The mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Judith Piquet, celebrated this milestone, calling it a "historic day" and a deserved international recognition for the major celebration in the hometown of Miguel de Cervantes. Piquet emphasized that this distinction is the result of "work, planning, and a firm commitment to making tourism one of the great economic engines" of the locality.
The mayor acknowledged the work of the Tourism Department, led by the first deputy mayor, Isabel Ruiz Maldonado, and her technical team. "Behind this declaration are many hours of work, preparing the file, promoting Alcalá both inside and outside Spain, and striving to prove the international dimension of our Cervantes Week. It is a city success," stated Piquet.
Piquet recalled that the municipal government's objective was to elevate the Cervantes Week from its national recognition to the highest international category, a goal they "worked to achieve" and have now fulfilled.
She also expressed gratitude for the support of the Community of Madrid, whose processing before the Secretariat of State for Tourism was "fundamental" to complete the process and promote Alcalá as "one of the great cultural and heritage destinations in Spain".
The mayor also thanked the Secretariat of State for Tourism for the favorable evaluation of the file. "Today, above any political differences, is a day to celebrate and be proud of our city," she concluded.
The Cervantes Week, which transforms the historic center of Alcalá de Henares every October, includes the Cervantes Market, the Civic Procession, the Popular Reading of Don Quixote, the Old and Second-hand Book Fair, and the Ciudad de Alcalá Awards, among other activities.
Piquet emphasized that this recognition "belongs to all of Alcalá": those who have worked for years to enhance the Cervantes Week, merchants, hospitality businesses, participating entities and collectives, and "especially, the citizens of Alcalá who make this celebration their own each year".
Finally, the mayor reiterated that Alcalá, "the city of Cervantes and a World Heritage site," demonstrates with this international recognition that it "can compete among the great cultural destinations in Spain and the world".
