Trentadue universitari originating from 18 Paesi dell'America Latina si prepareno a tratto del Camino di Santiago from November 12 to 15, 2026. The loro experience will not be a simple excursion: it will be part of the international program of the Botín Foundation dedicated to the training of children with a vocation for the service public The question that accompagna il progetto is also interesting for those who know the benefits of the pellegrinaggio: what thing can insegnare il Cammino a chi a giorno avrà la responsabilità di guidare un comunità?
The journey in Galizia arrives in an advanced phase of the XVII edition of the Program for the Rafforcement of the Public Functions in Latin America. I participated were stati scelti tra 22,454 candidature presented by students of more than 900 universities. The loro comes from the loro percorsi academies are different, but we share the interest in the improvement of the institutions and the future of the rispettivi Paesi.
The initiative, launched by the Botín Foundation in 2010, alternates university training, incontri institutional, field experience and collective work. Dopo le tappe in Colombia and in diverse Spanish cities, the program foresees an activity on the Cammino of Santiago: one space in which to confront not only with idee e teorie, but also with the fact, the time shared and the essence of others.
On November 12, il Cammino launched a leadership school
Second to the program calendar, and 32 days started the Jacobean route scheduled on November 12. The experience includes tap and visit in locality linked to the tradition of the pellegrinaggio, through which Ourense, Augas Santas, the monastery of Oseira and Padrón. The group will travel a little over fifty days in the arc of three days and conclude the activity on November 15 in piazza dell'Obradoiro, in Santiago de Compostela.
If I try to traverse the whole of Spain on foot, I will not present a classic guided by tap. The percorso è stato inserted in an educational project that considers the pellegrinaggio a concrete situation in which we will exercise collaboration, collaboration and reciprocal respect.
Camminare insieme means stop working at a different pace. C'è chi proceeds quickly and chi has bisogno di fermarsi; You prefer silence and conversation in a power source. Sono ordinary situations per qualsiasi pellegrino, ma possono diventare utili spunti di riflessione sul moda de prendere decisionsi e sul rapporto tragli gli obiettivi personali e quelli del gruppo.
Ourense, Oseira and Padrón: luoghi, persone and memory
The location provided in the program has an interest that goes beyond the beauty of the landscape. Ourense is an important portal to understand the journey through internal Galizia. The monastery of Oseira has a long history of religious life, work and accommodation; Padrón, invece, occupies a particular position in the tradition that bequeathed the apostolo Giacomo alla Galizia.
For the Latin American giovani, coming from the diverse cultural contests, this tap can offer the occasion to know the historical and contemporary significance of the life of the pellegrinaggio. The relationship between heritage and community is visible in the piccoli centers, in the places of worship, and in the services that accompany the journey.
The Road is also a social infrastructure built over time. Le frecce gialle, gli ostelli per pellegrini, le associazioni ei volontari showno that an itinerary works when many people do not compete diversi. It is a significant lesson for studying the functioning of the institutions: and the results of the collection are given by the continuity and by the daily responsibility, without letting go of the visibility of the directors.
Integrità, initiative and public service
The Botín Foundation indicates three central principles of the training: integrity, proattività and vocation of service. Sono concetti spesso utilizzati nei programmi di leadership, but during a shared experience we can assume a significant meaning immediately. To ensure that you are impeccable, provide solutions and pay attention to what remains in the future are simple actions that redo the idea of responsibility.
The XVII edition of the program will be launched from October to December 2026 and includes activities in Colombia, Spain, Messico and Brazil. Prima della tapapa galiziana, i partecipanti hanno seguito incontri e laboratories anche a Santander, dove sono entatto contatto coniziative legate allo sviluppo rurale, alla creatività and alla collaboration. The training will soon continue with the planned conclusion on December 3 in Rio de Janeiro.
The project does not end with the journey. Secondly, the data spread by the foundation, the rete of former participants comprises 538 people from 21 countries and around 60% work in the public sector. Il valore dell'esperienza, quindi, sarà da osservare soprattutto nel tempo, atraverso i percorsi professionali ei progetti che i giovani svilupperanno nelle proprie comunità.
An insegnamento that speaks also to Italian pellegrini
The line of the Cammino di Santiago comes as a training space and provides a true knowledge of many Italian courses: the journey is a school of coexistence. Si impara a chiedere indicationzioni, ad accettare l'aiuto degli altri, a convivere con la stanchezza ea ripettare persone che non condividono le nostre abitudini.
In an era in which success comes especially from an individual perspective, the pellegrinaggio proposes another experience. If you can load the destination without transforming it into a container. E si può essere determinati senza dimenticare la gentilezza.
This attention to value emerges in the next step along the way. RTV Camino de Santiago has raccontato, for example, the dibattito sui valori of the pellegrinaggio to Ribadeo e The experience of Giovani Portoricani who have come close to new prospective long il Cammino. Stories differenti, ma unite dal rapporto tra camminare e crecere como personae.
At the moment the 32 university experience must begin. Non-sarebbe corretto attribuire ai partecipanti dichiarazioni or risultati che non sono stati diffusi. The program, however, shows an interesting idea: I will consider the Way not simply as a goal, but as an answer in which riflettere sul significato del servizio agli altri.
The Camino di Santiago does not promise to automatically transform anyone into a leader. Well, remember one essential thing: your guide must first stop walking insieme agli altri.
Fonti: Botín Foundation, official communication; The Voice of Galicia, November 5, 2026.
