Chapter 9 Sociocultural activies

Transcription

1 Chapter 9 Sociocultural activies MORE THAN 25 MILLION VIEWERS ENJOYED THE SYMPHONIC GOSPEL OF THE 17TH CHRISTMAS CONCERT The appeal of gospel, a summer-like night temperature and the fact that the next day was Sunday made the 17th Christmas Concert of Ports of Tenerife an unparalleled success, where the audience exceeded the expectations the site was prepared for 20,000 spectators and thousands had to follow the performance from the outside. There is no doubt that 2010 set high expectations for future years, difficult to be exceeded.

2 The first part kept the tradition and vocation of this musical event: the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife played a classic repertoire, under the direction of the Chinese master Lü Jia. In the second half, the famous North American Gospel Choir Black Heritage joined them on the stage, and with their universally known repertoire of undeniable quality they incited the public s enthusiasm. And to cap it all, two local singers, Nazuet and Alba, sang Siete sobre el mismo mar (Seven on the same sea), a Christmas carol that praises the unit of the Canary Islands for the Christmas holidays followed by the orchestra's encores. It is also important to mention the excellent job of the concert producers with regard to the decoration of the stage, emulating the stained glass windows of a cathedral, the lighting of the port and the fireworks that, as usual, closed a musical event that is turning into an important platform for the external promotion of Tenerife, as the islands press has admitted in the edition following this annual event in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. More than 25 million viewers watched the live and delayed transmissions by Televisión Española in the Canary Islands for La 2 channel and the International Channel.

3 TRIBUTE TO THE ATLANTIS EXPEDITION, AT THE PORT OF TENERIFE On May 22, 1984 the so called "Atlantis Expedition" left the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This was the challenge of five Argentines who, on board of a raft made of logs with no engine nor rudder, succeeded in crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reached, 52 days later, on July 12, the port of La Guaira (Venezuela). The raft, "Atlantis", was a replica of the most primitive known boat used over 3,500 years ago in África. With only 13.6 meters long and 5.8 meters wide, they built in it a hut made of bamboo, reed and thatch measuring four meters long, two wide and one high.

4 The expedition "sailed" dragged by the currents and winds over 3,200 nautical miles. Its members were Jorge Iriberri, Óscar Giaccaglia; Félix Arrieta, Daniel Sánchez Magariños and Alfredo Barragán. The latter played, among other roles, the one of captain and he coined the motto of the expedition: "man must know that man is able The scientific goal of this challenge was to demonstrate that American people could have received African cultural influence over the Atlantic 3,500 years ago. This theory would become therefore area of research. In the 25th anniversary of the expedition the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife inaugurated in front of the district María Jiménez a sculpture commemorating the feat. The sculpture was designed by Melchor Alonso and it stands in the new square located in that area. This square is part of the district improvement project run by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The event was attended, among other authorities, by the president of Ports of Tenerife, Pedro Rodríguez Zaragoza, consul-general of the Argentine Republic in Tenerife, Rubén Buira, the third deputy mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and chair councillor of Tagoror district of Anaga, Luz Reverón González, the members of the expedition Daniel Sánchez

5 Margariños and Alfredo Barragán and the sculptor Melchor Alonso. RODRÍGUEZ ZARAGOZA HIGHLIGHTS CONNECTION WITHIN PORTS AS STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC VALUE "Quickness and fluid economy; wealth generation and territorial connectivity are the three pillars on which Canary ports should be supported. Ports are of vital importance to the economy of the Canary Islands." The president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Pedro Rodríguez Zaragoza, underlined this point at the conference held in the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Santa Cruz de Tenerife within the framework of I European Islands Business Forum celebrated

6 in March. The meeting brought together representatives of the archipelagos of Portugal, France, Italy and Malta. According to Mr. Rodríguez Zaragoza, ports are key logistics platforms which, due to their geographical position, are vital for Canary Islands since more than 97 percent of freight is carried by sea. The role of the ports fostering connections is especially important since access on north-south/south-south routes is of high strategic interest for Tenerife. Having a refinery, the port of Santa Cruz attracts large international traffic for refuelling. In addition the incorporation of container goods into international transhipment traffic will create a new activity in Tenerife. Thus, fewer difficulties on import/ export within non peninsular markets are expected as well as further possibilities for the economy of the Canary Islands. Mr. Rodríguez Zaragoza also dealt in depth with the impact of double insularity on the port activity along with the ban of current Spanish port tax bonus by the EU. This banningorder is clearly stated in the port bill which is being processed by the General Courts. Such measures would mean higher shipping costs with and within Canary Islands as well as more difficult access to the port platforms.

7 SOLIDARITY IN SANTA CRUZ The port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has recently hosted two important solidarity events: one in support of Haiti after the January earthquake and the second one destined to help the Berber villages in High Atlas Mountains. Donations were given during the Second Solidarity Berber Raid. Acoger y Compartir. Last January, Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake that killed thousands of people. Santa Cruz de Tenerife had the opportunity to show their solidarity and express their support for Haiti through a festival held on January The event was organized by the association Acoger y Compartir in collaboration with the Port Authority along with other companies and institutions. The 2-day-long festival of solidarity took place at the facilities of the port of Santa Cruz. On 29th the audience could enjoy the unselfish performance of Canarian artists as

8 renowned as Manolo Vieira, Pepe Benavente, Chago Melián, En Clave de Ja, Mayelín, K-Narias, Nauzet, La Pista Búlgara, Gospel Shine Voices and Anne Peters. The next day, it was celebrated on the esplanade of the maritime station a Solidarity Walk consisting of a large flea market, children's workshops, plays, bouncy castles, magic and the participation of the Civil Guard, Civil Protection and the Fire Brigade. Thanks to this festival over 30,000 were collected in addition to the generous contribution made by the Hotel Jardín Botánico? 100,000$ raised at a charity dinner. The funds were given to Acoger y Compartir in order to support relief and reconstruction projects in Haiti.

9 Rumbo Solidario. The Canary NGO Rumbo Solidario made up of thirty members, many of whom are also workers of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, delivered last Easter a great deal of humanitarian aid to the inhabitants from various villages of the High Atlas, in Morocco. These settlements are far away from the places where the aid usually arrives. The material was mainly composed of first aid equipments, school supplies, clothing and toys. This aid was collected during the four days in which Rumbo Solidario presented their initiative on the esplanade of the maritime station of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Hundreds of citizens visited the place and contributed unselfishly to the cause.

10 The delivery was made by members of Rumbo Solidario. It took them nine days of hard work in African lands. During this time the volunteers travelled more than 3,000 miles driving 4x4 vehicles to get 15 of the most remote and isolated villages in the mountains the Atlas. The Second Solidarity Berber Raid 2010 was sponsored by Sofican; Acciona Trasmediterránea; Montemar Grupo Sada; MiLuz Raid Autos; Romero Litography and Tacoronte Awning Shop.

11 "CRÓNICAS DEL PUERTO DE SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, SIGLO XX" NEW BOOK BY RAFAEL ZURITA MOLINA Crónicas del puerto de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, siglo XX (Chronicles of the harbour of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 20th Century) is the new book by the writer and researcher Rafael Zurita Molina, launched recently in a reception presided by Pedro Rodríguez Zaragoza, president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and accompanied by Ricardo Melchior Navarro, president of the Council of Tenerife; Ricardo Isidro de Lis, vice-president of Cajasiete and Sebastián Matías Delgado, who wrote the prologue to the book. This publication is dedicated to the close relation between the development of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the growth of its harbour, through its history and especially throughout almost all the 20th Century and the first years of the 21st Century.

12 After a detailed chronological description of the changes that, from the last years of the 15th Century to nowadays, transformed the harbor of Tenerife into the splendid reality it is today, the author continues developing his work, based on the chronicles of the newspapers of the province, which between 1907 and 2007 devotes some of their most important pages to inform their readers about any news related with the activities of the port. They were conscious of its importance for the city that sheltered the harbour. Rafael Zurita examines minutely and with great affection all this activity so that the readers love and appreciate even more a harbor whose pulse has always beaten with that of the city it was born in, and where it grew and to which it owes its existence.

13 PORT & ENTERTAINMENT The port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife held on 6 June, the second concert in Spain of Alicia Keys. The prize-winning singer from New York chose Tenerife to end 'The Freedom Tour. " Accompanied by 18 musicians, the queen of rhythm and blues offered a repertoire of about an hour and a half. According to the organization, around 15,000 people enjoyed the concert. Apart from Alicia Keys concert, Los Llanos Basin, in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has recently hosted different events: the popular Christmas concert, organized by the Port Authority; the final competition of murgas Carnival 2010 and the concert of the international singer Marc Anthony. These

14 music entertainments gathered together thousands of people in a setting without equal for leisure activities. Undoubtedly, this was another opportunity to promote Tenerife and list the island among the reference places to include in the routes of international artists.

15 10TH CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION The winners of the 10th edition of the Christmas Card Competition of Puertos de Tenerife received on 17 December their corresponding awards and diplomas during a ceremony chaired by Pedro Rodríguez Zaragoza. The winners were: Héctor de Jesús Brito Cruz, 16 years old. CEE Nuestra Señora del Carmen-ASPRONTE. Andrea Martín Rodríguez, 6 years old. CEIP Manuel Galván de las Casas. Néstor de la Paz López, 9 years old. Tacoronte school. Alba Acosta Santaella, 10 years old. CEIP Chapatal. Thalía Parra Magdalena, 11 years old. CEO Nereida Díaz Abreu. María Cejas Afonso, 14 years old. Hispano Inglés school.