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Diari Valencià

Ondara Celebrates Ocell Awards with Recognitions for Culture and Social Service

The gala, which included a concert by Tomàs de los Santos, honored IECMA, the Mare de Déu de la Soledat Residence, Josep Puig, and Pep Romany.

Generic image of a microphone on a podium in an auditorium, with blurred seats in the background.
IA

Generic image of a microphone on a podium in an auditorium, with blurred seats in the background.

Ondara was the setting for the double presentation of the Ocell Awards, which recognized the work of the Institut d’Estudis Comarcals de la Marina Alta (IECMA), the Mare de Déu de la Soledat Residence, music teacher Josep Puig, and chef Pep Romany.

The Ondara Municipal Auditorium hosted the XXV and XVI gala of the Ocell Awards, a double event for the year 2026, as the last edition was postponed last December due to weather conditions. The ceremony began with a speech of civic and social vindication by Anna Mestre, the event's host, who recalled the agenda of events of the Associació Cultural Ocell during 2026, the year of the collective's 50th anniversary.
These awards, supported by the Ondara City Council, recognize personalities and entities proposed and voted on by the association's members, both at the local and regional levels. The mayor and the culture councilor were in charge of presenting the awards.
The first recognition of the night, corresponding to 2025 and of regional scope, went to chef Pep Romany, head of El Pont Sec in Dénia. He was highlighted as one of the main figures responsible for dignifying and valuing traditional cuisine by promoting tradition through local products. Subsequently, the career of Ondara music teacher Josep Puig Ramis, known as Pep el de la Fonda, was recognized. He thanked the award in an emotional speech where he appealed for the preservation of the Dolores and the important patrimonial legacy of the Ondara composer Gonzalo Ortolà.
Regarding the 2026 recognitions, the regional award was given to the Institut d’Estudis Comarcals de la Marina Alta (IECMA). Its president, Rosa Seser, highlighted the significance and long trajectory of an organization that is probably one of the ones with the most members within the context of the Valencian Community. The local distinction for 2026 went to the Mare de Déu de la Soledat Residence of Ondara, on behalf of which its director collected the award, emphasizing the solemn nature of such recognition for a public body focused on caring for the elderly.
The gala culminated with a concert by the Valencian singer-songwriter Tomàs de los Santos, known for his dedication to great poets in our language. The artist offered a heterogeneous recital that showcased his experience and brilliant stage presence, closing the double gala with elegance and linguistic vindication, and marking the beginning for the next year of 2027.

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