INFORMATIVE NOTE

THE MAYORESS OF ARANJUEZ, APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION OF CULTURAL HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF THE SPANISH FEDERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND PROVINCES (FEMP)

On Friday, May 22, the new Commission is created, with the main objective of reactivating cultural and heritage tourism after the COVID-19 crisis.

Aranjuez, May 21, 2020

Next Friday, May 22, the constitution of the Historical-Cultural Heritage Commission of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) will take place, of which the Mayor of Aranjuez, María José Martínez de la Fuente, is a member of the Board of Trustees.

The meeting will be held by videoconference where, in addition to the official constitution of the Commission, the management report 2015-2019 will be presented, the Network of Local Entities will be informed to develop the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the proposals will be presented of Commission actions, with special attention to the situation generated by the COVID-19 crises

The Commission for Historical and Cultural Heritage aims to collaborate and cooperate in preserving the historical heritage of Spanish cities. The role of this commission within the FEMP is highly relevant, not only because of the commitment to preserve its buildings but also because heritage constitutes a first-rate economic engine. Among the tasks that this commission is entrusted with are the promotion of collaboration with all public administrations to guarantee the conservation of heritage within the 1.5% Cultural Program and the strengthening of public-private collaboration that is capable of obtaining financing for through proximity patronage.

The main objective of the meeting called is to present proposals to prepare a work plan aimed at giving priority attention to the situation generated by the COVID-19 crisis, highlighting the historical cultural heritage as an economic and social growth engine. of our society. Along these lines, in view of the challenges that are imposed for the preservation of public health and the restart of heritage and cultural activities, the FEMP proposes several ways of working and highlights the three aspects with which it wants to respond to the health crisis:

• Preparation of recommendations and technical documents intended to prevent disinfection efforts from damaging our heritage and to inform the competent authorities regarding heritage cleaning and conservation which products and techniques must be used to satisfy the disinfection needs imposed by the pandemic , appropriate to the characteristics of the heritage.
• Health protection: various instructions have been issued to preserve the health of workers and visitors, prescribing compulsory equipment and a set of indications regarding distances, safety measures, hygiene and distance, etc.
• Need to innovate in products and new ways of diffusion. The decrease in authorized capacity and other restrictions on access have opened a line of reflection to find new ways of providing services and disseminating our heritage. In the face-to-face type, it is suggested to customize them to give them a higher quality; In the second case, it is proposed to create or enhance the forms of digital relationship with heritage: online catalogs, virtual visits, dissemination programs, education, training, etc.

“It is important and it is good news for Aranjuez to be part of this Commission” declared the riverside Mayor, who highlighted “the enormous heritage and landscape imprint of the Royal Site where we have the preservation of our heritage and care for the natural environment balanced with the peculiarities of being a tourist city ”.

María José Martínez de la Fuente has stated that she will defend “the need to establish novel ways of continuing to provide cultural and tourist services in the new era that the pandemic has imposed on us, guaranteeing employment that revolves around hospitality, tourism, culture and heritage quality ”.