The Rodes Urban Technology Park hosted this Monday, September 28th, the 35th General Assembly of RANN, the international network dedicated to the protection, study, and dissemination of Art Nouveau, of which Alcoy is a member. The institutional opening was attended by the Mayor of Alcoy, Toni Francés; the President of RANN and Mayor of Aveiro (Portugal), Luís Souto Miranda; the Councilor for Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Lorena Zamorano; and the Deputy Mayor, Àlex Cerradelo, who welcomed the attendees.
RANN comprises 25 European cities and represents 16 countries, including cities such as Brussels, Riga, Nancy, Palermo, Budapest, Turin, Ljubljana, Aveiro, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Barcelona, and Havana. Mayor Toni Francés highlighted the opportunity for Alcoy to host these professionals, emphasizing the importance of valuing local modernist heritage and bringing it closer to new generations. "Having you here helps us to see it with different eyes and reminds us of the importance of stopping, looking around us, and appreciating what we have so close," he stated.
Francés also emphasized the cooperation within the network, stating, "Being part of this network gives us the opportunity to learn from other cities and from what we have learned along the way. The projects we develop together allow us to continue advancing in this work." Councilor Lorena Zamorano stressed how membership in RANN connects the city with European initiatives and promotes Alcoy's modernist heritage internationally, fostering actions for its promotion, research, and conservation.
Monday's agenda included, in addition to the General Assembly, a workshop for the Art Nouveau as a New EUtopia 2 project, work sessions, and a guided tour of Alcoy's modernist heritage. The program will continue tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29th, with the meeting of the European project Art Nouveau as a New EUtopia, co-financed by the Creative Europe program (2024-2027). This session will involve 33 representatives to exchange methodologies and use Modernism as a tool for cultural dissemination, urban transformation, and economic revitalization.
Within the framework of this project, Alcoy has developed a multilingual tourist database of its modernist buildings, virtual tours of emblematic spaces such as the Conservatory or Casa Laporta, and five promotional videos. The project involved an investment of €11,903.38, with 70% European funding. These events position Alcoy as a meeting point for modernist heritage professionals, showcasing the city's architectural legacy and its conservation and promotion initiatives.
