The Xunta de Galicia on 9 October 2026, at a celebration of Día de la Hispanidad at the Embassy of Spain in Montevideo for the Xacobeo 2027 promotion. Galicia was represented as the guest region of honour. Regional government representatives stressed the importance of the Galician community in Uruguay and the strength of bilateral ties as a boost to the international profile of the Holy Year 2027.
According to the regional government, the event was attended by the Secretario Xeral da Emigración, Antonio Rodríguez Miranda, the Comisario of Xacobeo 2027, Marcos Gómez, and the Xunta’s Delegada in Uruguay, Elvira Domínguez. They outlined preparations under way and pointed to programmes intended to build bridges between diaspora engagement, culture and tourism. These include the funding programme O teu Xacobeo, which brings together initiatives by institutions, associations and businesses to take part in the Holy Year.
With its appearance in Montevideo, the Xunta is continuing its strategy of positioning the 2027 pilgrimage and cultural year internationally at an early stage. The regional government says it is working on a sponsorship and patronage scheme to provide financial support for public programme planning. Relevant guidelines and procedures are set out in the applicable government documents; they aim to encourage wider participation by businesses and civil society groups. No specific forecasts for visitor numbers or economic impact in 2027 were given at the event.
The Galician presence on the Río de la Plata has traditionally been significant: many people of Galician descent live in Uruguay and are organised in cultural associations and networks. The regional government believes these structures can help strengthen the international profile of the Way of St James and associated events. The assessments of the ‘strength’ of relations and their benefit to Xacobeo 2027, given at the reception at the Embassy of Spain, are attributable to the government representatives involved.
The event in Montevideo took place three days before Spain’s National Day, when official receptions are held around the world. The Xunta used the occasion to highlight funding instruments already in place and the opportunity to establish further partnerships for the 2027 programme year. The government gave no details of additional events in the run-up to the Holy Year. Its central message was that the strong bond between Galicia and Uruguay should be used to boost the international reach of Xacobeo 2027.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).