EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS - COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF IGUZQUIZA in NAVARRA, SPAIN
In 2016 the Council of Iguzquiza organized working sessions in the four Local Councils to elicit proposals for programmes in Culture, Youth and Gender Equality. One of the proposals was to organise heritage tours of our villages in order to highlight:
- the built environment (buildings, archaeological remains)
- environment (rural landscapes, agricultural heritage)
- natural resources and history
Since 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Institution “Principe de Viana” of the Government of Navarra, has been coordinating European Annual Heritage Days, and at the same time encouraging the Councils of Navarra to propose activities to highlight the cultural heritage of the villages.
The following are all the activities organised from 2017 to 2023:
EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAY 2017
PALACE OF IGUZQUIZA, AN IMPORTANT SITE OF LOCAL HISTORY
SATURDAY 30th SEPTEMBER 2017
PROGRAMME:
12.00 Authorities of the Council presented the informative panel and history teacher Antonio Ros provided information about the heritage site and its relationship with the history of Navarra.
12.15 Cultural guided tour to the Palace of Iguzquiza.
13.00 Gastronomy, tasting products of the area, and the sharing of experiences among the members of the community and visitors.
EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAY 2018
VISIT TO THE CHASM OF IGUZQUIZA
Saturday, 29th September, 2018
The Council of Iguzquiza made up a project to promote the Sima *CHASM of Iguzquiza, with the funds of LEADER, during the Sessions of Cultural Heritage.
PROGRAMME:
9.30 Walking tour from the city centre of the village, Iguzquiza to the Palace.
10.15 Presentation of Project to enhance the value of the Sima de Iguzquiza.
10.30 Guided tour to the CHASM where the biologist Jose Antonio Fernandez and the geologist Rahma Gulliver explained the formation of the chasm in relation to the Diapiro of Estella, and myths and stories related to the Carlist Wars.
11.30 A group of dancers from the area performed traditional dances in this natural environment, close to the chasm.
13.00 Tasting of traditional products and wine from local wineries.
EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAY 2019
GUIDED WALKING TOUR ALONG THE HERITAGE SITES OF LABEAGA
Saturday, 28th September, 2019
PROGRAMME:
9.30 Starting point at Labeaga main square towards the ruins of St. Gemma Monastery.
10.30 Visit to the ruins of the Monastery with a brief lecture by the history teacher Antonio Ros Zugasti.
11.30 Pass through Molino and The Mill Wheel.
12.30 Group of dancers from the area danced typical African dances Wontafare.
Return to the square for lunch and the tasting of local products and wine.
EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAY 2021
GUIDED WALKING TOUR ALONG THE CAMINO
Saturday, 25th September, 2021
2021 was the Jacobean Year, so the Council organised a walking tour at the base of and along the mountain Montejurra; and part of the tour along the Camino Santiago that goes through our community.
PROGRAMME:
10.30 Starting point from the main square of Azqueta towards Iratxe.
11.00 In Iratxe, explanations about the natural park of Montejurra.
12.30 Viewing point of Azqueta.
12.45 Dances by the Group of dancers Virgen del Puy and St. Andres.
EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAY 2022
ROUTE OF THE GREEN MEN
Saturday 24th September, 2022
PROGRAMME
10.00 Starting point at the main square of the village of Urbiola.There wer the explanations about the history of the archaeological sites of the Bronze Age in the Caves of the Green Men, by Alfredo Perez “Farming life in the 50s, the the “ aljibes” and Andres Santamaria “Mines and the Green Men”
12.30 Traditional dances in the square of the village Urbiola, by the group of dancers *Virgen del Puy and St Andres.
13.00 Lunch with tasting local products and wine from the local Vineries.
This project recognizes the importance of local natural and cultural heritage in a European dimension. It embraces the definition of cultural heritage, from the Council of Europe Framework Convention, as “a set of resources inherited from the past that peoples identify, regardless of who owns them; reflecting and expressing their evolving values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions.”
As the area is part of the Camino de Santiago, people from different countries and backgrounds participate in the activities. In addition, this experience gives an understanding of the European context and common heritage and awareness of cultural and social diversity.
This type of activity was already enacted at previous European Heritage Days, with full participation, but this one is more challenging and covers a lot of areas:
ENVIRONMENTAL
Montejurra is a NATURAL park.
The itinerary takes participants through mountains, fields and the banks of the river Ega.
Showing the resources of the area can help people to settle in villages, enjoy life in nature, helping to avoid rural population drift.
SOCIAL and CULTURAL VALUES
Giving young and old people the opportunity to participate actively in community activities promotes common values of democracy, equality and human dignity.
Through the itinerary people are encouraged to learn about regional history and participate in cultural activities.
OUTLINE of the ACTIVITIES
People from different fields (history teachers, geologists, environmental technicians) have been volunteering giving explanations of national heritage sites during the tours organised by the Council.
In every working session of Cultural Heritage, the Council has provided different activities related to the folklore of the area (traditional dances, *txalaparta..} in natural areas where previously there had been no cultural activity.
These sessions of Cultural Heritage are also complemented with gastronomy, the tasting of products from the area, and wine tasting from local wineries.
Annual Cultural Heritage sessions have had a good attendance, with an average of 100 participants, neighbours and visitors, which is a very good percentage taking into account the population of the Council.