The government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, and the government subdelegate in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Javier Plata, inaugurate tomorrow Islands of Liberty, the commemorative act of the 50th anniversary of Spain in freedom organized by the Government Subdelegation in San Cristóbal de La Laguna to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
Within the framework of the programme Spain in freedom, 50 years launched by the Government of Spain, Islands of Liberty is a cultural event open to the public in which the music of Fajardo, Paula Espinosa and Eric Böelle are protagonists, as well as the dance of Carmen Macías with the piece Tun/La, and the development of a mural painted during the event by Elia Estévez.
Organized under the impetus of the Subdelegation of the Government of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Commissioner for the Celebration of Spain’s 50th Anniversary in Freedom, the event is a reminder of the current situation and where we came from: a past marked by dictatorship and a transition that opened the way to the rights and freedoms that we enjoy today.
“In the same way as we have already done in El Hierro and Gran Canaria, we now come to celebrate in Tenerife the 50 years of Spain in freedom. It is five decades of development and advances in democracy, freedom and pluralism,” says the government delegate in the Canary Islands.
“In the event organized by the subdelegate of the Government and his team, we articulate an intergenerational meeting space, where memory is linked to contemporary creation. The Lagoon, historically linked to critical thinking and citizen participation, thus becomes the ideal scenario for this dialogue between past, present and future. We are grateful for the involvement of its City Council and neighbors and neighbors,” he adds.
In Islands of Liberty, which takes place this Saturday in the Park of the Constitution from 17:00 to 21:00 hours with free entry, different groups and associations are present that work in areas such as memory, rights and diversity, such as the Association of Historical Memory of Tenerife, the Pedro Zerolo Foundation, the Association for the recovery of the Masonic Memory of the Canary Islands and the Libertrans Association.
During the event, which has been organized in collaboration with the City of San Cristobal de La Laguna, a podcast is also recorded by the team of Ambrosía - The Cultural Magazine in which associations and other organizations participate in order to disseminate the content of the activity.
Carmina Gustrán, Commissioner for the Celebration of Spain’s 50th Anniversary in Freedom, highlights the meaning of this program indicating that “celebrating half a century of freedom is also celebrating the plurality that defines us as a country. Spain is a diverse state, rich in territories, languages, traditions and cultural expressions. That is why it makes sense for the commemorative program to be decentralized, so that every corner of our country participates and contributes its voice to this celebration of the democratic values we share.”
Islands of Liberty It combines art, music, memory and participation, with special attention to the emerging Canarian talent so that the activities encompass various cultural expressions that want to celebrate the wealth of the country and promote dialogue with special dedication to youth.
FULL PROGRAM – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2025
17:00 h – Opening ceremony
17:15 h – Contemporary dance: Carmen Macías
17:15 h – Live Painting: Mural by Elia Estévez
17:40 h – Live Podcast: “Ambrosia” (The Cultural Mag)
18:15 h – Concert: Fajardo
19:15 h – Concert: Paula Espinosa
20:15 h – Concert: Eric Böelle