“I felt at home here.” Queen Sofía delivered these words of thanks in Catalan after receiving the Gold Medal of the Balearic Islands, the highest award granted by the community and which is presented at the celebration of Community Day. The Balearic president, Marga Prohens, presented the recognition in a solemn ceremony held in the Llonja de Palma in the presence of the main authorities of the islands.
The queen has been very grateful for the award and has stated that it is a “privilege” to have been able to enjoy for more than half a century, “which is said to be too soon”, these islands “of their people, together with my family where we always have welcomed us with so much love and affection and I hope to continue doing so for many more years,” he noted.
The event was chaired by President Marga Prohens, who highlighted that the islands are “a refuge” for the queen, “the wife, mother, grandmother and sister who discovers for decades, year after year, these islands with his family” and that he finds corners and streets where he enjoys “intimacy and discretion”, where he preserves memories and where he transmits to his grandchildren “the passion for our sea.”
She has highlighted her interest in the culture of the islands, their people, especially those who are in a more vulnerable situation, until she became “just another Mallorcan.” Prohens added that the award is given for her esteem and social commitment to entities on the Islands, “for being a host and ambassador of our islands in the world.” She has also highlighted that it is a recognition that she deserves a long time ago.
The presentation of the Medal was followed by loud applause. Doña Sofía signed the honor book of the Balearic Islands, before receiving the award and she posed in a joint photo with all the winners. The Ramon Lull awards were also presented at this event. Among the winners are the Mallorcan soccer players Mariona Caldentey and Cata Coll, members of the Spanish women’s team.
It was also received by the oncologist Enric Benito, the marine ecologist Beatriz Morales, the doctor in Engineering of Caminos José Antonio Fayas; the Mater Misericordiae association, the Menorca Talaiòtica, the Es Baluard museum, the priest and historian Joan Planells, the Xavier Fiol Gallery, the musician Lorenzo Santamaria, the Balearic Islands Palma Futsal, the designer Sebastián Pons, and, posthumously, the entrepreneur Gabriel Sampol, the diploma in teaching Teresa Costa and the archivist and doctor María José Massot.
