The Port Authority of A Coruña has issued a commemorative stamp and poster to mark the 15th anniversary of the Tower of Hercules being declared a World Heritage Site. This declaration took place in Seville on June 27, 2009, during the 33rd meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
The presentation of the stamp, poster, and a specific postmark took place this morning at the Port Authority headquarters, in the room named after the Tower of Hercules. The event was attended by the president of the public body, Martín Fernández Prado; Rosa López Couselo, representing the Main Post Office in A Coruña; the president of the Philatelic Society of A Coruña, José Luis Rey; and Coruña artist Miguelanxo Prado, who provided his drawing “The Guardian” to illustrate this special edition.
In his presentation, Fernández Prado highlighted the symbolism of this anniversary, noting that the Tower of Hercules, “which continues to function as a maritime signal and is a heritage of the Port Authority and all the people of Coruña, also became a World Heritage Site 15 years ago,” a fact widely celebrated by the citizens.
He also thanked Correos and the Philatelic Society for their collaboration on various joint initiatives with the Port Authority in recent years, especially valuing the contribution of Miguelanxo Prado. He recalled that the Coruña illustrator is one of the most prominent Galician artists of recent decades, with a National Comic Award, a finalist for the Goya Awards, founder of Viñetas desde o Atlántico, and creator of an extensive, valuable, and internationally recognized body of work. For this reason, he thanked him for providing “The Guardian,” a personal illustration of the Tower of Hercules, as the central element of this edition, and announced that the Port Authority will continue to promote the cultural heritage of the port, “which belongs to all the people of Coruña.”
The president of the Philatelic Society detailed that the stamp, in vertical panoramic format and valid for national postal shipments, has had a run of 500 units, while 100 numbered copies of the poster have been made. The special postmark will be available for one month at the Main Post Office for those who request it.
Finally, Miguelanxo Prado recalled that he created “The Guardian” in 2008, and it was used in 2009 as the official poster for A Coruña at Fitur to support the candidacy of the Tower of Hercules for UNESCO. He emphasized his personal connection to the Tower, which is omnipresent in his work. “I am a firm believer in connections,” he said, “and the Tower is a magnificent Coruña connection. A connection that must belong to everyone.”
The artist also applauded the initiatives driven by the Port Authority in engaging with the city, particularly the opening of port spaces for public use.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
