The Cabildo presents its Honors and Distinctions, which recognized Elena Acosta as Favorite Daughter and tenor Alfredo Kraus as Favorite Son, posthumously
The president thanked the distinguished people and entities for “their ability to imagine a better present and tomorrow and show the way to make them a reality.”
The president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, stated tonight at the Institution's Honors and Distinctions ceremony on the 111th anniversary of its creation that the Insular Corporation "is today more capable than ever and has a clear plan to be the tool that Gran Canaria needs to keep alive the spirit of the island of resistance that it always was, make its differentiated voice heard and confront it with guarantees of success.
It was one of the messages of Morales' speech at the event held at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium to recognize the work of twenty professionals, entities and associations from the social, cultural, economic and sports world, honored for their contribution to the improvement of the island and its citizens.
“With this act, we not only thank you for your contribution to the construction of a more educated, supportive, plural, prosperous, self-aware, creative and successful Gran Canaria in practically every facet we can imagine, but we reaffirm our commitment to non-negotiable values like the ones you embody,” said the president of the Cabildo.
“On behalf of all the people of Gran Canaria, this Cabildo thanks you for the inspiration you give us, your ability to imagine a better present and tomorrow and, above all, for showing us the way to make them a reality,” Morales added after carrying to the Auditorium a few words from Benito Pérez Galdós: “Our imagination is what sees, and not the eyes.”
As of tonight, the former director of the Casa de Colón, Elena Acosta, is the Favorite Daughter of Gran Canaria, a decision that reflects her involvement in the cultural sphere of the island and because she turned the Casa de Colón into an open museum and a relevant international outreach center. Recognition as Favorite Son also fell, posthumously, to tenor Alfredo Kraus for his status as a universal canary as one of the main lyrical tenors of all time.
In his speech, Acosta emphasized the function carried out by the Cabildo “to frame the insular territory, the island, intertwining identity and space, and carrying out policies that generate a sense of belonging. Since the creation of the Cabildos, in 1912, until today, the island institution has not stopped carrying out cultural policies aimed at uniting memory and territory, and valuing the island heritage outside of the predominant ideologies.
For his part, the veterinarian and scientist from La Palma Antonio Jesús Fernández Rodríguez was named Adoptive Son; and the marine environment teacher and researcher Marisol Izquierdo López, a native of Madrid, was welcomed as a new Adoptive Daughter.
In the distinctions section, the 'Canes of Gran Canaria' of the Arts highlighted to Gran Canaria society the career of the screenwriter, producer and film director Elio Quiroga; and also the film and theater performer Mónica López; while those from the Sciences distinguished the engineer and reference in clean energy research in the Canary Islands, Antonio Gómez Gotor; and the Professor of Art History María de los Reyes Hernández Socorro.
The 'Roques Nublo' valued the role in the social field of the Association of Parents of People with Functional Diversity of the Southeast of Gran Canaria (Apadesur) and the Nos Movemos Foundation for its work of social inclusion in the labor market in passenger transport; while in the economic field the Cabildo distinguished the businessmen Andrés Megías Pombo, from the fourth generation of the La Isleña company, and Antonio Roca Armas.
In the sporting field, the 'Roques Nublo' projected their halo of distinction on UD Las Palmas midfielder Kirian Rodríguez and goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez. In the folkloric field, the awards were placed in the hands of the weaver Nilia Bañares and the members of the Roque Nublo Folkloric Group.
In the tourism chapter, the Cabildo allocated this year's 'Roques Nublo' to the El Salvador Ecumenical Temple of Playa del Inglés and the promoter Domingo Espino, and the distinctions in the form of international solidarity to the Canary Islands Association of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People and to the UNRWA Spanish Committee Association to support Palestine refugees, the first institutional recognition of this nature that the organization has received since October 2023.
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The Insular Corporation presented the Honors and Distinctions in a setting inspired by the centenary of the birth of the artist Eduardo Millares Sall. In this framework, the concert 'Lo Pure' was developed, with the timplist and guitarist Hirahi Afonso and the voice and guitar of Said Muti on the songs 'Milenario Olivo' and 'Sombras del Nublo'.
The repertoire of 'Lo Pure' performed by Afonso together with a group made up of Alberto Limiñana, Antonio Suárez, Ner Suárez and Julia Rodríguez was completed with 'Age of the Sun', 'Danza Olvidada', 'Qué Piel Habito Hoy', 'Dentro ' and 'The things that matter', a title that seemed to wink at the merits of the people honored at the gala.
