Welcome to Cehegín - Spain and to the 144th edition of the Forum Song Contest (FSC).
Theme: ‘Spain: A Tribute to Pioneer Women’
Winner FSC January 2021
Congratulations! ^^
The Host city for this FSC #144-edition is : Cehegín - Spain, a town and municipality in the Coma
rca del Noroeste of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia , Spain . It is situated 66
km from the city of Murcia. It has a population of approximately 16.500. It's crossed by the rivers
Argos and Quipar, both which are tributaries of the river Segura which runs through Murcia region
The name Cehegín , is sometimes connected by Spanish historians with that of the Zenaga , Sen
haja or Senajeli , a North African tribe, which invaded Spain in the 11th century. The whole of this
territory is layer upon layer of all the various cultures that did establish themselves here , the first
settlers going back to 2400 BC. Reconquered by Alphonse VI Cehegín is a vast hilltop monument
Cave paintings at Peña Rubia , a few kilometers outside the town, attest to the area being settled
during pre-historic times . The town of Begastri, now abandoned, was settled during the later Bro
nze Age , & was an important town during the time , that the region was occupied by the Romans
& the Visigoths . With arrival of Moors , the town center shifted to its present location at Cehegín.
The Cehegín Cross was found at the archaeological site of aforementioned Begastri , the former
location of the town built in the 5th century ad, a fortified city that lasted until 11th century when
the Moors moved the town to its current location. This cross was not a religious one but it's a be
autiful symbol of the town & all the different civilizations , that have been there through the ages.
Remains of the Moorish city walls can still be seen , for example at the "Puerta de Caravaca." The
Archaeological Museum can also be found in the Old Town , where the ex.hibition includes also a
small fragment of Attic red-figured pottery , dated to 4th century BC. Many conquistadores return
ed from South America , with their bountiful riches , & built large manorial houses in the Old Town
The Old Town has been revitalised recently by an influx of foreign (most British) buyers, who have
renovated many older properties that were falling into disrepair. Before it was given the name Ceh
egín the town was called Bigastro (not tobe confused with the district of Bigastro in the Valencian
Community) and began to be an episcopal see when the bishop of Cartagena fled there after war.
It remained a bishopric until Bigastro in its turn was destroyed by Arabs at the end of the 7th cent
ury . No longer a residential diocese , Bigastro is today listed by the -Catholic Church- , as a titular
see. The pilgrimage town of Caravaca de la Cruz is located ca 5 mins west of Cehegín. Access to
the town from Murcia , was much improved by the construction of the C 415 motorway , in 1990s
The area has traditionally , been an important source of marble , particularly red marble , which is
exported as far afield as Japan and Argentina . Agriculture has also been important , with apricot
and peach grown on irrigated soils, and olive, almond and vines grown on the drier land. Much of
the local produce is pulped into fruit juices in canning facilities in the town. Are local businesses.
‘Spain: A Tribute to Pioneer Women’
‘A Journey: From Arenal to Salas’
Concepción Arenal Ponte (1820–1893): Born in Coruña , in the northeastern Spanish region of Gali
cia in 1820, Arenal is considered one of the clearest & best examples of the fight against injustice &
1 of the first advocates of feminism in Spain. Arenal had an intense social, humanitarian career that
started in 1859, when she founded the female side of San Vicente de Paúl Conferences in the city of
Potes. Following her experience there, she wrote ‘La beneficencia, la filantropía y la caridad’ (Welfare
Philanthropy, & Charity). This essay , originally published under the name of Arenal’s 10 year-old son,
Fernando , won the Royal Academy of Moral & Political Sciences Award in 1860 . Throughout her life
she would continue to study & publish on topics , including human rights & the treatment of inmates.
She is also the author of many feminist texts &, is considered a woman pioneer in these many areas.
Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921): Also born in Coruña , Galicia, she was a novelist , poet , journalist,
translator, literary critic, editor, Chair of Literature at University of Madrid, and the person responsible
for introducing the French literary style of naturalism in Spain . She was a pioneer in a time when the
work of women in her field wasn't widespread nor amply appreciated. She would produce nearly 600
publications over the course of her life. Her novel , La Tribuna ( The Tribune ), was the first naturalist
book ever written by a Spanish author . In many of her publications , Emilia defended women’s rights
and saw equality in education for men and women as fundamental. She he was nominated to the Co
mmission of Public Instruction, became part of the Pedagogical Congress of Spain, Portugal, and Sp
anish America , & was also named the Chair of Literature at the Central University of Madrid in 1916.
Clara Campoamor Rodríguez (1888-1972): Born in 1888 in Madrid she would become 1 of the faces
faces of the Spanish suffragette movement , & 1 of the most important defenders , of women's rights
in the country . After becoming one of the first female lawyers in Spain at age 36 , during a time when
women were able to run for office but not vote, she was elected a representative of city of the Madrid
in 1931, where she would fervently advocate for women’s suffrage , a right that was granted that year.
Thanks to her and her convincing advocacy in Parliament , women voted for the first time in Spain
in 1933. Only 3 year later, at the outset of the Spanish Civil War, Campoamor went into exile, 1st in
Lausanne and later in Buenos Aires . She did return to Lausanne , where she passed away in 1972.
Federica Montseny (1905–1994): Born in 1905 in Madrid, she was the first ever female Minister in
Spain and subsequently one of the first in Western Europe serving as Minister of Health and Social
Services from 1936–1937, during the Spanish Civil War. She would go on to study the arts, politics,
dance, philosophy, languages, history, and classics, and wrote her first of more than 50 books, Trag
ic Hours (Horas trágicas) at age 15. A feminist and advocate for equal rights for all, a key aspect of
which she considered to be women’s rights Montseny toured Spain calling for a social revolution, di
scussing workers’ and women’s rights during the Second Spanish Republic starting in 1931, until be
ing appointed Minister, in 1936 . She went into exile with her family in France , at end of the Spanish
Civil War in 1939 where she did spend the rest of her life , establishing her own newspaper, L’Espoir.
Dr. Margarita Salas Falgueras (1938–2019): she was a worldrenowned biochemist behind some of
Spain’s most prominent research in biochemistry and molecular biology. Salas was the first woman
to receive the Echegaray Medal from the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences in
2016 , was a Royal Spanish Academy academic , a professor at Spanish National Research Council,
and continued to conduct research , at the Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology in Madrid 'till
her death in November 2019. Dr Salas left us with nearly 400 publications in prestigious scientific jo
urnals and countless national and international awards and recognitions . In 2007 Dr. Salas became
the first Spanish woman to become a member of the US National Academy of Science ; she has too
belonged to the American Academy of Microbiology & the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The region has 3 mountain ranges incl. Peña Rubia, a massif close to Cehegín that's 800m above
sea level. It is a great rock of limestone earth. On its steeper front, we can find a set of caves with
cave paintings & archaeological sites . Like all Spanish towns Cehegín has a patron to have devot
ion to ( either saints or virgins ), in this case a Napolitan virgin that they have a beautiful image of.
Like most towns in the region Cehegín experienced a big demographic increase until 1940. There
was a notable decline, in the 1940s and 1960s. The current trend is clear growth , but the number
of cehegineros who emigrate is still high . In Valentín , an important socio-economic change , has
taken place with the strong " boom " experienced by the 'semi' -handicraft industry of clay pottery
The main town, hosts 4 public early childhood and primary education centres ( CEIP ) , two public
secondary education centres (IES) and a centre for adult education (CEA). Crowning the Plaza de
la Constitución , an emblematic place of incomparable beauty, within old town Cehegín , is the St.
Mary Magdalene Church . Built in Renaissance style , it is characterized by its neo-Mudejar tower.
This chuch is the most remarkable building within the ceheginero religious patrimony & the most
characteristic , since it's the 1 that draws the silhouette of this town. Its works began in the 16th
century & ended unfinished until the end of the 17th century . It was declared cultural interest w/
a monument category by Royal Decree on July 2, 1982 ; It is also declared a National Monument.
The Church of La Soledad is a temple with a basilical plan. Located on the hill on which the old to
wn of Cehegín is developed, and specifically on the west side, on the course of the Argos River. It
is part of the perspective of the historical set of Cehegín in the panoramicview from the road that
joins this town with Caravaca de la Cruz. It's a building of the late 16th and the early 17th century
The church was renovated in the 18th century , & is composed of different sections where we can
distinguish the temple itself, the bell tower, the dressing room of the Virgin and the santero house
Local festitivies that are held in the municipality of Cehegín are the Carnival, Holy week, Patron sa
int festivity, and the Festivity in Canara . Also you have the Cehegín International Folklore Festival.
On the last Sunday of each month, the Plaza del Castillo hosts the El Mesoncico craft market, wh
ere more than fifty artisans from the area come together to offer their products sausages, ceram
ics, sweets , soaps, wines, cheeses, etc. Also, the second-hand market and antiquities are held in
the odd months (1st, 3rd, 5th etc) which take place on the plains of the old Cehegín Train Station.
Other sights: Ermita de la Purisima Concepcion , Arco Romano , Escultura de Alpargatero , Plaza
del Castillo, Palacio de los Fajardo , & the Palacete De Los Duques De Ahumada . For sport , Ana
Carrasco from Cehegín , was the 1st woman in history to win a motorcycle World Championship.
In 2019 , Cehegín proudly won the award for best town in Spain from the National Tourism Office
The Host venue for FSC #144 February 2021 is : the Cehegín Arena , a brand-new multi-fun
ction venue in Cehegín , Spain . With its many facilities and around 800 seats , the new arena will
ensure that the northwestern municipality of the Murcia Region, will be able to further promote it
self as a benchmark for grassroots sports, in addition to being able to be used as a place for soc
ial events, such as concerts and conventions. The building has been constructed with precast co
ncrete elements that achieve maximum durability with minimum maintenance. Care has been tak
en to have foundations and walls , which will benefit acoustics during concerts and other cultural
events in this fine arena. They are proud to host this evening’s edition of the Forum Song Contest
Our lovely Hosts this evening are:
Alex González , Ruth Lorenzo and Blas Cantó
Alex González is a Spanish actor. Born in 1980 in Madrid . He began as a tv-actor in ‘Un paso ade
lante’ , a Spanish tv-drama , in 2004 , but is perhaps best known for his role in 'X-Men: First Class'
(2011), and ‘Alacrán enamorado’ (2013) . He is proud to co-host this evening’s edition of the FSC
Ruth Lorenzo is a Spanish singer & composer . Born in 1982 in Murcia region . She is best known
for coming 5th inThe X Factor show in 2008 , as well as representing Spain in the ESC 2014, with
the popular song "Dancing In The Rain" . She is proud to co-host this evening’s edition of the FSC
Blas Cantó is a Spanish singer and former FSC-winner . Born in 1991 in Murcia region. He was in
Spanish band , Auryn , but started a solo career in 2017 . His ESC- participation for Spain in 2020
was postponed to 2021 (refer covid-19) . He is proud to co-host this evening’s edition of the FSC
And we are now pleased to announce
The Opening Acts
Exclusive International Guest Appearances
Toal (Germany)
KEiiNO (Norway)
-
’Unreal World’
’Monument’
It's always interesting to find out something new!
So thrilled!!!! 
Everyone is welcomed to Cehegín, you can try our incredible food and hospitality here and besides it, we have a brand new hotel and venue to display all the show 
