The Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, inaugurated on Monday afternoon, July 13, the thirteenth edition of the Ingenio Ethnography and Folklore Campus. In his speech, he emphasized the significant weight of the contribution of the two public Canarian universities to the GDP of the Canary Islands, amounting to 1.6 billion euros annually. "Both universities are the third in the country to contribute the most to their regional GDP, with 2.5%, only behind the Catalan and Andalusian university systems," he stated.
García, who referred to the role of the institution he leads in shaping the current Canary Islands in the town hall's plenary hall, was accompanied at the inauguration by the mayor of the municipality, Vanesa Martín; the Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Trade, and Craftsmanship of the Cabildo, Minerva Alonso; the Rector of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lluís Serra; the director of the festival and president of Coros y Danzas de Ingenio, David Castellano; and Professor Yeray Rodríguez, coordinator of the campus promoted by the ULPGC.
David Castellano warned that the Ethnography and Folklore Campus, which will conclude on July 17, has become a space for reflection based on the experience of knowledge generated in the university sphere. "It allows us to generate and disseminate aspects of the identity heritage of the Canary Islands. We must provoke people's understanding through tradition to strengthen our identity," he said.
The campus coordinator, Yeray Rodríguez, described the initiative as a consolidated project after thirteen editions, highlighting the emerging researcher talent from both Canarian universities who present their work related to heritage each year. Minerva Alonso thanked the Ingenio Coros y Danzas Group for preserving the Canarian popular culture for over 75 years, and stressed the importance of knowing other cultures to foster a more solidary society.
For his part, the Rector of the ULPGC, Lluís Serra, valued folklore as an intrinsic element of the pulse of communities. "The ULPGC projects the cultural practices it generates within itself into the society it serves," he affirmed. The mayor of Ingenio, Vanesa Martín, highlighted the "great evolution and growth in content" of the campus, which unites popular knowledge and scholarly reflection, and invited citizens to enjoy the atmosphere of camaraderie and multiculturalism generated by the festival.
In his speech, the Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, emphasized that the convergence of both universities makes "the current Canary Islands more solid." He recalled the 234 years of history of the ULL, marked by the spirit of the Enlightenment and the generation of knowledge.
García detailed the economic impact of the ULL based on a 2023 study: for every euro of public funds, it generates 3.85 euros in goods and services. The direct return to public coffers is four euros for every euro invested. The economic impact of the ULL represents 0.82% of the Canary Islands' GDP (approximately 525 million euros annually), and its direct and indirect effects generate 1% of the total employment in the region and 2.4% in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The average annual salary of its workers is 48.5% higher than the average in the Canary Islands.
The Rector insisted that the ULL's contribution goes beyond economic figures, including values such as inclusion, equality, and sustainability. He pointed out the university's challenges, such as economic survival, climate change, and the ecological crisis, and the need to confront 'opinionism' with academic and scientific rigor.
