Summary of the planned activities for the commemoration of the Delibes Centenary 

Today the official presentation act of the Delibes Centenary took place in the town hall of Valladolid. This means the start of the commemorative year of the birth of the author. 

Valladolid, 29th of November 2019Elisa Delibes de Castro, president of the Miguel Delibes Foundation, has designed an activity-plan for the Centenary. These activities can be found in the following lists: 

  •  “Delibes 1920-2020”, in the National Library of Spain in Madrid (Inauguration 19th March – closure 21st of June 2020) 
  • Afterwards, this exhibition will relocate to Valladolid. It is set to open in September and close in December 2020. 
  • Exhibitions in the national spectrum: “Los dibujos de El Camino” (The Drawings of El Camino), “Cazando Imágenes” (Hunting Images), “Cinco Horas con Mario” (Five Hours with Mario), “Delibes, Patria Común” (Delibes, Common Homeland). Furthermore, a few additional expositions are projected in Uruena, Villa del Libro and Molledo, Cantabria. 
  • In the international scope, travelling exhibitions together with the Instituto Cervantes and AECID are going to be created. Each of these exhibitions will get supplemented by presentations, discussion panels and other activities. 

Audio-visual area: 

  • Currently, conversations with the public television, TVE, are held in order to produce a series and/or a documentary based on the different characters of Delibes works. This TV-Chanel is also elaborating a special program inside the series of Los Imprescindibles, called “La X de MAX”. 
  • Collaborations with different radio-stations are also scheduled, such as emissions of already recorded material, audio books or interviews with people who maintained a special and personal relationship with the author. 
  • In the cinematic spectrum, the film festival SEMINCI will pay tribute to Delibes. It is likely that this activity will be about the film adaption of El Hereje, something that was already planned after the publication of the novel but never happened. 
  • A film cycle is planned, where cinematic adaptions of Delibes’ novels will be visible in the Academia de Cine de Madrid. 
  • Another film cycle is planned for a TV-Chanel (one film per month, during 2020), related to or based on the works of Delibes. Afterwards, a debate about the humanistic values and Delibes’ personality will take place and is going to count with the collaboration of several recognised specialists and experts of the linguistic, literary, cinematic and cultural area. 
  • Musical acts (opera based on “Cinco Horas con Mario”, rock based on “El Hereje” and classical music concerts) 

Educational area: 

  • The creation of a digital learning platform has been suggested. A special focus is set on adolescents and scholars. The main aim of the platform is to amplify the learning of the Spanish language by using as examples text fragments of Delibes’ books. Here, the recoupment of vocabulary will play a central role. The usage of digital platforms will provide the chance to investigate the meaning of certain terms but will also offer the opportunity of linking each term to a descriptive image or text. 
  • This platform is also planned to provide more information about the protection of the environment, explaining basic concepts of biodiversity and conversation through text analysis of Delibes works. 
  • The Miguel Delibes Foundation is also working together with schools, associations, libraries and other cultural centres to create the following activities: 
  • Educational program Delibes in the classroom, targeted to primary and high school teachers, to show fundamental aspects of Delibes works, selecting the most appropriate material for the younger audience 
  • Award for the Best classroom experience, for teachers who elaborate projects together with their pupils based on Miguel Delibes. This activity is restricted to the area of Castile and Leon. The criteria that must be followed in order to participate can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.fundacionmigueldelibes.es/2-edicion-premio-mejores-experiencias-didacticas/ 
  • Learning aid about El Camino, that also includes material of the exposition Los dibujos de El Camino, teaching guides for primary and secondary school, copies of drawings etc. 
  • Excursion to Uruena, in collaboration with the E-LEA centre, the Joaquín Días Foundation and the Jorge Guillén Foundation for the visit of different exhibitions 
  • Excursion to Molledo, Cantabria, with a guided visit of El Camino 
  • Educational elements for children, e.g. doing handicrafts 
  • Collaboration with the LINA festival, focussed on children’s literature  

Journalistic area 

  • Cycle “Cronistas del siglo XXI” (chroniclers of the 21st century): the cycle has the aim of analysing the current situation of the journalistic profession and the challenges it faces in a more globalised and informed society. Therefore, important veteran and younger journalists will participate, analyse and discuss the moment journalism is going through. 
  • National Journalism Awards “Miguel Delibes” organised by the Press Association of Valladolid. The Miguel Delibes Foundation is a member of the jury and will hand over a sculpture with a seated effigy of Miguel Delibes, made by Luis Santiago, with a value of 3000€. 
  • Participation HAY Festival Segovia 
  • Participation EÑE Festival, activities related to the new way of storytelling in Spanish 
  • Press Association Madrid: suggestion of incorporating a workshop about Delibes, with conferences and discussion panels 

Academic area 

  • Workshop dedicated to Miguel Delibes during the International Congress of the Language, that will take place in June 2020 in Salamanca. Supplementary activities directed to Spanish professors and Spanish students abroad. 
  • Handing over the title of trading intendant in the faculty of economy in the UPV/EHU Bilbao. 
  • Publication of a book that gathers essays about Delibes’ way of narrating, compiled by 20 professors who teach Spanish abroad, coordinated by Agustín Cuadrado (University of Texas, Austin) 
  • Tribute and activity program at the Universidad de Valladolid 

Publications, editions: reprints and commemorative editions: 

  • Publishing house Destino. Commemorative reprint of his works. 
  • El Camino (prologue by Sergio del Molino) 
  • Los Santos Inocentes (prologue by Manuel Vilas) 
  • Instituto Cervantes. Commemorative Edition about his welcoming speech at the Cervantes Award. 
  • Possible publication of El Hereje in an illustrated version and in a graphic novel format 

Internationalization programs: 

  • Several different activities are planned in the United States, India, Mexico, Europe… 

Communication strategy: 

At last, the communication strategy is focussed on new communication forms through digital platforms and social media, therefore, we created the following website www.centenariodelibes.es, a Twitter account (@Delibes2020), Facebook account (Centenario Delibes) and an Instagram account (centenariodelibes), that is going to provide daily information under the hashtag #CentenarioDelibes.