Do you have Spanish nationality? There are 10 spots available for young people in Cuba who want to do the Camino de Santiago

The Xunta de Galicia launched the program Connect with Galicia on the Way this Friday, which offers the opportunity to obtain funding to travel and explore the network of pilgrimage routes that lead to the tomb of the apostle Santiago in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The official document of the call states that 10 Cubans with Spanish nationality and Galician origin will be able to apply to travel different stages of the Portuguese Way of Santiago, between July 19 and 31.

Among the mandatory requirements to be eligible, it is listed that you must be between 18 and 21 years old throughout the entire program, reside regularly abroad, and have been born in Galicia or be a descendant of Galician emigrants and hold Spanish nationality.

The offer specifies that applicants must be registered in the Register of Spaniards Living Abroad (PERE) in any Galician municipality, with a minimum of three months' residency since the publication of the call, and they must not have participated in previous editions of this program.

Cubans will be able to submit applications electronically, using a form available at https://sede.xunta.gal, or through the Galician Federation of Societies in Havana, until April 21 of the current year.

The program is presented as a "unique opportunity" for young Galicians living abroad to "strengthen their ties with Galicia and experience an enriching journey along the Camino de Santiago," and it promises financial assistance of 800 euros for residents in America.

"The program Connect with Galicia on the Camino for the year 2025 aims to facilitate personal enrichment for participants through interactions with other young Galicians from diverse backgrounds and the undertaking of activities that will provide them with a deeper understanding of the territory and the current socio-cultural situation of Galicia, through the journey along different segments of the Camino de Santiago until reaching Compostela and complementary activities," states the official document.

With the new Grandchildren's Law, many young people have been able to obtain Spanish nationality in Cuba in recent years. Around 300,000 Cubans are currently in the process of applying for their passport through the Law of Democratic Memory, which allows descendants of Spaniards exiled during the Civil War and Franco's regime to acquire citizenship.

In this context, Spanish authorities have launched opportunity programs for residents abroad who are descendants of Spaniards.

This month, the Secretary General for Emigration of the Xunta de Galicia, Antonio Rodríguez Miranda, presented the Retorna Cualifica Empleo Program, an initiative that allows Galician emigrants to return to the Spanish autonomous community with a job contract signed from their country of residence.

The Xunta de Galicia has allocated a significant investment as part of the Galicia Returns Strategy, amounting to 175 million euros and structured into 37 measures focused on training and professional integration.

In this context, the Xunta has strengthened its commitment to the Galician community on the island, providing mechanisms to facilitate their return and reintegration in Galicia.

Frequently Asked Questions about the program "Connect with Galicia on the Camino" for Cuban youth