On 17 December 2024, the XII Conference on Best Practices in Cultural and Natural Heritage took place at the Official College of Architects of Madrid, organised by Hispania Nostra with the support of ACS Foundation. This year’s event focused on the theme of Effective Heritage Management as a Guarantee of its Conservation, exploring perspectives from the public administration, private sector, civil society, and academia.

During the conference, the publication co-edited by Hispania Nostra and ACS Foundation, titled More Than a Decade of Best Practices in Cultural and Natural Heritage, was presented and distributed to attendees. This publication compiles the various topics addressed in the conference editions since its inception in 2013, along with key conclusions and their connection to the Hispania Nostra Awards.

Full programme available here.

On 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the awards ceremony for the 21st Literary Contest for Poetry and Short Stories, organised by the Down Madrid Foundation, took place at the National Library of Spain.

These awards recognise the talent of writers with intellectual disabilities, aiming to promote access to culture and creativity for these artists, as well as to highlight their work in the field of literature. In addition to the categories of Short Story and Poetry, this year saw the introduction of the 1st Four-Handed Tales Contest, featuring stories co-written by a person with an intellectual disability and a support person of their choice. All submitted works are published, with copies deposited in the National Library of Spain.

The awards were made possible thanks to the main collaboration of ACS Foundation and the support of Imprenta Gómez Aparicio, Amazon, the National Library of Spain, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), the General Council of Books, the Spanish University Debate League (LEDU), and the writer Ernesto Uría.

This contest is part of ACS Foundation's support for the development of literacy skills among people with intellectual disabilities, alongside other initiatives by Down Madrid such as the accessible Cuentigo books, easy-read collectibles, a school dictionary, easy spelling workbooks, and easy-to-follow recipe books, all of which enhance the autonomy of people with disabilities.

As part of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Juan Valverde de Amusco (1525–1587), the National Library of Spain (BNE) has unveiled the exhibition Art and Anatomy in the Renaissance: Juan Valverde de Amusco and the History of the Composition of the Human Body. It will be on display until 1 March 2025.

Through this exhibition, the BNE aims to highlight the intersection of art and science by showcasing the most important work of the Palencia-born physician and anatomist, Historia de la composición del cuerpo humano (History of the Composition of the Human Body, Rome, 1556), a key reference in European Renaissance culture. The exhibition explores the scientific and cultural context of the Renaissance, the creation of Valverde’s work, and its artistic reception and impact. It features original editions, enlarged engravings, and significant pieces from the BNE’s collection that illustrate the dialogue between art and science during the Renaissance.

Organised by the BNE in collaboration with the Friends of the BNE Foundation (FABNE) and ACS Foundation the exhibition benefits from the contributions of prominent researchers from the Institute of History at the CSIC José Ramón Marcaida López and Sergio Ramiro Ramírez.

Exhibition brochure available here.

Journalist and opinion columnist José F. Peláez has been awarded the 5th David Gistau Journalism Prize for his article “Un progreso de cercanía” (“A Progress of Proximity”), published in ABC on 19 November 2023. The award, which comes with a prize of €10,000, recognises the literary and journalistic quality of opinion pieces and pays tribute to the career of journalist David Gistau.

The jury for the 5th edition was chaired by Gonzalo Suárez, editor-in-chief of El Mundo, and included Leyre Iglesias, deputy editor of Opinion at El Mundo; Pablo Gil, culture editor at El Mundo; Charo Lagares, deputy editor of La Lectura; Ignacio Camacho, contributor to ABC; Isabel Gutiérrez, journalist and head of International News at ABC; Rosario Pérez, culture reporter at ABC; and Jesús García Calero, director of ABC Cultural.

According to the jury, the winning article "captures a social trend through humour, renews the classic perspective of Spanish columnism, and uses perplexity and self-parody as tools to connect with its readers."

This fifth edition of the award, created by Unidad Editorial and Vocento with the sponsorship of ACS Foundation and Santander, received 200 submissions of journalistic opinion pieces published or broadcast in various formats between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.

Official website: David Gistau Award