The Diplomat
The Office of the European Parliament in Spain will present next Friday, October 21, the European Citizen Award 2022 to the initiative Soy Mayor, No Idiota (I’m Older, Not an Idiot), to the 116000 phone number of the ANAR Foundation for cases of missing children and to the NGO World Central Kitchen of chef José Andrés for its humanitarian work.
This year the European Parliament has decorated 30 projects from the 27 Member States for the European Citizen Award, an award given since 2008 “to exceptional individuals or organizations that fight for European values, promote integration between citizens and Member States or facilitate transnational cooperation within the Union, and to those who day by day try to promote the values of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU”.
Specifically, in Spain, the Soy Mayor, No Idiota (I’m Older, Not an Idiot) initiative to guarantee humane service in bank branches, and the ANAR Foundation’s 116000 telephone number for cases of missing minors, were recognized. Likewise, the chef José Andrés was awarded in the Polish edition of this prize, for the work of his NGO World Central Kitchen to help Ukrainian refugees, but his organization will receive in Madrid, along with the other two projects, the medal that decorates them as European Citizen Award 2022.
Carlos San Juan is the driving force behind the Soy Mayor, No Idiota project, which calls for humane care for those who cannot access their banks due to the digital shift. His petition was backed by 647,950 people and became a true social movement, gathering the support of all segments of society, also achieving the creation of a new voluntary protocol by banking institutions to ensure care for the elderly.
On the other hand, the ANAR Foundation has been distinguished thanks to the initiative of its 116000 telephone number, a single harmonized number of the European Union, in force in 32 countries, which has been managed by the Foundation in Spain since it came into force in 2010. Through this line – which operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, is free of charge and guarantees confidentiality – a team of psychologists, social workers and lawyers attend to all requests for help related to the disappearance of a minor.
Finally, Spanish chef José Andrés was recognized thanks to his nomination for the award in Poland for his and his organization World Central Kitchen’s work to feed refugees from the war in Ukraine. The chef traveled just hours after the outbreak of war to the Ukrainian-Polish border to offer hot meals to people fleeing the conflict. Since then, he has prepared thousands of meals for refugees arriving daily at the border and has even traveled to areas inside Ukraine to feed the underprivileged. Chef Pepa Muñoz will collect the award in Madrid on behalf of the organization, accompanied by World Central Kitchen’s director of operations, Erich Broksas.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. with welcoming remarks by Leopoldo López, MEP of the European People’s Party and member of the Citizen 2022 Award Jury; Alberto Durán, Executive Vice President of the ONCE Foundation and member of the Citizen 2022 Award Jury; Guiomar Gutiérrez, representative of Movimiento Europeo and member of the Citizen 2022 Award Jury; and María Andrés, Director of the European Parliament Office in Spain.
MEPs Antonio López-Istúriz (EPP), Mónica Silvana (S&D) and Maite Pagazaurtundúa (RE) will also participate, and, through a video, the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Economic Affairs, Nadia Calviño. The Spanish Jury was composed, in addition to the aforementioned, by the Spanish MEPs Jonás Fernández (S&D) and Jordi Cañas (RE). The national award winners are invited to a ceremony on November 8 at the Brussels plenary session with the other award winners, where Carlos San Juan will address a few words to the other award winners.
