The Camino de Santiago Associations of Friends received the 2020 Castelao Medal

Today, President of the Xunta de Galicia Alberto Núñez Feijoo presented one of the 2020 Castelao Medals to Luis Gutiérrez Perrino, President of the Spanish Federation of the Camino de Santiago Associations of Friends, who collected the award on behalf of all the Camino de Santiago Associations of Friends.

The Camino de Santiago Associations of Friends are non-profit institutions found across the world that have worked for decades to conserve the Jacobean Route through the dissemination of its values and care of pilgrims.

These entities first emerged in 1950 in Paris, France. They were initially born as heirs to the old guilds of pilgrims to Santiago (also known as brotherhoods and fraternities) that extended across Europe between the 12th and 18th centuries with the aim of helping pilgrims on their journey to the distant destination of Compostela. By offering pilgrims their hospitals, information on the route, help, etc.; the brotherhoods altruistically supported pilgrims.