First of all, we would like to sincerely welcome you to Madrid. This year we are very excited to be hosting the 12th Historical Secondary Schools conference which we were commended, in July 2017, by the National Association for the Protection of Historical Secondary Schools Heritage.
The two secondary schools organizing the conference, Isabel la Católica and San Isidro, have been founding members of the Association and have taken part in the annual meeting since it started in 2007. Both schools are eager to sustain the interest and enthusiasm of previous meetings, and to help promote the dissemination, understanding, and conservation of the Historical Secondary Schools Heritage. San Isidro School is one of the oldest educational institutions in Spain –successor of the Estudios de la Villa and the Colegio Imperial. It also epitomises the recognition of the history of education. Isabel la Católica School was formerly Instituto-Escuela, the institution that best represents the educational innovation accomplished early in the 20th century in Spain. This conference has a special meaning for the latter since it will be part of the events marking the centennial of the Instituto-Escuela.
But there is another celebration that involves us all. 2018 has been declared European Year of Cultural Heritage. This is a good opportunity to reflect on the possibilities that our heritage offers to reconstruct the history of Spanish education. Furthermore, we must use this opportunity to consider the new challenges of the digital era, in order to preserve it in the best conditions and to use it in an educational context. Moreover, it will be the occasion to pursue the legal protection that educational heritage needs.
The meeting will take place from 2nd to 5th July and we hope to see you there. Those of us involved in the organization are looking forward to it and hope that you will find it insightful.