Ángel Miramontes, the director general of Cultural Heritage, emphasised the dedication of various entities and individuals to preserving the values of the Camino de Santiago during the presentation of the XXVI Elías Valiña awards. The awards recognise efforts to promote and protect the historic pilgrimage routes associated with the Camino, which extends beyond Galicia, the region in north-western Spain where the Camino is most famous.
The 2025 award was awarded to the Confraternidade Saint James of Croatia, a group credited with revitalising medieval pilgrimage routes from Croatia to Santiago de Compostela. They have marked over 2,387 kilometres of this route and are committed to promoting the Camino de Santiago across Europe.
Laima Liucija Andrikienè, a former Member of the European Parliament, received a special mention for her role as a founder of the Camino de Santiago in Lithuania, which currently features four internationally recognised pilgrimage routes. Her contributions have been pivotal, particularly during her time in the European Parliament.
During the ceremony, a representative from the Consellería de Cultura, Lingua e Xuventude, highlighted the significance of the awards, stating that they celebrate the efforts of non-profit organisations in protecting and promoting the Jacobean routes, which are a valuable cultural heritage that transcends local boundaries. The award, named after Elías Valiña Sampedro, a key figure in the recovery of the Camino and promoter of the iconic yellow arrows that guide pilgrims, includes a €15,000 grant for projects aimed at protecting and promoting the Jacobean Route.
Valiña Sampedro was also a noted scholar of the Camino, authoring significant works such as El Camino de Santiago: estudio histórico-jurídico in 1971 and initiating the first Bulletin of the Camino de Santiago.
