During the closing ceremony of the congress, held at the Auditorium of the Provincial Council of Alicante, Pérez emphasized that infrastructure is fundamental for the configuration, structuring, and progress of the territory. He highlighted works such as the Tibi and Guadalest Reservoirs, the Júcar-Vinalopó and Tajo-Segura transfers, and the Port of Alicante as examples of the importance of engineering for the province.
“"These actions not only respond to functional needs but also constitute tangible testimonies of the technical capacity, innovation, and will for progress of our society."
The provincial president stressed the need for administrations to be attentive to the protection of this heritage, arguing that “forgetfulness cannot be what marks the future or the present.” He also noted that tourism, part of the province's “DNA,” highlights the social, economic, environmental, and landscape impact of the territory.
For his part, Minister Óscar Puente called for the care of the heritage “that is traveled,” referring to roads, railways, bridges, and airports, which also tell the history of society. He defended that Spain is a “heritage power” with more than fifty properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, adding that there is a living heritage that does not live apart from daily life.
“"To conserve is not to freeze; it is also to transform with intelligence."
Puente explained that each generation builds upon the previous one, and that his ministerial portfolio carries out the task of custody, maintenance, modernization, and enhancement of a very important part of the country's physical memory. Finally, he convened a meeting for next week to exchange ideas and open new lines of work in this area.
