Toñín Ramos, president of the Torrelavega Society of Culture, Recreation and Sports, received this past May 30 the Gold Medal awarded by the Government of the Canary Islands to recognize the tireless work in sports, culture and traditions of the islands for more than 80 years.
An important part of Fernando Clavijo's speech on Canary Islands Day also focused on praising the trajectory of the three 2025 Canary Islands Awards and the recipients of the 14 Gold Medals awarded this year. The president referred to the award winners as "an example of projecting and defending our identity and our culture, of preserving and disseminating it, being able to take the Canary Islands all over the world, through art, culture, sports, literature, gastronomy and solidarity."
"Today is a day to celebrate, but also to recognize those who have dedicated their lives to making the Canary Islands a better place," he said, referring to Juan Jesús Armas Marcelo, Michelle Alonso and El Centro de la Cultura Popular Canaria. He highlighted that the three 2025 Canary Islands Awards have "exemplary trajectories that exceptionally represent the reasons why we feel proud of who we are."
The head of the Government also underlined the work carried out by those distinguished with the Gold Medals of the Canary Islands, "people and entities that, from art, entrepreneurship, science, social action or culture, have contributed from each and every one of our islands to build a better Canary Islands." The Gold Medals awarded during the institutional act have gone to the Las Palmas Sports Union; Torrelavega Cultural, Recreational and Sports Society; Andrés Sánchez Robayna; Yolanda Arencibia; Teseida Athletics Club; Pastas La Isleña; Efigenia Borges; Agustín Fernández López; Aralda Rodríguez; Guanches Collective of Candelaria and Guanches Association of Güímar; Más Ruines que Caín Association; Costaleros Nuestra Señora del Carmen de La Isleta; Calixto Herrera; and Mestisay.
"We are here. We are the Canary Islands. And we feel proud of who we are," Clavijo affirmed after encouraging the award winners, the attendees to the event and all citizens to "look at the world with their heads held high" and defend the "strength of a people that never gives up. That has made respect its flag." "A country that is not afraid of the future. A country proud of its way of living together, a great people, who have known how to grow without losing their essence. Who has known how to be supportive without ceasing to be demanding. Who has known how to raise their voice without ceasing to be respectful," he proclaimed at the close of his Canary Islands Day speech.
The institutional act held in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium and, for the first time, in the morning, was attended by more than 1,200 guests. Among them, on behalf of the State, were the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, and the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres. Also attending were the Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, and the vast majority of the ministers of the autonomous Executive. Together with the President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez, were the representatives of the parliamentary groups, as well as presidents of councils, mayors and other institutional authorities of the archipelago.
