8 women on 8 March

Professor at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), expert in tourism planning and management of natural and cultural heritage and advisor to entities such as the Autonomous Organization of National Parks or the International Convention on Wetlands. These are some of the merits of María José Viñals, who has now received recognition from the Valencian Council of Culture, 8 women for 8 March, to vindicate and highlight the career and struggle for equality of different Valencian women in various fields of culture.

María José Viñals, who also recently received the UPV Research Award, has expressed her gratitude for the recognition of the Consell Valencià de Cultura and has emphasised the need to make women visible in all areas of society. 'It is a fact that we still must work hard to achieve a more balanced and diverse society that considers other points of view and different perspectives. Undoubtedly, achieving this visibility enriches our society,' said Viñals.

8 women

Alongside her, seven other women received this recognition in 2025: Margarita Borja, poet, author and stage director; Patricia Campos Domenech, pilot and football commentator; María Díaz Berbel, chief prosecutor of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Castellón; Gloria de Frutos Giménez, writer and cultural manager; María Huertas Zarco, psychiatrist and psychologist; Celia Ibáñez Miró, cultural activist, and Carme Picanya Garí, editor at the Universitat Jaume I.

During the awards ceremony, postponed until 27 March due to the weather alert, all the winners will receive a sculpture by Amparo Carbonell, professor at the Universitat Politècnica de València and scholar at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Carlos.

A benchmark in heritage management

María José Viñals, who leads numerous projects in Latin America, the Middle East and the United States, is a leading figure in the field of heritage management. Based on her experience, Viñals believes that rethinking the sustainable use of resources is necessary, even more so in the context of climate change. We have the technical knowledge required to manage more sustainably as there has been a great boost in research in this area and a greater social awareness that things must be done differently'.

She also encourages the new generations currently studying different degrees at the UPV to dedicate themselves to the tourism management of natural and cultural resources. 'There is an interesting job market for people with these concerns. We must address the challenge of clearly identifying these job niches to make it easier,' said Professor María José Viñals.