Cultural Forum on Sahrawi Heritage Held in Gran Canaria
On October 7, 2026, Gran Canaria hosted a cultural and intellectual forum aimed at promoting Sahrawi culture and highlighting the history of the Sahrawi people’s struggle for freedom and independence. The event took place at the Gran Canaria Island Council headquarters in Las Palmas.
The forum featured a range of activities, including a lecture by Professor Juan Carlos Gimeno from the Autonomous University of Madrid. His presentation focused on Sahrawi society, discussing its unique cultural and historical traits.
Other highlights of the program included the launch of the book Sahrawi Novel and Stories and a screening of the documentary Songs of Resistance. These activities showcased the artistic expressions accompanying the Sahrawi struggle.
Carmelo Ramírez, a supporter of the Sahrawi people and the councilor for international cooperation, and Esther García, president of the Canarian Education Association, oversaw the event. They engaged attendees in discussions about the Sahrawi struggle, identity, and cultural heritage.
The forum also addressed pressing human rights issues in occupied Western Sahara, emphasizing the plight of Sahrawi civilians and political prisoners in Moroccan jails, particularly those on hunger strike. The discussion underscored demands for the release of prisoners and the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
Attendees included Mohamed Saeed, the deputy representative of the Polisario Front in the Canary Islands, as well as researchers, supporters, and members of the Sahrawi community.
The event reinforced the significance of cultural initiatives in advocating for the Sahrawi cause and fostering solidarity between the Sahrawi people and their supporters in the Canary Islands.
