The Consell de Mallorca has held the first edition of its Recognition Awards for Older People, an initiative organised to mark the International Day of Older Persons and honour ten people whose lives and careers have contributed to Mallorcan society in a wide range of fields. Around 300 people attended the ceremony at the Palma Conference Centre.
The awards were presented by the President of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés; the Councillor for the Presidency, Toni Fuster; and the island’s Director for Sociocultural Promotion, Hermosinda Mariño.
Speaking at the ceremony, Galmés highlighted the different backgrounds of the ten recipients and their shared commitment to Mallorca. “Today we recognise ten very different life stories, but with the same common thread: people who have dedicated their lives to helping Mallorca grow. Their example reminds us that our island cannot be understood without the generations that built it and that their knowledge, experience and legacy remain essential as we look to the future,” he said.
The first edition has recognised people connected with business, craftsmanship, sport, journalism, the arts, agriculture, education, associations and social action.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Mallorca honours ten people for a lifetime of dedication to society
Councillor for the Presidency Toni Fuster also stressed that older people should continue to play an active role in society. “We cannot speak about older people only in the past tense, because vitality does not end with a number. We have a responsibility to continue creating spaces where they remain protagonists, because growing older does not mean ceasing to matter: there is still much to do and we continue to count on them.”
The ten recipients are Maria Teresa Rattier Nadal, recognised posthumously; Carme Garcia Cerdà, known as Carme, sa Pastora; Manuela Gómez Rodríguez; Tomàs Montserrat Domingo; Josep Maria Navarro Lop; Pep Serra Amengual; Emilio de la Cámara Perona; Gabriel Company; Aina Segura Segura; and Cristina Grech Moncada.
Their families worked with the Consell during the previous weeks, providing memories, photographs and personal testimonies.
Ten lives closely linked to Mallorca
Maria Teresa Rattier Nadal was honoured posthumously for her business career, for being a pioneer in the inclusion of women in the main business representation bodies of the Balearic Islands and for her later dedication to associations for older people.
Carme Garcia Cerdà, Carme, sa Pastora, was recognised for 35 years devoted to preserving the traditional craft of making pastorets in Alcúdia, a tradition passed on within her family, as well as for her charitable work as part of one of Mallorca’s first foster families.
Manuela Gómez Rodríguez, Sor Manoli, a Franciscan Sister Daughter of Mercy, was honoured for preserving and passing on the traditional art of paper neules, particularly among children, and for using this tradition to support different charitable initiatives.
Tomàs Montserrat Domingo received recognition for more than fifty years devoted to photography and journalism, with an extensive career in media outlets in Mallorca and at national level.
Josep Maria Navarro Lop, Pep, was honoured for his dedication to associations for older people in Cala Rajada, particularly his 22 years at the head of the Sol Naixent association.
Pep Serra Amengual was recognised for his career as a master potter and as the fifth-generation successor at Sa Roca Llisa in Pòrtol, keeping alive a family craft dating back to 1861.
Emilio de la Cámara Perona received the award for a lifetime devoted to sport. After 56 years, he remains active as a football referee and also has an international athletics career in which he has won 81 medals.
Gabriel Company was honoured for a life combining sport and agriculture. A prominent cyclist during the 1950s and 1960s, he later brought knowledge and new techniques acquired during his travels around Europe to Mallorcan farming.
Aina Segura Segura was recognised for her extensive career as an actress in theatre, cinema and television, as well as for her involvement in projects combining culture with a social dimension.
Cristina Grech was honoured for her contribution to the development of artistic gymnastics in the Balearic Islands. She promoted the creation of the Balearic Gymnastics Federation, becoming its first president.
Music closes the ceremony
The choir of the Universitat Oberta per a Majors (UOM), conducted by Irina Capriles with Jaime Padres on piano, performed “Aubada” by Miquel Tortell, “Plou i fa sol” by Guillem d’Efak and “Hello Django” by Ulrich Führe.
Marga Pocoví and Biel Tous also performed “Ave Maria”, a poem by Joan Alcover, before bringing the ceremony to a close with “La Balanguera”, the anthem of Mallorca.
The performance had particular significance in 2026, which marks the Joan Alcover Year on the centenary of the Mallorcan poet’s death and also commemorates 100 years since Amadeu Vives’ musical version of “La Balanguera”.