María José García-Pelayo, the mayor of Jerez, accompanied by municipal government officials, attended the solemn opening ceremony of the academic year at the Royal Academy of San Dionisio of Sciences, Arts and Letters. This marks the first year of Ana María Orellana as president of the institution.
The event, held in the historic Sala Pescadería Vieja, began with a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims and families affected by the Urda train accident that occurred the previous week.
The mayor congratulated the president, the governing board, and the academics for their efforts in providing a year-round programme accessible to the city. She also expressed gratitude to Monsignor José Rico Pavés, who delivered the inaugural lecture titled 'San Dionisio Areopagita and the dilemma of León XIV', for helping to connect this significant figure with the history and identity of Jerez.
“May knowledge continue to be, as it has been for 78 years in this Academy, a way to serve Jerez,”
the mayor stated.
The Academy has planned a diverse programme throughout the year, covering topics in science, history, art, literature, medicine, society, and the culture of wine. This initiative supports the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy with a series of conferences titled 'The wine of Jerez and gastronomy', featuring contributions from Eugenio Camacho, Joaquín Gómez Beser, and winemaker Willy Pérez, among others.
