On the evening of March 8th, International Women's Day, the Manuel España Theatre was filled with emotions and applause. The mayoress of the city, Ana Mata (PP), opened the gala with a message that resonated deeply: "Today is a day of celebration and thanksgiving. To those women, mothers and grandmothers who came before us, who fought so that today we can be the women we are". Thus began a ceremony under the motto ‘Mujeres sin más’.

 

"From the Mijas Town Hall we demand that the role of women in every sphere of life and their struggle to occupy spaces of power on equal terms be valued and recognised. An approach that is not only fair, but also strategic and intersectional, which will have a lasting impact on public policies, business culture and social norms", said the mayoress.

 

The event, organised by the area of Family and Equal Opportunities, which Mata leads, acknowledged the work of nine local women whose work, in areas as diverse as culture, sport, traditions and social justice, has marked a milestone in Mijas. Women who have broken the mould, who have built paths where before there were only barriers.

 

The first to take the stage were Francisca Cortés, Concepción Lombardo and María Isabel Gámez, the first local policewomen in our town, who opened doors for future generations. Lombardo expressed that "it has been an honour to work in this Town Hall, which has always made us feel like a family". Gámez, for her part, remembered those who are no longer here, in a message full of memories and gratitude, thanking "the first corporation that gave us the opportunity to access these positions and our first woman mayoress of Mijas, who is also with us as a woman who breaks the mould".

 

Each recognition was one more flower in the bouquet of stories offered to the audience that filled all the seats in the theatre. Leticia Viviana, businesswoman, shared her message with emotion: "This award is also a hymn to equality between countries. Spain has given me opportunities that I will never forget".

 

Meanwhile, the neighbour María Jesús Torres, former elder sister of the Brotherhood of Cristo de la Paz and custodian of the traditions, humbly thanked the town for the recognition and assured that "I have always helped because I like to do it, since I was a child until today".

 

The athlete Ximena Varón took the stage with the strength that characterises her, thanking with her voice cracking the support that allowed her to achieve her dreams: "I want to thank my club that has always been with me, the Spanish Federation, the Spanish Olympic Committee and the Consejo Superior de Deportes, who gave me the opportunity to go this year to an international experience".

 

The multifaceted Carmen Trella offered a tribute to the precursors, paying "tribute to our mothers and grandmothers, who fought in a much more difficult world than ours, but also that this recognition serves to  value people in culture".

One of the most moving moments was that of Salma, a young artist from La Cala, who took the stage with her mother. In a whisper that turned into a standing ovation, she said that "today they praise me, but I must praise my mother, the strongest and bravest woman I know".

Finally, the evening reached its zenith with Isabel Lobato and her daughter Tania, who, amid tears and applause, brought the whole theatre to its feet. In her words there was a mixture of gratitude and dedication when she said that "although it is Women's Day, I dedicate this recognition to my children. They inspire me to be better every day".

 

The event, hosted by Beatriz Martín, concluded with a musical performance that filled the space with hope and melody. But the real echo of the night was the message that remained in the air: equality is not a destiny, but a path that is built by all.

Until then, Mijas en Femenino leaves us with a vibrant reminder that, although the struggle continues, the world is a better place thanks to women like these.

Share it with this link: https://mijasint.com/?a=33754