The meeting was chaired by the regional minister for the Environment and Tourism, Luis Biendicho, and attended by the Brotherhood’s head, Félix Longás; the director general of Tourism and Hospitality, María Nogueras; the director general of the Natural Environment, Óscar Fayanás; and the managing director of Turismo Aragón, María Jesús Gimeno.
During the meeting, the regional department heard the proposals and demands of the Brotherhood of San Juan de la Peña, an organization founded in 1950 that currently has 577 members and works to protect and promote the site.
The aim is to move forward with various measures related to the conservation, promotion and improvement of San Juan de la Peña, one of the sites linked to the history and identity of Aragon and home to the Old Monastery.
“We must turn necessity into opportunity. This is the time to give San Juan de la Peña a boost and do everything it needs, much of which has not been done over all these years,” Biendicho said. He defended the need to “highlight the value of this site, which is the birthplace of the Kingdom of Aragon.”
The minister also highlighted the importance of cooperation between institutions and civil society after an “extraordinarily complex” situation such as the one caused by the fire. In this regard, he stressed that “the towns, farms and our heritage” were protected.
PROPOSALS FOR THE MONASTERY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
Issues discussed during the meeting included the maintenance and conservation of the monastery and its natural surroundings, as well as the recovery and dissemination of its history.
The Brotherhood also proposed measures to strengthen the tourism and cultural promotion of San Juan de la Peña and improve the experience of those who visit the site.
Another issue raised was the need to improve coordination between the different competent departments involved in managing an area where heritage, cultural, tourism and environmental values converge.
The meeting thus represents a first step toward assessing the site’s needs and defining possible measures to strengthen its conservation and tourism and cultural profile.
