The Creus de Sant Jordi, one of the highest distinctions granted by the Government of the Generalitat, and without a doubt the most popular, will miss their appointment with civil society this spring, due to the early end of the legislature due to early elections. It is the decision of the president, Pere Aragonès, to prevent the awards ceremony from being considered part of the electoral campaign, presidential sources explain, and so that the winners of this edition can enjoy the award without other considerations.
The Creus de Sant Jordi remain, for now, in the drawer, but it is a matter of time. Granting them will probably be one of the first decisions taken by the new government. The pieces are already ordered from the goldsmith who makes them each year, since it is a job that takes time.
Since its creation in 1981 – the first delivery was the following year – the Creus de Sant Jordi have never missed their appointment, around the festival of April 23, but it is not the first time that the approval or Delivery is postponed for a few weeks or months, for electoral reasons, or for other circumstances, for example in 2020 due to the pandemic. In this edition, as in the last three, the winners were 10 men, 10 women and 10 entities. Until 2023, the Generalitat has awarded the award to 1,329 people and 510 entities.
This year, the delivery was scheduled for April 26, which would have coincided with the start of the parliamentary election campaign on May 12. The ceremony was going to be held in Terrassa, and work was being done with the Department of Culture with the intention of making it part of the Sant Jordi events. Cultura is in charge of processing applications and makes the first selection. However, the other departments contribute their proposals. And presidents usually also put some names on the table.
In this edition, the applications had already been received and the preparatory meetings had been held. The list of winners is approved at a Government meeting.
The Creu de Sant Jordi is a silver medal, which bears a red coral cross on a white coral background. On the back, the name of the person receiving it is written. The entities are given a silver plaque on a wooden support, with their name, and which also has the Creu de Sant Jordi engraved in coral, in a box the size of the medal.
