The Noble Hall of the Alcázar de San Juan Town Hall has hosted the inauguration of the third international congress 'Cervantes and Don Quixote', taking place on 6 and 7 November. This biennial event, organised by the Cervantine Society in collaboration with the local council, highlights the Cervantine tradition of Alcázar de San Juan, gathering a significant number of researchers and experts in the field.
The opening ceremony featured the participation of Alcázar de San Juan's mayor, Rosa Melchor; the provincial delegate for Education, Culture and Sports, José Jesús Caro; the president of the Cervantine Society, Juan Bautista Mata; the secretary of the society and researcher from the Golden Age Research Group (GRISO) at the University of Navarra, Carlos Mata; and the dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Matías Barchino. The inaugural event saw a large audience, including several municipal council members and the mayor of El Pedernoso, Ana Cantarero.
Researcher Carlos Mata highlighted that this year's congress is held under the theme 'A universal legacy, a heritage of humanity', noting that this third edition is the most international and focused on Hispanic America to date. The gathering includes 15 specialists and educators from Spanish universities such as the University of Valladolid and the University of Castilla-La Mancha, as well as participants from countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.
During the presentation, provincial delegate José Jesús Caro emphasised the significance of Cervantes and Don Quixote, asserting that, four centuries later, they remain fundamental references for interpreting contemporary society. Mayor Rosa Melchor praised the scientific rigor and highly academic nature of the sessions, underscoring the importance of having esteemed researchers and professors present their findings on Cervantes' work to the attending public.
The event also served to present the results of the previous congress held in 2024, with research published and accessible to the public on the Cervantine Society's website and the Dadun platform, the Digital Academic Repository of the University of Navarra. The congress aimed to pay tribute to Enrique Suárez Figaredo, an honorary member of the Cervantine Society who recently passed away, by presenting his family with a traditional Manchegan blouse in remembrance of his significant contributions.
At the conclusion of the event, commemorative gifts were also presented to the participants of the inaugural panel. The congress is part of the programming for the thirteenth 'Wine and Cervantine Baptism' Days, which will continue until 15 November, featuring a wide range of cultural and gastronomic activities, including wine tastings, guided tours, and the traditional Cervantine parade.
