They study the potential of Córdoba’s Andalusian heritage as an economic development valueCORDOVA
“The past, including Andalusian heritage, “It has to provide economic and development value for the populations of the present.” For investigate, catalog and value The material and intangible Andalusian heritage takes place throughout the day. Andalusian heritage as a cultural, tourist and economic value for the future of the province of Cordovaorganized by the Las Fuentes Foundation with the sponsorship of the Provincial Council of Córdoba and the collaboration of the University of Córdoba.
The conference will analyze two key aspects in the development of the tourism market associated with Andalusian heritage: the gastronomy -whose greatest exponent in Córdoba is chef Paco Morales- and arts and crafts.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the vice-rector for Innovation and Transfer of the UCO, Lourdes Arce Jiménez, who highlighted the role of UCO researchers in various lines of work related to heritage, while calling for greater collaboration between economic engines of the province such as tourism and agri-food to promote initiatives such as halal tourism. “The Andalusian heritage is not only a memory of what we were, but an important source of research, generation and transfer of knowledge for the socioeconomic development of Córdoba and its province.”
The president of the Las Fuentes Foundation, Isabel Romeroalso CEO of the Halal Institute and specialist in Islamic economics, explained that Córdoba will soon join the Medinas Network, a recently created group presented at Fitur this year, and which brings together to municipalities with medinas, nearly 4,000 throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Of them, some 2,000 municipalities have medinas of special relevance, among which Toledo, Córdoba, Zaragoza, Seville and Granada stand out, among the big names. “The potential of the Andalusian heritage, among which are the medinas, is still unknown,” he stated. “There is an entire tourism sector from Southeast Asia that seeks ‘Muslim Friendly’ destinations and that generate a high economic impact on the populations.”
Also present at the inauguration were the president of the Provincial Council of Córdoba, Salvador Fuentes, and the lieutenant delegate of Tourism, Sustainability and Environment of the City Council, Daniel García-Ibarrola, who pointed out the need to “sell Córdoba as a general brand ”, while extending the aforementioned Medinas Network to the province.
Extend the Medinas Network to the province
Fuentes has maintained that “extending the articulation of the Medina Cities Network to the province It will be a challenge and an opportunity for the future that takes as a reference the promotion and enhancement of Andalusian culture as an element of development and growth of our tourism sector.”
“If the Provincial Council of Córdoba is present here today, it is because of the provincial scope of this work day that, without a doubt, will contribute to the analysis and deepening of this very important part of our history, something fundamental to understand our idiosyncrasy and way of understanding things,” Fuentes added.
For the head of the provincial institution, “this is a relevant act due to the science it entails, the study it implies and the need to coordinate, from the public and private spheres, to enhance the Andalusian heritage in the history of Córdoba and what it means for Europe.”
Regarding the program, Fuentes has made reference to the fact that “Having the experience of Toledo is a great success.”since it is a reference in the promotion of its culture and traditions as an axis of tourist and economic development.”
“Likewise, the analysis of traditions and cuisine, through round tables, are two fundamental components in which our province has a lot to say since the artisan tradition is present in many of our towns and is supported by its quality and excellence. Added to this fact is the culinary aspect, a sector, that of cooking, in which Córdoba has professionals who, based on our traditions and products, have crossed our borders to become a benchmark,” Fuentes added.
The president of the Provincial Council of Córdoba has also mentionedl Islamic Heritage Institute of Europe from where proposals come that seek to articulate all the initiatives that encompass the Andalusian philosophy.” “In short, a day whose conclusions will serve to establish our future roadmap in which collaboration and cooperation will take center stage,” Fuentes concluded.
Network presentation
After the opening words, the presentation of the Medinas Network took place, with the intervention of Felipe Vidales, from the Complutense University of Madrid, who presented the Islamic Toledo and its connections with other Andalusian centers; Victoria Trasobares, who has transmitted the experience of the ‘Territorio Mudéjar’ network of Aragón; and Barbara Ruiz Bejarano, from Fundación Las Fuentes, who has made the Medinas Network and ‘Muslim Friendly’ tourism known in greater depth.
Later it was the turn of gastronomy, with the presentation ofAl Andalus Culinary Lab, which has had the participation of Ricardo Hernández Rojas, Center for Observation of the Gastronomic Offer of Córdoba at the University of Córdoba, and David Ventura García, Marketing and Commercial Director of Carinsa.
This afternoon the table on crafts, Al Andalus Traditional Arts Lab, will take place, with the intervention of Daniel Lizarralde Aguirre, from the Zurjole Academy; Iván Figueroa Trocoli, CEO Iván Ros Cerámica; and Barbara Ruiz Bejarano, from the Las Fuentes Foundation, who will talk about the market niche of the Medinas Network.
