The Mayor of Cáceres, Rafa Mateos, attended the founding meeting of the initiative, which aims to strengthen cultural cooperation on both sides of the Spanish-Portuguese border, encourage the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and make use of existing resources across the region to develop new joint projects. During the meeting, members of the alliance shared information about the cultural resources, projects, experiences and expertise they can offer other partners, with the aim of creating synergies and raising the national and international profile of this cross-border region.

Rafa Mateos highlighted the significance of this moment for Cáceres and Évora, with Cáceres bidding to become European Capital of Culture in 2031 and the Portuguese city preparing to hold the title in 2027. "This is a historic opportunity that we must seize, not just for the municipalities represented around this table today, but for the entire cultural sector on both sides of the border," said the Mayor, who stressed the importance of making culture a driving force for transformation and creating new opportunities for Cáceres and Extremadura. Mateos emphasised that the Cáceres 2031 bid has marked "a turning point" for the city. He also highlighted the importance of taking advantage of its strategic location between Madrid and Lisbon, an opportunity which, in his view, has yet to be fully exploited by the region.

Cultural cooperation and exchange

"We must make the most of our geographical position and turn it into a genuine opportunity for cooperation, exchange and international cultural visibility," he stated. The Mayor also welcomed the nature of the alliance, which places the emphasis not on financial contributions but on sharing the resources, heritage and knowledge of each participating institution. "Very often, when we sit around a table, the first question is how much money we are going to contribute. In this case, we are not making any financial contribution, but offering something perhaps even more valuable: our heritage, our material resources and our knowledge," he explained.

In this context, Cáceres will be able to share its experience in the preservation and management of historic heritage, as the city marks 40 years since its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside its ability to embrace contemporary and cutting-edge cultural initiatives. Mateos pointed to the Helga de Alvear Museum and the forthcoming La Fontana Foundation project in the Madruelo building as examples of how historic heritage and new forms of cultural expression can coexist. The Mayor argued that these experiences should help build relationships with other institutions and municipalities in Extremadura and Portugal, encouraging exchanges that allow cultural projects to cross administrative borders and reach wider audiences.

Évora Declaration

The meeting saw the signing of the Évora Declaration, which lays the foundations for an open cross-border cultural community built on trust, reciprocity and a shared commitment to cooperation among its members.

Its objectives include fostering mutual understanding and regular contact between institutions, encouraging the exchange of information, initiatives, artists, researchers and audiences, and identifying resources, spaces and experiences that can be shared.

The declaration also calls for exploring new opportunities for collaboration that strengthen the cultural dimension and national and international profile of the corridor connecting Extremadura and Alentejo.

Each institution will participate voluntarily and progressively, according to its own capacities and availability. The University of Évora will be responsible for coordinating the procedures required for the community to operate.

The declaration represents a shared statement of intent and principles. It is not legally binding and does not automatically create legal, financial or property-related obligations for the signatories. Any future projects requiring specific commitments will be subject to the agreement of the institutions involved and, where appropriate, formalised through the relevant procedures.

Signatory institutions

University of Extremadura
Helga de Alvear Museum
Cáceres City Council
Cáceres Provincial Council
Vostell Malpartida Museum
Mérida City Council
Extremadura Orchestra
Badajoz Provincial Council
Regional Government of Extremadura
Badajoz City Council
Iberian Film Festival
Ortega Muñoz Foundation
MACE – Elvas
Elvas City Council
ARTMOZ
Estremoz City Council
University of Évora
Évora City Council
CCDRA
Eugénio de Almeida Foundation
MEIAC – Extremaduran and Ibero-American Museum of Contemporary Art
Évora 2027
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