Most important milestones in the History of the Association

• 1987
  The Association “Amigos del Camino de Santiago” of the Valencian Community was constituted in Valencia on July 7, 1987 and was registered in the Register of Associations on October 13, 1987 with the number 3.327. The Association “Amigos del Camino de Santiago” of the Valencian Community was constituted in Valencia on July 7, 1987 and was registered in the Register of Associations on October 13, 1987 with the number 3.327. On 28 December 1994 it was registered in the Register of Entities for the Promotion of the Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago de Compostela of the Xunta de Galicia, with number 25.
  Its first important action was its presence in the I Forum of Jaca in 1987, with its presentation ” Camino de estrellas “.
• 1988
  In June 1988, we signed the Constitution of the Coordinadora de Asociaciones del Camino de Santiago, in the town of Frómista (Palencia).
  
• 1991
  In 1991, we presented the lecture ‘El Camino de Levante, otra ruta hacia Compostela’ at the First International Congress ‘Camino de Santiago Vía de la Plata’, celebrated in Zamora.
  
• 1992
  In 1992 The Association organised the Annual Assembly of the Coordinadora de Asociaciones del Camino de Santiago, which took place in the Salón Real del Real Monasterio de Santa María de El Puig (Valencia). In this assembly the agreement was taken to constitute itself in National Federation of Associations, whose Constitution Act would be signed in Carrión de los Condes (Palencia). As an association, its representatives walked from Seville to Santiago de Compostela in support of the recognition of the Via de la Plata as the Camino de Santiago.
  
• 1993
  In 1993, we presented the lecture ‘Los caminos a Santiago en el Reino de Valencia’ at the Third International Congress of Jacobean Associations celebrated in Oviedo.
  
• 1993-1996
  Between 1993 and 1996 it was responsible for the care and hospitality of the pilgrim hostel of Frómista (Palencia).
  
• 1996
  In 1996 we presented the conference “Presence of pilgrims in the General Hospital of Valencia in the XVI century” at the IV International Congress of Jacobean Associations held in Carrión de los Condes (Palencia). Also in 1996 we edited the book “Los Caminos de Santiago en Valencia ayer y hoy. I. The Camino de Levante”.
  
• 1997
  In 1997 we participated with our advice in the recording of the first documentary about the Camino de Valencia a Santiago en la Comunidad Valenciana, by Trivisión.
  The FIRST International Short Story Award “Vieiragrino” is announced biannually.
  
• 1998
  In 1998 it organized the First International Congress of Pilgrims. In the same year it collaborated with the Consellería de Medi Ambient in the marking of the Via Augusta, València-La Font de la Figuera.
  
• 1999
  In 1999, he was awarded the “Elías Valiña” Prize for his work in the recovery and promotion of the Way of Saint James. He took part in the Second European Meeting on Roman Roads in the Mediterranean with the presentation ‘La Vía Augusta, Camino de Santiago’. He also edited the “Topoguide of the Way from Valencia to Santiago” and ” The Acts” of the First International Congress of Pilgrims.
  
• 2004
  In 2004, it edited ‘Guía De Valencia a Santiago, otra ruta a Compostela’, a book that was awarded the seventh edition of the Bancaja-UPV Prize for the mapping project and the honourable title of ‘Libro de interés Turístico Nacional’. That same year we also published the book “Presencia de peregrinos en el Hospital General de Valencia en el s XVI (1543-1601)”, a book that gathers the research carried out in the Archives of the mentioned hospital.
  
• 2005
  In 2005, he carried out the second edition of “Guía De Valencia a Santiago, otra ruta a Compostela”.
  
• 2007
  In 2007, with the sponsorship of the ‘Dirección Xeral de Turismo’ of the Xunta de Galicia and the Xerencia del Plan Xacobeo, it organised the project ‘La Traslatio literaria y xacobea’, a pilgrimage by sea from Valencia to Santiago.
  
• 2008
  In 2008 it promoted the permanent signposting of the Levante Way and obtained its pre-homologation as a long-distance path “Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239”.
  
• 2009
  In 2009, we were granted by the Federation of Mountain and Climbing Sports of the Valencian Community the certificate of homologation of the road to Valencia as GR 239 CAMINO DE SANTIAGO DE LEVANTE. Also the Federation of Mountain Sports of Castilla La Mancha, the Federation of Mountaineering Madrileña and the Federation of Mountain Sports, Climbing and Trekking of Castilla y León have granted us the pre-approval of the road as GR.
  The General Assembly of the Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago, held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria between 27 and 29 March, agreed to approve the request of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana for the next International Congress of Jacobean Associations to be held in Valencia in 2011. In this concession it was taken into account that the Association was developing a magnificent work in favor of the Roads to Santiago, mainly the Levante.
  
• 2010
  In 2010 a good part of the Camino de Santiago de Levante was marked as GR 239: in the province of Albacete, in the municipalities of Almansa, Bonete, Higueruela, Hoya Gonzalo and Chinchilla, with the collaboration of the Asociación Desarrollo Comarca Monte Ibérico Corredor de Almansa, the whole province of Toledo (El Toboso, Quintanar de la Orden, Puebla de Almoradiel, Villa de D., etc.). Fadrique, Villacañas, Tembleque, Mora, Almonacid de Toledo, Nambroca, Burguillos de Toledo, Cobisa, Toledo, Rielves, Barcience, Torrijos, Santo Domingo Caudilla, Maqueda, Escalona and Almorox) with the collaboration of the Toledo Provincial Council. In the province of Madrid, the municipality of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, with the collaboration of Proder Sierra Oeste de Madrid.
  
• 2011
  In 2011 part of the Camino de Santiago de Levante was signposted as GR 239: municipal district of Nava del Rey (Valladolid). In 2011, the IX International Congress of Jacobean Associations “The Mediterranean at the Origin” was also held.
  It has received for the second time the Bancaja-UPV Award in its XIV edition to the project Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239.
• 2012
  In 2012 the Association celebrated its XXV Anniversary with various activities, including the publication of the Acts of the IX International Congress of the Spanish Federation of Jacobean Associations “The Mediterranean in the Origin” and the minting and presentation of the official Medal of the Association.
• 2013
  In 2013 the Association met in Ávila with other existing associations in the Camino de Levante in order to work together. In June we were granted the homologation of the Camino de Santiago de Levante, GR-239, also as an equestrian way, the first way to Santiago homologated as such IE-016. A new edition of the Guide, Camino de Santiago de Levante, GR-239, was edited and the book INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORTS AWARD “VIEIRAGRINO” was published. Valencia April 2013, which were presented throughout the year. In September, the new edition of the guide was published in Spanish, “Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239”.
  With the collaboration of the A-A.C.S. C.V. and American Pilgrims on the Camimo, together with the Castronuño City Council, at the end of this year the municipal pilgrim hostel was inaugurated in Castronuño (Valladolid).
• 2014
  In 2014, the Association collaborated with the Association of Parkinson’s patients in the preparation of their pilgrimage to Santiago, also giving them the “credentials” in a joint act with Archbishop Carlos Osoro.
  It edited the book of poems with the title “ANGROIS”, dedicated to the neighbors of this district of Santiago for their generosity in the accident of the Alvia train.
• 2015
  In 2015 we collaborated with the Association of anticoagulated and dialysis patients, with the ONCE and with schools in the Valencian Community and Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago. It participated in the Fairway Santiago Fair with the presentation of three papers.
• 2016
  In 2016 it continued with the signalling of the Way of Santiago de Levante, both as the Camino de Santiago and GR-239 in the Provinces of Ávila, Valladolid and Zamora in Castilla y León and Albacete and Cuenca in Castilla-La Mancha.
• 2017
  In 2017 it signalled the Way of Santiago de Levante GR-239 with the company QF Turismo active in the region of La Costera, with a subsidy from the Diputación de Valencia. We changed our address. Signposting in Castilla y León with the collaboration of American Pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR239 with the homologated signs of a long-distance path and signposting of the road. We continue to collaborate with schools and other entities. We celebrated in Valencia the XVII Meeting of Jacobean associations, with concert of the group Lluís Vic Vocalis with the music “A largo del Camino”
• 2018
  During 2018, the Association has signalled the Levante Way in the itinerary within the city of Valencia. The signposting consisted of incrusting on the sidewalks a metal plate (brass) with the scallop, less aggressive to the eye within the historic center of the city of Valencia than the placement of a ceramic with scallop, more in line with the citizen environment and more visible to the pilgrim, because it will be placed at their feet and in front, with the aim of identifying the path to follow, in the same way as other cities, such as Leon, Oviedo, Vitoria or Brussels. With the placement of the metal tiles on the route (about 4 km), pilgrims will not get lost in the crossroads of the streets and at the junctions of the new rounds of the city roads. The visual impact will be gratifying not only for the pilgrims but also for the citizens who walk along this same road. The beneficiaries will be above all the increasing number of foreign pilgrims who will be able to follow the route in complete safety without having to ask the passers-by. We have counted on the collaboration of Valencia City Council, to correct all building permits and Heritage.
  We have added new signposting of the Camino de Santiago from Valencia in Galicia and the Province of Cuenca. In addition, through the years the Cultural Weeks, the thematic exhibitions, the conferences, the concerts, the edition of books, the Vieiragrino Prize is maintained, investigating ways and archives, treading paths, finding vestiges all the times that the pilgrim steps crossed the Communities that crosses this way.
• 2019
  We participated with the Levante-Southeast Coordinator in Medina del Campo (Valladolid), to consolidate a Federation.
  We participated in the “Ruristur” Tourism Fair in the town of San Clemente (Cuenca). Population located on our Camino de Santiago de Levante. GR-239.
  We have collaborated with Voluntariado Mapfre and Asociación Down Valencia.
  We have donated to the Municipality of Nava del Rey (Valladolid), 4 bunk beds (8 beds), for the new hostel and with that of La Pobla Llarga (Valencia), with civil liability insurance, for its new hostel. Both towns are located on our Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239.
• 2020
  Only three months of activities, due to the great Covid-19 pandemic that has loomed over the world.
  The Association has collaborated among other entities with: “El Camino con Correos”. The Department of Tourism has integrated us into the Crea Turisme Program, Associated with the Grail Route.
  The Xunta de Galicia granted all the Friends Associations the Castelao Prize.
• 2021
  We participated in the Encende o Xacobeo program, promoted by the Xunta de Galicia, for being the Jacobean Holy Year, illuminating the Door of the Cathedral of Santa María, in the city of Valencia; the MUMA (Municipal Museum), in the town of Alzira (Valencia) and the façade of the Church of San Pedro Apostle, in the town of La Pobla Llarga Valencia). Towns are located on our Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239.
  We edited the poetry book: “The path of the stars. O camiño das estrelas. El camí dels estels”. With the collaboration of poets from different communities and with the help of the Xunta de Galicia.
  We collaborate in the Google Arts & Culture project, with the theme “The experience of the Camino”. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/LgWhxXKQ8Q9M-g
  Through this sustainable project, the Asociación Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana was asked by Turismo Cultural de la Generalitat, to ask us which town in the province of Valencia through which the Camino de Levante passes (already included in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. BOE Núm. 11 del jueves 13 de enero de 2022, Sec. III OTHER PROVISIONS 553 Order ICT/1528/2021 of 30 Dec. Page 3336 CHAPTER I. General provisions: Article 3. Territorial scope c) Other roads: Camino de Levante), was the most deserving in terms of BIC monuments, to receive the aid established by the Ministry, and the Association proposed the town of Alzira for having BIC its historic centre and for the dedication and support to the Camino de Levante. And so it is stated on page 13 of the National Tourist Plan: Casa Real Alzira 2.300.000 € and the wall of Alzira 400.000 € respectively.
  In the year 2021 due to the pandemic, the Government of Spain drew up an aid plan to promote the roads to Santiago and the tourism reported by pilgrims and travellers, whether tourists or not, called NATIONAL TOURIST PLAN, in which, a section was: Sustainable projects of maintenance and rehabilitation of historical heritage for tourist use of the roads to Santiago, in which it is said that Spain is a reference country in cultural and historical wealth and this has a strong impact on tourism. In 2019, there were 17,199 Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC) registered in Spain (172 BIC and 794 BRL along the route of the Camino de Levante as it passes through the province of Valencia).
  Given the importance, magnitude and attractiveness of the historical and cultural heritage for tourist use, the aim is to develop a strategy for its conservation and adaptation, in order to improve Spain’s tourist offer, the quality of the product and its balanced distribution, especially in areas affected by depopulation.
  We sign again the GR 239 Camino del Levante in Castilla y León from Arévalo to Zamora.
  We present the book “El camino de las estrellas. O camiño das estrelas. El camí dels estels”, in the Viveros Museum Room, within the celebration of the Book Fair. At the MUMA of Alzira and at the Ateneo Mercantil of Valencia, the inaugural conference was given by the Former President of the Association Mª Ángeles Fernández. We have the presence of the Councilor of the Xunta de Galicia, together with the Concilyarte Association.
  We attended the Jacobean Forum in Santiago de Compostela.
• 2022
  Talks in schools in towns through which the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239 passes and we walk with them along said route.
  We participated with the Association of Women in March Alfafar (Valencia), with the Cultural Days scheduled for 2021 and which was postponed due to the pandemic, like so many other activities. With a photography exhibition, book presentation, round tables, film screenings and cultural outings around the Camino de Santiago. “Levante Route”.
  The thirteenth edition of the “Vieiragrino” short story awards is being held.
  We celebrate the festivity of Santiago with a great concert by the Martín I Soler Philharmonic Orchestra of Valencia, in the Church of Santa Catalina Mártir in the city of Valencia.
• 2023
  Two informative panels of the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239 are placed in the city of Valencia and in the town of Algemesí.
  Talks in schools of towns through which the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239 passes and we walk with them along said route.
  Celebration of the XXXVI Annual Assembly of the Spanish Federation of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in our city, Valencia. With reception at the City Hall.
  Homologation of the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239 on the route in Castilla La Mancha, by FMCM.
  We gave the prizes to the winners of the Short Stories prize in its thirteenth edition.
  Attendance at the II World Meeting of Associations of the Camino de Santiago in Compostela.
  Interview with mayors of the province to open hostels.
  Donation of the books edited by the Association and the “Vieiragrino” newsletters to the Library of Galicia.
  Publication of new brochures for the Camino de Santiago de Levante GR-239.