The event, held at the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Centre, recognised José Aguilar Lara, Micaela Díaz Martín, Carmen Suárez Gavira, Marifé Plaza Escudero, and Ana Peña Fernández, chosen by the local community centres.
The Torremolinos Town Hall has paid tribute to five elderly residents of the municipality on the occasion of Grandparents' Day, during a ceremony held at the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Centre. The honourees were proposed by various community and active participation centres in the area, representing the entire elderly community of Torremolinos.
The recognised individuals were José Aguilar Lara from the Torremolinos Centre for Municipal Coexistence; Micaela Díaz Martín from the El Pozuelo Active Participation Centre; Carmen Suárez Gavira from the Torremolinos-West Active Participation Centre; Marifé Plaza Escudero from the Playamar Active Participation Centre; and Ana Peña Fernández from the La Carihuela Active Participation Centre. Each received a memento from the councillors.
The Councillor for Seniors, José Manuel Ruiz, was responsible for highlighting the role of grandparents during the ceremony. “Today we do not simply come to celebrate Grandparents' Day. Today we come to thank those who have dedicated their entire lives to working, caring, teaching, sacrificing, and loving without ever asking for anything in return. Grandparents are that place we always return to,” Ruiz stated.
The councillor emphasised that the tribute was not limited to the five distinguished individuals but extended to all the seniors in the municipality. “This tribute belongs to all the grandfathers and grandmothers of Torremolinos. To those who accompany us today, to those who continue to be the pillar of their families, to those who keep caring, helping, and giving without expecting anything in return, and also to those who are no longer physically with us but continue to live in our memories, in our customs, and in all that they taught us,” he declared.
During the event, a video was shown featuring images summarising the life journeys of each honouree, in a gesture aimed at valuing their legacy and contribution to the Torremolinos society. The First Deputy Mayor, Marta Huete, and the Councillor for Municipal Enterprises, Avelina González, also participated in the award presentation.
Ruiz concluded his speech with a reflection on the role of grandparents in society: “There is no better inheritance than the example of a grandparent, nor greater fortune than having had the luck to grow up by their side.” “Because a city is not built only with streets, squares, or buildings. A city is built with people, and Torremolinos is immensely fortunate to have been built on the effort, honesty, and heart of generations of men and women like you,” the councillor added.
Grandparents' Day is celebrated every year in Torremolinos as recognition of the work of elderly individuals, who often play a fundamental role in caring for their families and transmitting values. The town hall has been organising this event for several years, aiming to highlight their contribution and promote active ageing.
The community and active participation centres in the municipality are key spaces for leisure and socialisation for seniors. They host cultural, educational, and leisure activities aimed at improving their quality of life. The selection of honourees by these centres ensures that the recognition is participatory and representative.
This year's event was particularly emotional, according to municipal sources, due to the involvement of attending family members and the content of the tribute video, which captured significant moments from the lives of the five honourees. The Town Hall has highlighted the importance of maintaining such celebrations to strengthen intergenerational bonds and value the experience of the elderly.
With initiatives like this, Torremolinos joins other municipalities in the province that also commemorate Grandparents' Day, a date that, although not a public holiday, holds significant social importance. The coastal town has a significant ageing population, and the town hall maintains specific attention programmes for this group, such as memory workshops, adapted physical activities, and social counselling.
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