The Alonso Quijano Foundation is a private, independent, non-profit institution whose purpose is the integral development of the human being through the promotion of cultural and educational initiatives, especially those aimed at promoting reading. The Foundation was born in Spain and its field of action extends to the entire national territory, even though it also carries out activities of international nature.
Calle Donoso Cortés, n°6, ground floor
29002 Málaga (Spain)
Tel. +34 952 23 54 05
Fax: +34 952 23 63 22
Email: fundacion@alonsoquijano.org
The Alonso Quijano Foundation – created by the writer and professor Raúl Cremades García, with the support of the other members of the foundation’s board – was born on 27 November 2000 in the city of Málaga (Spain), and approved by the Ministry of Culture through the MO of 22 January 2001 (Spanish Government Gazette on 15 February 2001). The foundational board of trustees was composed of the following members: Amaya Bolinaga Altuna, Raúl Cremades García, Salvador Fernández Ferrer, Susana Guerrero Salazar and Emilio Alejandro Núñez Cabezas.
The Alonso Quijano Foundation is a non-profit institution benefiting from patronage for all purposes provided for in Law 49/2002, of 23 December, on the Tax Regime of Non-Profit Entities and Tax Incentives for Patronage. Therefore, the donations received will be deducted from the donor’s state personal income tax, within the limits established by law, besides the possible application of any of the deductions approved by the donor’s autonomous community.
“It is my wish to create a private and independent, foundational, non-profit institution, named Alonso Quijano Foundation, that has to contribute to the integral development of the human being through the promotion of cultural and educational activities, especially those aimed at the promotion of reading.
I believe that reading, apart from facilitating access to all types of information and promoting human communication and the development of a critical spirit, if seen as a cultural habit, can awaken the sensitivity of the individual and enable him to experience aesthetic pleasure. I firmly believe that reading is an activity that can make human beings of any age and under any circumstances better, freer and happier. The habit of reading can transform the human being in a positive way, as it transformed into fiction a modest nobleman from La Mancha named Alonso Quijano – from whom the Foundation I want to create takes its name – into the courageous knight errant Sir Quixote of La Mancha, one of the most adorable, generous and naive characters in universal literature.
Even though people sometimes consider reading an underrated activity, and do not recognize it the importance it deserves, I believe that reading skills are a fundamental aspect for human development in society. The greater this capacity in our whole society, the better it will be possible to guarantee in practical terms some of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, such as the right to education or to receive information and opinions by any means of expression.
I am convinced that, as stated in article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, they are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. I have the hope and desire that the Alonso Quijano Foundation, through the pursuit of the aims contained in its Statutes, will cooperate for the common good and world peace. I also wish it would promote universal respect for justice, for the rule of law, for the democratic principles of coexistence and for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all human beings, without any distinction as to race, sex, language, religion or social or economic status. Therefore, it is my wish that the activities of the Alonso Quijano Foundation were governed at all times by the general principles of equality, tolerance, solidarity and fraternity, and that, as far as possible, they would benefit, as a priority, those who have fewer resources or special needs.
Raul Cremades Garcia.
Málaga, 18 November 2000”
Raúl Cremades, President of the Foundation, with Darío Villanueva, Honorary President, at the Royal House in Madrid, for the closing ceremony of the commemoration of the IV centenary of Cervantes’ death. (2017)
Lanzarote, 12 January 2003
Dear friends,
It has always seemed to me that little attention, if any, has been given to that enlightened man who is superficially described on the front page of the Don Quixote and a little more on the last page. I am referring to him as enlightened because, if it is really true that reading made him gone mad, then we will have to admit that he chose the best way to become someone else, and I think that is what madness is about. However, my theory is different: Quijano faked his madness. The reason why I decided to write this letter was not so much to talk about my interpretation about changing from Quijano to Quixote; what I truly wanted was telling you that I consider the invitation you have extended to me to be the Honorary President of the Alonso Quijano Foundation as an invaluable token of friendship. I accept it with all my heart and I thank you for it.
Yours sincerely,
José Saramago.
Several members of the Alonso Quijano Foundation with José Saramago at his home in Lanzarote (December 2007).