The Intramuros Administration has been named this year’s recipient of the Heritage Award granted by the Association of Heritage Cities of Spain for its efforts to protect Spanish colonial architecture in Manila.
The annual award is given to projects which aim to conserve, restore, promote and disseminate Spanish historical and cultural heritage.
It takes into consideration the quality of these projects, their execution and adaptation to the urban context as well as their role in restoring social activities in the entire historical area, turning them into models for other places, particularly those listed as World Heritage Sites.
Intramuros, the heart and soul of Manila, was founded in 1571. Its commercial expansion and rapid growth in the late 16th century transformed it not only into a metropolis with more than 40,000 inhabitants but also into a popular trading hub for travelers from China, Southeast Asia and Mexico.
The Intramuros Administration created in 1973 implements its projects through the Escuela Taller Intramuros, an initiative of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
Since its inception in 2009, it has trained more than 200 marginalized Filipino youth in the conservation and preservation of their own cultural and architectural heritage, equipping them with the necessary tools to enable them to work in the sector of heritage restoration.
The Association of Heritage Cities of Spain, on the other hand, was formed in 1993 by the municipalities included on the list of the Unesco World Heritage Sites to preserve and promote their cultural heritage through joint initiatives.