This weekend, more than two hundred delegates from the Federation of Lions Clubs of Spain gathered in Mijas to celebrate the Grand Gala of their 59th National Convention. The meeting, held on Saturday 16th at the Hotel Ilunion Hacienda in Mijas, has consolidated its position as a key event for coordinating the organisation’s humanitarian work and strengthening the volunteer network at both national and international levels.

The official proceedings began with the traditional parade of banners, a moving tribute to the flags and a respectful remembrance of members who passed away over the past year. In addition to these symbolic acts, the annual meeting serves, as stipulated in its statutes, to vote on new regulatory motions and to carry out the mandatory renewal of the executive structure.

 

The chairman of the Council of Governors of Spain, Fernando Juanes, highlighted the importance of this meeting for the future of the organisation and reviewed the main achievements of his term of office. “One issue I always highlight is the DANA disaster in Valencia, which destroyed so much; we are currently participating in three reconstruction projects. Then we have a fantastic national initiative: a recycling centre for used glasses. We collect them throughout Spain and restore them for those in need”, he said.

Hosting for the third time

Our town hosted this summit for the third time in its history, demonstrating the enormous social and charitable influence of the two local branches operating in the municipality: Mijas Pueblo and La Cala.

Luis Domínguez, spokesperson for the Mijas Lions Club and past international director, spoke highly of the choice of venue, stating: “It is a great honour to have so many friends and colleagues from all over Spain. This is the third time our club has organised a national convention and colleagues are coming from all over: Galicia, the Canary Islands, Barcelona, Madrid, the Basque Country, the Valencia region and, of course, Andalusia”.

Domínguez placed particular emphasis on the massive involvement of the international community living in Mijas because “there are so many foreigners living in Spain who have wanted to join the association. It is wonderful to see that foreigners living here want to play a part in helping people who are going through a tough time, whether due to illness or financial hardship. The La Cala club, made up mainly of English speakers, does an incredible job with its charity shops and its support for our international foundation".

Community solidarity

The local government team backed the opening session, praising the movement’s track record. During his speech, the councillor for Foreigners, Mario Bravo (PP), highlighted the value of public-private cooperation as an essential cog in society's wheel. “On behalf of the Town Hall, I wanted to welcome them and explain that, no matter how much the administration does, we will never be able to reach everyone. It is vital to have private associations that complement this official solidarity on their own initiative, because they reach every corner and do so much faster than the administration”, Bravo acknowledged.

The councillor expressed his deep gratitude for the work carried out by the Lions at a local level, bringing to a close a ceremony that strengthens the support networks of one of the world’s largest voluntary organisations.

Share it with this link: https://mijasint.com/?a=38141