Santa Cruz de Tenerife Focuses on Historical Memory for LGTBIQA+ Pride Celebrations

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is marking this year’s LGTBIQA+ Pride with a program that goes beyond traditional celebrations, focusing instead on historical memory and intellectual discussion. The City Council has designed an agenda that uses culture to challenge mainstream narratives and highlight voices that have historically been sidelined.

The highlight of the program is a colloquium titled "TELLING (ONESELF). Bodies, memory, and representation," taking place on June 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the Círculo de Bellas Artes Library. The event is free to attend and will include sign language interpretation. It will feature a panel of experts—journalist and documentarian Valeria Vegas, poet and playwright Ángelo Néstore, and academic José Antonio Ramos Arteaga—moderated by cultural manager Patricia Figuero. The discussion will explore how literature, the arts, and popular culture help shape role models for future generations.

In addition to this academic focus, the city is showing its support through symbolic gestures, such as decorating local landmarks and updating municipal signage for the occasion. The City Council is also supporting the island-wide demonstration in La Orotava by providing special public transport from the Santa Cruz Interchange to help residents attend.

Led by Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez and the Department of Equality and Affective-Sexual Diversity, these initiatives aim to combine political action with thoughtful reflection, reinforcing the city’s commitment to protecting the rights and freedom of expression of the LGTBIQA+ community.