The presentation ceremony for the candidacy ‘The material testimonies of the construction of the Pyrenean State: the Co-principality of Andorra’ took place at the Casa de la Vall. This formal step concludes seven years of shared work among the three states, with the official registration scheduled for January 26. The final decision by UNESCO on the recognition is anticipated during 2027.
“"With this candidacy, Andorra not only aspires to international recognition, but to a history that demonstrates that cooperation can be a tool of government, that sovereignty can be exercised in a shared manner, and that tradition and modernity are not opposing concepts, but complementary ones."
“"What we present to UNESCO are the material testimonies of an exceptional form of government: the Co-principality, a unique system in the world, without contemporary equivalent, which has remained alive not by force, but by the capacity for negotiation, pact, and mutual recognition."
The transnational application brings together a total of 12 monuments from various eras, ranging from the Middle Ages to the 16th century. Ten of these assets are located in Andorra, including Sant Joan de Caselles and the Casa de la Vall. The series is completed by the Château de Foix, in France, and the cathedral complex of La Seu d'Urgell, in Spain.
Several authorities attended the event, including the General Syndic, Carles Ensenyat, the Ambassador of Spain to UNESCO, Miquel Iceta, and the Ambassador of France to Andorra, Nicolás Eybalin. The Mayor of La Seu d'Urgell, Joan Barrera, emphasized that international recognition would provide a significant tourist boost for the Alt Urgell territory.
Cross-border cooperation is reinforced by European aid from the POCTEFA 2021-2027 program to PYRÉPAT, aimed at promoting the preservation of common heritage and fostering synergies between Alt Urgell, Andorra, and Ariège.
