The Evangelical Council of Andalusia (CEAA) launched an international campaign to collect signatures in support of its request to the Andalusian regional government for the use of the historic monastery of San Isidoro del Campo in Santiponce, a village in the southern Spanish province of Seville.

The CEAA said in a statement that the initiative “aims to gather support from organisations and individual believers, both within and outside our borders”.

“This is not just an institutional procedure, but a declaration of faith and unity in Christ, as well as a commitment to our spiritual legacy”, said José Manuel Marín Rondán, president of the CEAA.

For the Andalusian evangelical body, the monastery is “an emblematic place deeply rooted in the history of the Reformation in Spain; a symbol of spiritual freedom, living memory, and evangelical witness”.

To encourage participation from evangelical churches and communities in Europe and Latin America, the campaign has released versions of the manifesto in English, German and Portuguese.

A “lively and open socio-cultural space”

The CEAA hopes to transform the monastery of San Isidoro del Campo into a 'lively and open space with a comprehensive socio-cultural focus', which will include:

• A Culture centre for events, exhibitions and activities that promote the Reformation legacy and Andalusian heritage.
• Educational and training centre: with classrooms for seminars, conferences and academic collaboration.
• Biblical documentation centre: with a specialised library, digitisation of texts and studies on the Bear Bible.
• Tourist centre: with guided tours, interactive activities and international promotion.
• CEAA headquarters: as a meeting point for churches, religious activities and the management of the premises.

Advisory board

The CEAA has set up an advisory board of experts in history, heritage, theology, education and cultural management to fulfil its commitment to excellence and pluralistic participation.

The board will be responsible for proposing, designing and coordinating the actions that will shape the overall project for the use of the monastery, ensuring that each step aligns with social and cultural values and the public interest.

The manifesto can be downloaded here.