The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Ángel Miramontes, today emphasized the "effort and involvement" of entities and individuals in preserving the values of the Camino de Santiago, even beyond Galicia's borders. Miramontes made these statements during the XXVI Elías Valiña Awards ceremony, held in Santiago de Compostela.
In this edition, the main award went to the Saint James Confraternity of Croatia, recognized for its pioneering role in revitalizing medieval pilgrimage routes from Croatia to Santiago, having already marked over 2,387 kilometers. Additionally, a special mention was given to the Lithuanian Laima Liucija Andrikienè, a founder of the Camino de Santiago in Lithuania, whose work has been decisive, particularly from her position as a Member of the European Parliament.
These awards, promoted by the Consellería de Cultura, Lingua e Xuventude (Department of Culture, Language, and Youth), are endowed with €15,000 and aim to distinguish the work of protection and promotion of the Jacobean Routes by associations, foundations, and non-profit entities. The award is named after Elías Valiña Sampedro, a priest from O Cebreiro and a key figure in the recovery of the Jacobean route, who promoted the emblematic yellow arrows.
