The plenary session of Barcelona has unanimously awarded this Friday the 25 Medals of Honor of Barcelona 2023, an award that distinguishes those people or entities that through their professional or social work have contributed to the development of citizen awareness and virtues and values civics of the Catalan city since 1997.

This year, the awardees in the area of ​​the city will be the journalist Julia Otero, the doctor Elena Carreras, the sociologist Maria Subirats, the entity Aura Fundació y Federació d’Ateneus de Catalunya.

Of the 25 medals, five are from the city level, proposed by the municipal groups and the Consell de Ciutat, and the other 20 are proposed by the districts.

In addition, Barcelona City Council has decided to award the Gold Medal for Civic Merit to Joan Bayén, the mythical owner of the ‘Pinotxo’ bar in the Boquearía market. The political groups have wanted to fully dedicate words of appreciation to him also known as ‘Juanito’ for his charismatic effort in the business for 80 years and his reference in the market.

The districts have distinguished the patron saint of the Cofradía de Pescadores de Barcelona, ​​José Manuel Juárez, on the 50th anniversary of the Santa Maria del Pi Esplai Group (Ciutat Vella); to merchant Maria Masclans Vale and Cabrònica del Nord (Eixample); to the sculptor Benito Maín Cabanillas and to the 25th anniversary of the Civic Association La Nau (Sants-Montjuïc).

A medal will also be awarded to the activist José Antonio Ortega Nieto and to the 50th anniversary of Esplai L’Olivera Rodona (Les Corts); to the activist Jordi García Pérez and the 25 years of the Putxet Foundation (Sarrià-Sant Gervasi); the AFA Coordinator of Gràcia and the environmental educator Xavier Franch López (Gràcia).

In Horta-Guinardó, Eix Maragall and Carmel a la Vista will receive medals; in Nou Barris they will be obtained by the Taula Oberta neighborhood association and Freire School; in Sant Andreu the activist for inclusive play in the city Anna Mourelo and Esplai La Tortuga de Trinitat Vella, and in Sant Martí the Poblenou Historical Archive and the Verneda Provençal Neighborhood Association.