La Jornada: Granada pays tribute to Federico García Lorca

Grenade. In the coming days, Granada pays tribute to its most universal poet, Federico García Lorca, on the 90th anniversary of his murder between August 17 and 18, 1936, when he was shot by the coup side, just one month after the military uprising against the Republic by Franco’s troops, between the Granada towns of Víznar and Alfacar. Until now, García Lorca’s remains have not been found.

Two main events take place in the Spanish province, precisely in the surroundings of the neighboring Granada municipalities. One was institutionally summoned by the Provincial Council of Granada with its Lorca board, while the Granada Truth, Justice and Reparation Association, together with almost twenty groups, associations, unions and left-wing political parties, summoned the other.

Yesterday, the Provincial Council of Granada paid an institutional tribute to all the victims of the Spanish civil war and to Federico García Lorca on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of his murder, in a day that closed with the performance of Alba Molina, accompanied on guitar by Víctor Franco. The event, organized by the provincial institution through the Lorca Board of Trustees, was held in the Federico García Lorca park in Alfacar.

The day began at 9 p.m. with a floral offering at the monolith dedicated to the poet. Later, the institutional interventions were carried out, before giving way to the flamenco musical performance with Víctor Franco on guitar and Alba Molina on singing.

The Provincial Council of Granada and the Lorca board appreciated that this celebration allowed for highlighting the universal dimension of the work of the poet from Fuente Vaqueros and his close relationship with Granada, a province that continues to be linked to his figure through cultural initiatives and the dissemination of his legacy.

The Last Walk commemorative march

The other call is for today starting at 6:30 p.m. in Spain when a new edition of the El Último Paseo commemorative march will be held, convened by the Granada Truth, Justice and Reparation Association, as well as around twenty associations, groups, unions and left-wing parties.

The march is called in tribute to the victims of Franco’s regime in general and, in particular, in memory of Federico García Lorca on the 90th anniversary of his execution. The walk is intended to be a Lorca route starting in the Colonia de Víznar – a farm with a mill that was a holiday colony during the Republic and, later, an improvised prison by the Francoists –, whose end is in the García Lorca park in Alfacar.

In the presentation of the activity, special emphasis has been placed on calling on young people to participate, since they consider it “necessary to inform them about the danger that the extreme right represents for democratic coexistence,” as they stated.

The groups participating in El Último Paseo have expressed their support for the archaeological team of the University of Granada led by Francisco Carrión and have highlighted the work carried out by said group in the graves of the Víznar ravine, where, as they have pointed out, 194 missing people have already been exhumed, in addition to 17 victims have been identified in the same enclave where the poet spent his last hours.

Ceremonies in Madrid

Granada is not the only place where Lorca has been remembered on the anniversary of his execution. The streets of Madrid hosted the performative action last night night sackan artistic proposal in which a sculpture of the poet will tour several strategic enclaves of the capital coinciding with the 90th anniversary of his murder.

The intervention, directed by the Juan Gallery, was part of the Proud Culture program, of the Ministry of Equality, and developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

As a starting point, he took the night sacks recorded during the civil war and the dictatorship to redefine the concept and make the writer “symbolically return to the city.”

In this event, a group of nine artists transported on foot a work made by Fernando Sánchez Castillo that belongs to the exhibition The pilgrim pearl from the Reina Sofía National Art Center Museum.

The itinerary began at 8:30 p.m. at the Velázquez Palace, located in the Retiro Park, and passed through the Cuesta de Moyano, the surroundings of the Prado Museum, the Royal Botanical Garden, Huertas Street and Plaza de Matute, until concluding around 11 p.m. in the Plaza de Santa Ana.