The Way of Sant James

Xacobeo manager Rafael Sánchez presented a report at the technical conference on Material and Immaterial Heritage on Pilgrimage Routes, part of the 10th edition of the International Restoration and Heritage Management Biennial AIRE&PALA 2016, held in Valladolid from 10 November to today.

The conference dealt with the extraordinary vitality demonstrated by pilgrimage routes in these early years of the 21st century, with special emphasis on the boom of the French Route to Santiago, the main branch of the Way of St. James.

The gathering also included discussion of the recent addition of the Northern Routes to the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing and the Lebaniego Jubilee Year taking place in 2017.

The conference invited participants to reflect on this complex phenomenon from the perspective of the material and immaterial aspects of its heritage. It offered different viewpoints on subjects ranging from territorial management and planning – at the municipal and provincial level, as well as autonomous community and state – to the role of Friends of the Camino associations as key figures in its modern resurgence, guaranteeing the wellbeing of the pilgrim and preserving the values of pilgrimage.

Xacobeo manager Rafael Sánchez took part, presenting a report on management of the Way of St. James, focusing on the Way of St. James Strategic Master Plan.

In his talk, he discussed a number of initiatives contained in this roadmap, emphasizing the commitment to improving and expanding the Public Hostel Network, the signposting plan and implementation of the Smart Camino app, among other things.