Malaga gala awards the foreigners who have made a contribution to their adopted home

President of the provincial authority Francisco Salado stated that these awards "recognise and thank" those who have made the province their home and "done their bit to improve it".

Salado took pride in Malaga's ability to make room for people who want to bring good from other parts of the country and the world when they "choose to live" here.

"Thousands of people have decided not only to live here, but also to work, start businesses, create, help and play an active part in our society," he stated.

That is what Joan Hunt, a British pioneer in palliative care in Spain after whom the awards are named, did.

After her husband died of cancer, Hunt chose to serve others and created a hospice to accommodate people requiring palliative care: now Fundación Cudeca. Its president, Ricardo Urdiales, stated that the awards celebrate "the fusion" of the Spanish and international communities.

This synthesis, Urdiales said, "enriches the social work of this province", which he described as "cosmopolitan".

Although the awards recognise the contribution of prominent individuals or organisations from the worlds of culture, sport, charity and media, all the award winners paid tribute to Joan Hunt and the work of Cudeca.

Director of Clínica Buchinger Clinic Katharina Rohrer-Zaiser, for example, drew a parallel between the history of the centre and that of Hunt herself.

"That is what we do at Buchinger and Cudeca: we care for people in a humane way and with expert insight," Rohrer-Zaiser said.

In 1920, Dr Otto Buchinger treated his first patient, laying the foundations for a method based on therapeutic fasting and medical support. In 1973, the family brought that legacy to Marbella. Four generations have kept that spirit alive.

Sergio Scariolo, recipient of the sports award, also drew parallels between his own experience and that of Cudeca. Through the Cesare Scariolo foundation, he has been helping children with cancer and supporting their families for years.

"This recognition gives me even more energy and motivation to help the people of our province live better and better lives," he said. Scariolo has a distinguished career in international basketball and has left a very special mark on Malaga at the helm of Unicaja.

"When people ask me where I'm from, I say Marbella," he stated.

Malaga's consular corps received the award for diplomatic work. Its roots date back to the port city of Malaga in the Middle Ages, a time since which the consular presence has continued to grow, now representing 55 countries in the province.

Its dean, José Luis Ramos, stated that Fundación Cudeca is the voice of care and a link with family members. The consular corps' mission is to strengthen ties between countries and promote Malaga as a city connected to the world.

The Joan Hunt 'Sabor a Málaga' award went to the Guiri Brewery in Antequera: a craft brewery founded by John and Maria Monk, which "has succeeded in combining an outsider's perspective with the products and identity of Malaga".

John Monk said he felt "very honoured to be recognised by Cudeca and the provincial authority". "We are very proud to be part of 'Sabor a Málaga',"he stated.

It is no surprise, then, that every recipe at the brewery begins with a key ingredient: water from the Torcal de Antequera.

The communications category award went to Sydkusten Media, a Spanish public limited company under Swedish management that has been providing news and services to the Swedish-speaking community in Spain since 1992.

It has evolved from a print newspaper into a modern multimedia company, run by two brothers, Mats and Richard Björkman, who were born in Malaga and whose parents came to the province in the 1960s to work. "Our mum was one of those famous Swedish women from Spanish films," they joked.

Finally, the Idiliq foundation received the solidarity award. Since 1999, it has been running initiatives such as Kind Holidays, which gives away weeks' holiday to families facing difficult circumstances.

"The best thing about welcoming these families is seeing how our staff get involved. Your recognition, from one foundation (Cudeca) to another, is particularly valuable," Idiliq's head of HR said.

The winner in the culture category was Leslie Thomson, Argentinian born and of Scottish origin, who brought the gala to a close by playing the national anthems of Andalucía and Spain on his Scottish bagpipes.

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