SPAR Gran Canaria reaffirms its commitment to the Canarian cultural heritage by uniting generations through the tradition of verse singing

 

SPAR Gran Canaria has renewed for the eighth consecutive year its collaboration agreement with the Canary Foundation Ochosílabas and the School of Verse Singers of Gran Canaria, reaffirming its commitment to the conservation and dissemination of the oral tradition of improvisation in verse, one of the most valuable expressions of the intangible cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.

 

 

Through this agreement, the company supports the cultural, educational and social work carried out by the Ochosílabas Foundation to preserve this legacy, promote the training of new verse improvisers and bring this cultural expression closer to the public, guaranteeing its continuity among present and future generations.

 

SPAR Gran Canaria's support also highlights the value of older people as transmitters of knowledge, experiences, and traditions that form part of the Canarian identity. The company continues to promote initiatives that foster intergenerational connections, creating spaces where seniors, young people, and schoolchildren share learning experiences and strengthen their connection to their cultural roots.

 

The president of SPAR Gran Canaria, Ángel Medina, stated that “at SPAR Gran Canaria we are very proud to contribute to keeping our culture and traditions alive, especially in partnership with an organization like the Ochosílabas Foundation, which has managed to involve more than a thousand participants in the dissemination and learning of the art of improvisation in verse.”

 

For his part, the president of the Ochosílabas Canary Foundation, Yeray Rodríguez, emphasized the importance of this continued support. “In initiatives like this, it is essential to value sustained commitment over time. SPAR Gran Canaria has been a constant ally for eight years, contributing to strengthening and expanding our cultural and educational work,” he stressed.

 

Thanks to this collaboration, the Foundation was able to develop numerous activities last year aimed at different audiences and generations. Among them, the work carried out with the Clotilde Cruz Peña School stands out. This school, comprised of senior students from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), exemplifies how oral tradition finds its main guardians and transmitters in older people.

 

Likewise, the agreement made it possible to promote a pilot project for cultural revitalization in Tasarte, in La Aldea de San Nicolás, where the verse tradition becomes a tool for community participation and strengthening of local identity.

 

The collaboration also helped cover the travel expenses of Foundation members to various locations on the island and will allow them to continue the training and outreach programs they run throughout the year. These include the Canarian Verse School, aimed at primary school students; the Clotilde Cruz Peña School, comprised of senior students from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC); the Nieves Clemente Verse School, geared towards university students; and the Tasarte Verse School.

 

Through these initiatives, oral tradition becomes a bridge between generations, allowing the knowledge and experience accumulated by older people to inspire children and young people to develop creative, communicative, and artistic skills related to improvised verse. In this way, the transmission of a living heritage is fostered, one that continues to evolve thanks to the interest and participation of new generations.

 

SPAR Gran Canaria continues to support an initiative that helps preserve and project into the future one of the most unique expressions of Canarian culture. The company maintains its firm commitment to actions that strengthen social cohesion, promote intergenerational dialogue, and ensure that the traditions that form part of our identity remain alive, shared, and enriched by those who inherit them.

 

About SPAR Gran Canaria

 

SPAR Gran Canaria is the only supermarket chain with 100% Canarian capital present in all 21 municipalities of the island. Through its online sales channel, SPAR Gran Canaria offers top-quality, fresh, local produce. The chain remains the sales leader in the fruit and vegetable category and a benchmark food company thanks to its friendly service, quality, and personalized attention.