis Yeray Gutiérrez recalled that, since a month ago, an extensive cultural agenda has been launched on the occasion of this celebration, in which the institutions and groups of the city have been involved, which will be magnified during this ‘Big Week’ and will continue throughout 2025.

The mayor also thanked ‘the solid financial backing we have received from the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Tenerife to tackle this programme of activities’, as well as the University of La Laguna, for ‘the decisive role played both in the preparation of the dossier that was finally approved by Unesco, and for the joint work we have developed over the last 25 years for the protection and dissemination of our universal heritage’.

The rector of the ULL, Francisco García, said that ‘the University has been an essential part of this city for more than 230 years, with which we share a name and an international vocation thanks to an Atlantic that, as the philologist Dolores Corbella said in her speech of admission to the Royal Spanish Academy, is not a barrier but a bridge. For this reason, we are going to collaborate in this very wide-ranging programme, contributing knowledge to such an important event’.

García recalled the contribution of the University to the Unesco declaration ‘from the very gestation of the dossier, with the coordination of Professor Maisa Navarro and a large team of colleagues who were involved so that La Laguna could receive this just recognition’, and highlighted its related educational offer, such as the Degree in Heritage Restoration, the official master’s degree linked to the management of this or the Cultural Chair La Laguna, World Heritage, ‘from which we want to establish an Ibero-American chair that gives even more vigour to the Atlantic link of La Laguna’.

The president of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, congratulated, on behalf of the island institution, ‘all the people of La Laguna, because a very important anniversary is approaching, one that fills Tenerife with pride’ and that ‘reflects the vision, ambition and passion of a city that is 528 years old and that continues to be modern, open to the world and cosmopolitan. It is 25 years since that 4th December 1999, which marked the beginning of a path in history, culture and exceptional urban planning’, an “opportunity to meet La Laguna again, discover it and enjoy all that it has to offer”.

Finally, the Canary Islands Councillor for Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Canary Islands Government, Migdalia Machín, said that ‘this 25-year journey adds up to achievements, challenges and an unwavering love for a city that is a living reflection of centuries. Each of its corners has forged the identity not only of La Laguna and Tenerife, but of the Canary Islands’. And he affirmed that, ‘thanks to the vision that led to this declaration by Unesco, today it is a point of reference and an impetus for other cities to want to achieve this recognition and to advance in its protection and promotion’.

A date for reflection and analysis

La Laguna has initiated a process to reflect on the work done and the challenges and opportunities, present and future, of the only historical complex in the Canary Islands declared World Heritage. An analysis which, from a heritage, economic, environmental or socio-cultural point of view, is intended to be the starting point for taking new steps in the municipal objective of reconciling heritage conservation and sustainable urban development.

La Laguna considers that the commemoration of such an important milestone in its history deserves much more than a celebration on 4 December, the 25th anniversary of its inclusion on the World Heritage List.

Thus, for several weeks now, the Department of Cultural Heritage has launched an extensive programme of cultural activities, which includes cycles of conferences, routes for its Outstanding Universal Value, presentation of studies, open days, etc., with which La Laguna involves all citizens in the defence of heritage and in which it is counting on the involvement and collaboration of the institutions, groups and organisations present in the city.

Programme of the ‘Semana grande’ (Big Week)

And as a culmination to this celebration, begins the program of events of the ‘Big Week’ of the 25th anniversary, which starts today filling the windows of the shops of the historic center with literary fragments, well-known authors, who have spoken in their works about the city of La Laguna, all thanks to the collaboration of the Association La Laguna Zona Comercial. In addition, on 3 December, traders from the past and present will meet to share experiences in a meeting focused on the future of this important local economic sector.

On Sunday, 1 December, one of the most striking events will take place: a drone show which, thanks to the collaboration of the Group of World Heritage Cities, can be seen from the La Manzanilla stadium from 7pm. Likewise, on the 2nd, a conference will be held by the professor of the University of La Laguna, Maisa Navarro, who will be presented with the key to the city and, among other activities, more than 1,500 schoolchildren will set off from the Cabrera Pinto Institute on a Walk for Peace.

International symposium

The high point of this important process of reflection in which La Laguna has been involved will come on the 3rd and 4th, with the symposium ‘Ciudad de La Laguna Patrimonio Mundial, 25 años después’ (City of La Laguna World Heritage, 25 years later). It will feature figures of the stature of the president of the Culture of Peace Foundation and former director general of UNESCO, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, and the president of the Scientific Council of the Spanish Committee of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme (MaB), Marisa Tejedor, among others.

The main day of the celebrations will be 4 December. Throughout the day, La Laguna will be dressed up and open to locals and visitors alike, with such striking events as the opening of the time tunnel at Dean Palahi, which will allow visitors to travel back to the time of the Napoleonic invasion and the constitution of the Supreme Council of the Canary Islands. And the main event of the day will be the Ceremony for the presentation of awards at the Teatro Leal to the people who promoted the process of the Unesco Declaration.

The activities and the whole process of reflection and improvement that has been reinforced with this 25th anniversary will continue throughout the year, until 4 December 2025, with some very significant actions and projects, of which we will keep you informed. All the programme is available on the website 25aniversario.aytolalaguna.es