Ship-owner Juan Alvargonzález González set up in the presence of a notary on the 29th of September, 1992 -now 25 years ago- in Oviedo the Alvargonzález Foundation, cultural entity whose headquarters are located in a neighbourhood in Gijón called Cimadevilla; in a 18th century building situated in plaza de la Corrada, which was the household of the family with the founder's first surname.
Until his passing in 2013, the President Founder poured his heart and soul into the consolidation of a cultural institution that nowadays enjoys recognition inside and outside Asturias. With his intelligent and long-term vision, he provided the Foundation with the necessary economic resources and trained the new crew, who are today guarantee of its future.
To mention the principal activities, in its first quarter of a century of existence the Foundation has granted 125 End of Degree awards at the Univeristy of Oviedo, the National University of Distance Education (UNED), the Naval Academy of Marin and the Submarines School of Cartagena. It has awarded a hundred of research scholarships in the Naval Museum of Madrid, the Royal Institute and Naval Observatory of San Fernando, the Higher School of Civil Navy and the Factulty of Arts and Humanities, both from the University of Oviedo.
It has also awarded scholarships to 35 graduates from Higher Conservatories of Music of Spain to take postgraduate studies abroad, and to 270 kids from the neighbourhood of Cimadevilla to take primary and secondary studies. Just like it has given around 75 financial grants to cultural projects of a wide ranging nature.
Its exhibition hall has hosted 260 displays that cover the whole spectrum of visual arts and cultural promotion; and its editorial catalogue has more than 60 titles, which gave light to research work in fields such as maritime history, and the history of Asturias and Gijón.
In the lapse of time of a human, a quarter of a century is a milestone that deserves a retrospective look and a grateful memory. The first one in order to mend past mistakes and make the most of the experience for future projects; and the gratefulness to remember that long-lasting institutions are forged for generations, in a relay race in which the people's life tends to shape, with the passing of time, the characteristics of the institution.
These are the reasons for sending this book to the printing house, to give generous account of what has been made, and with the intention of it being a springboard for, at least, the next 25 years of the Alvargonzález Foundation.
Ramón María Alvargonzález Rodríguez,
Director of the Alvargonzález Foundation
