On Thursday 21 March They were presented in the Assembly Hall of the Quintana headquarters of the University latest performances inside of the Transnational Innovation Research Project for development, cooperation and peace in the world “The route of Valencian cane sugar, from Europe to America”, Project recognized and funded awarded by the European Union and UNESCO for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

These two innovations within this: the creation of the first Virtual Interpretation Center of the Sugar Factory and Refinery of the late Middle Ages in the Kingdom of Valencia  and creation of Virtual Museum of the Valencian Sugar Route. The region's sugar-making tradition dates back to XV century, when there is evidence of the establishment in Valencia of the German trading company of Ravensburg, which began operating in 1420 and, later, of the sugar factory and refiner of this company in the Real de Gandía (province of Valencia) in 1460.

At the event, two conferences, one dictated by the project director, Vicent Mahiques, professor of Economics in the Valencian Community and another for him professor Amador Cernuda (area of ​​Aesthetics and Theory of Arts of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities from the URJC), Principal Investigator. In these they were presented two project documentaries, new publications and were exhibited unpublished archaeological pieces linked to the newly created museum.

This project has the support of three Spanish universities, the Universidad de Valencia, the University of Alicante and Universidad Rey Juan Carlos the Alicia Alonso University Institute of Dance, three Cuban universities, two Colombian universities, a dominican university, two Peruvian universities and several prestigious German, Swiss and Italian universities and institutions, plus three museums from Germany, Switzerland and Spain. At the event they were present authorities from the Generalitat Valenciana, mayors and other political and cultural leaders of the regions geographically involved.

La sugar recovery route is a project supported by important international, national and local cultural institutions that puts the emphasis on an area of ​​innovation in Spain originating in the Valencian Community and From Europe, it has influenced globally. La recuperación of these knowledge and facts fully enters into the UNESCO activities, which has like one of its missions is the recovery of Intangible Cultural Heritage  o “living” heritage. The importance of this type of heritage es key because it instills a feeling of identity and continuity to communities and contributes to build invulnerable, inclusive and peaceful societies.

The project has also been supported by important artistic institutions and international artistsand prestigious Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Pratts, renowned classical Cuban pianist and jazz Pepe Rivero, Spanish trumpeter (recognized as the best in the world) Manuel Blanco, the prestigious international Serbian-Swiss violinist and soloist Mirka Scepanovic and the renowned international Valencian pianist Claudio Carbó, who also actively participate in the project.

Photographs: Virtual Museum of the Valencian Sugar Route