The deputy delegate of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas, participated this morning in the Port Authority in the presentation of the official programming of the 500th anniversary of the expedition of García Jofre de Loaysa to the Molucas Islands, one of the most audacious in the world maritime history, which departed on July 24, 1525 from the port of A Coruña. Along with the deputy delegate were Martín Fernández Prado, president of the Port Authority, and Ricardo Pardo, from the José Cornide Institute, as well as representatives of other organizing and collaborating entities.
Rivas highlighted the role of the city as the starting point for that adventure that sought to reach the heart of the spice trade, when the planet was still largely unknown and the maps were imprecise. “Exactly half a millennium ago, seven ships and 450 sailors sailed from here, driven by a mixture of science, faith and courage. Honoring that gesture is a way to recognize our identity and our maritime vocation,” he said.
The deputy delegate also highlighted the harshness of that trip, in which Loaysa and Elcano died, and only 24 sailors managed to survive after years of hardship and a second round the world, the return, ten years later. “It was a real odyssey full of dangers, deaths and extraordinary human stories, which deserve to be known and remembered,” he said.
For their part, both Fernández Prado and Pardo wanted to value this unknown expedition for the general public as is the Balmis expedition and its main protagonist, Isabel Zendal, which is an important “must” for A Coruña and Spain, as they highlighted. Martín Fernández Prado stressed that the value of this expedition seeks to “make Coruñeses proud of a historical feat such as this. An epic that deserves to be told and commemorated.” Ricardo Pardo said that “it was the second circumnavigation to the world. The Loaysa expedition is important because among its components were sailors who acquired experience and knew how to intuit the return of the Philippines to Spain, opening a route with an unprecedented relevance in the history of world maritime trade.”
The commemoration, fruit of the collaboration of the Port Authority, the City of A Coruña, the Instituto de Estudios Coruñeses José Cornide, the Philatelic Society of A Coruña, the Order of Knights of María Pita, the Spanish Navy and Post Office, includes acts such as the arrival in the port of A Coruña of the multipurpose ship of the Spanish Navy “Carnota”, which can be visited on 23 and 24 July, and which will also host the presentation of a commemorative stamp edited by Post.
“Philatelia, like the sea, connects times and places, and this seal will make the history of the Loaysa expedition sail around the world, as those ships did five centuries ago,” explained Rivas, who stressed that the ephemeris allows “to recognize also our current Navy, professional, modern and committed, heir to the tradition of those great sailors.”
María Rivas concluded by highlighting the commitment of the institutions to historical memory. “To remember is also to thank, and to take care of our memory is to strengthen our future.” He added that “celebrating this expedition is recognizing the role played by A Coruña in global maritime history and projecting that legacy to future generations.”
Program of activities
Wednesday, 23 July
15:30h. Arrival BM “Carnota” to the port of A Coruña. (Transatlantic Pier)
17:30-19:30h. Day of Open Doors on the ship.
19:30-20:00h. Visit to the ship of the staff of the History Association (AHCMN).
Thursday, 24 July
10:30h. Ceremony at the BM "Carnota" of presentation to the press of the Commemorative Seal of the "500 ANNIVERSARY OF The GARCÍA JOFRE LOAYSA EXPEDITION".
11:30h. Opening ceremony of the Commemorative Exhibition of the “500th ANNIVERSARY OF La EXPEDITION GARCÍA JOFRE LOAYSA” on Compostela Street in A Coruña.
11:30-13:30h. Day of Open Doors on the ship.
18:00h. Departure to the sea with authorities and accredited means to perform the Tribute to the Fallen.
Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of July
Congress at Sporting Club Casino, organized by the Order of Knights of Maria Pita.
Tuesday, July 29
20:00h. Presentation of the book of the José Cornide Institute. At the Port Authority.
September-December
Lecture series of the José Cornide Institute. In different venues of A Coruña and Ferrol.