Medalla d'Honor del Parlament de Catalunya

Roser Capdevila's medal

The Medalla d'Honor del Parlament de Catalunya is a civil honorary distinction awarded by the Parliament of Catalonia since 2000, recognising members of the Parliament and other people living in Catalonia for their careers and contributions to the region, as well as exceptional service.

History[edit]

Recipients of the honour receive a medal in recognition; unlike for example the Catalonia International Prize, which comes with financial award but no designated honour. The medal resembles the Four Bars (which may be recognised as the Senyera with top-to-bottom stripes) and was based on a design created by Antoni Cumella i Serret [ca] in 1984.[a][2] In 2000, goldsmith Joaquim Capdevila i Gaya [ca] adapted the design so it could be produced as medals.[2]

In the first year it was awarded, the honour was bestowed upon the Parliament of Catalonia's former presidents, as well as Desmond Tutu, an esteemed guest to the region.

There have been several posthumous recipients. In 2001, Ernest Lluch (d. 2000) was recognised for the honour posthumously, with his daughters receiving the award on his behalf. In 2007, the members of Els Setze Jutges were awarded, together with their promoter Lluís Serrahima; of the members of the group, Miquel Porter i Moix [ca] (d. 2004) and Delfí Abella (d. 2007) were honoured posthumously, while Guillermina Motta [ca] refused the distinction. One of the groups recognised in 2015 was the first elected officials of the restored Parliament of Catalonia following return to democracy, to recognise the 35th anniversary of such elections; of these first eight, Marta Mata had died in 2006.[3]

List of recipients[edit]

Year Recipient(s) Note(s)
2000 Heribert Barrera i Costa Ex-presidents of the Parliament of Catalonia
Miquel Coll i Alentorn [ca]
Joaquim Xicoy i Bassegoda [ca]
Joan Reventós i Carner
Desmond Tutu Peace activist and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
2001 Miquel Batllori i Munné [ca] Historian
Ernest Lluch Politician (posthumous award)
2002 Francesc Vendrell i Vendrell United Nations representative in Afghanistan
2003 Jordi Savall Musician
2004 Montserrat Trueta i Llacuna [ca] President of the Catalan Down's Syndrome Foundation [ca]
2005 Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Peace activist and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
2007 Els Setze Jutges Performance group who promoted Nova Cançó
2010 Roser Capdevila Illustrator[4]
2011 Josep Guardiola i Sala Sportsperson[5]
2012 Càritas Catalunya [ca] Social group[6]
Òmnium Cultural Cultural association[6]
2013 Núria Gispert i Feliu Social activist
Carme Ruscalleda Chef
Anna Veiga Lluch [ca] Researcher
2014 Josep Carreras Singer[7]
2015 Rosa Barenys i Martorell [ca] The eight first deputies of the Parliament of Catalonia (Mata awarded posthumously)[8]
Maria Dolors Calvet i Puig [ca]
Teresa Eulàlia Calzada Isern [ca]
Concepció Ferrer
Helena Ferrer i Mallol [ca]
Marta Mata
Trinitat Neras Plaja [ca]
Assumpció Sallés i González
Guttmann Institute [ca] Facility for spinal cord injury treatment[9]
2016 Manel Esteller Researcher
2017 Mossos d'Esquadra First responders during the 2017 Barcelona attacks
Sistema d'Emergències Mèdiques [ca]
Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona
Cambrils police service
2018 Rosa Sensat Teachers' Association [ca] For significantly improving educational standards[10]
2019 Carola Rackete Human rights activists[11]
Òscar Camps
2020 Health services of Catalonia For the response to the COVID-19 pandemic[12]
2021 Catalan independence activists who have suffered repression, and the lawyers who defend them (including the trial of Catalonia independence leaders) For their contributions to Catalonia[13]
2022 Núria Feliu Catalan-language singer (posthumous award)[14]
Pau Riba i Romeva Singer and songwriter in various languages (posthumous award)[14]
Joaquim Arenas i Sampera [ca] Primary creators of the Catalan Education Service [ca] in 1978, the main body for Catalan-language immersion programmes in schools of the region[14]
Margarida Muset i Adel [ca]
2023 FC Barcelona Femení For their contribution to the success and positive perception of women's sports, and advocating for "social respect for women in sports" to create "a more fair and equal society in terms of rights and opportunities".[15][b]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The notices issued by the Parliament of Catalonia on the subject refer to Cumella i Serret by the name "Antoni Comella".[1]
  2. ^ The award was announced in July 2023, before the Rubiales affair and subsequent women's sports equality movement advocated by many players related to this club.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Actualitat. Notícies". Parlament de Catalunya. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Atorgaments 2013". Parlament de Catalunya. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  3. ^ "El Parlament acorda atorgar la medalla d'honor en categoria d'or a les primeres vuit diputades de la història del parlamentarisme català". Parlament de Catalunya. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  4. ^ Jaume Cabré, premi d'honor de les Lletres Catalanes, i Roser Capdevila, medalla d'honor del Parlament
  5. ^ El Parlament concedeix la Medalla d'Honor a l'entrenador del Barça, Pep Guardiola
  6. ^ a b Òmnium i Càritas, distingides amb les Medalles d'Or del Parlament
  7. ^ Informació del Parlament de Catalunya
  8. ^ "El Parlament acorda atorgar la medalla d'honor en categoria d'or a les primeres vuit diputades de la història del parlamentarisme català". Parlament de Catalunya. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. ^ "El Parlament atorga la medalla d'honor en categoria d'or a la Fundació Institut Guttmann". Parlament de Catalunya. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  10. ^ "El Parlament atorgarà la medalla d'honor en categoria d'or a l'Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat" (in Spanish). 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  11. ^ 324cat (2019-09-10). "Òscar Camps i Carola Rackete reben la Medalla d'Honor del Parlament". Retrieved 2019-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "El Parlament atorgarà la Medalla d'Honor en categoria d'or als professionals del sistema de salut de Catalunya". Notícies - Parlament de Catalunya. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  13. ^ "El Parlament atorga la Medalla d'Honor als represaliats del procés i als col·lectius jurídics que els defensen". Parlament de Catalunya. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  14. ^ a b c "El Parlament atorga la Medalla d'Honor a Núria Feliu i Pau Riba, a títol pòstum, i als pedagogs Joaquim Arenas i Margarida Muset" (in Catalan). Parlament de Catalunya. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  15. ^ "El Parlament atorga la Medalla d'Honor a l'equip femení del Futbol Club Barcelona" (in Catalan). Parlament de Catalunya. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.