Cadiz awards medals to Ronda and Zahara de la Sierra for sheltering Grazalema residents

March 19th marks Cadiz Province Day, commemorating the proclamation of the 1812 Constitution of Cadiz.

Every year, the provincial authority of Cadiz (Diputación) awards medals to some institutions, organisations or individuals in recognition of their work or achievements.

The beginning of 2026 was marked in many parts of Andalucía by heavy rains and a whole series of storms that battered the region. In particular, storm damage forced the complete evacuation of the municipality of Grazalema - an unprecedented event.

Many residents of the municipality were able to find refuge with family or friends, but many others headed to Ronda, where they stayed for over ten days. As a sign of gratitude for the selfless assistance provided by the people of Ronda, the provincial authority of Cadiz has announced that the municipalities of Ronda and Zahara de la Sierra will receive the medal of the province of Cadiz on 19 March for their support of Grazalema.

Likewise, the emergency management agency for Andalucía has been awarded its own medal for its coordination efforts during the barrage of storms. "Structural damage can be repaired, but personal losses cannot," stated Diputación president Almudena Martínez.

While these Atlantic storms battered Cadiz province, the road maintenance crews that work for the Diputación "risked life and limb to prevent towns across the province from becoming cut off". For all their efforts and dedication, the provincial authority is awarding them a medal too.

So, what of other medals being awarded on 19 March? One will go to Cofrademanía "for 18 years of telling the story of Easter Week throughout the province". Another to Javier Sánchez Rojas, former president of Cadiz province's confederation of business leaders for "a lifetime dedicated to business development for the province".

A medal also goes to FEGADI (a disability association in Cadiz) for "the work they do with these people". For the primary sector, medals go to COAG (an umbrella organisation for associations linked with farmers and livestock breeders), "a sector hard hit by the rains", and to UPA and ASAJA, another two associations from the primary sector.

In other sectors and activities, awards go to Caballeros Hospitalarios , "a key entity in the care of vulnerable people", the El Faro restaurant group, the bullfighter Paco Ojeda, the Álvarez Beigbeder orchestra, the Alcalá del Valle cooperative society for olive oil production and the Colegio Oficial de Médicos (professional medics association) for Cadiz province, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

The Diputación's president also announced that flamenco dancer Sara Baras will be recognised as a Favourite Daughter of the Province. "She is someone who has carried the culture, roots and identity of Cadiz with joy and that spark that embodies Cadiz. She is someone who proudly carries the name of the province of Cadiz around the world. It is an honour to have her as an ambassador", stated Almudena Martínez.

This dancer began her artistic career in San Fernando, training at the flamenco school run by her mother, Concha Baras, who was also her first teacher. This Cadiz-born dancer originally performed alongside renowned artistes such as Camarón de la Isla, with Manuel Morao's company, and she took part in the Spanish television talent show Gente Joven ('young people'), where she won first prize at the age of 18.

Since then, her repertoire, always featuring her own choreography, has expanded to include: Cádiz-La Isla 1998, Sueños 1999, Sueños de Sara 1999, Juana la Loca 2000, Mariana Pineda 2002, Sabores 2005, Baras - Carreras 2006, Carmen 2007, Esencia 2009, La Pepa 2012, Medusa 2014, Voces 2015 and Sombras in 2019.

Among the numerous accolades she has received throughout her artistic career are the 2003 National Dance Prize in Spain, the 2004 Gold Medal of Andalucía, the 2020 Olivier Award from the UK and the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts, also in 2020.

The painting that will serve as the headline image to commemorate this special day for Cadiz in 2026 has also been unveiled. It is a painting by an artist from Puerto Real, Marina Iglesias.

As the artist herself has explained, it is a work inspired by the Garden of the Hesperides , the mythical paradise that some classical authors believed to be located somewhere in Cadiz. The artist explains that her painting is based on "the cultural mix and the great historical heritage" that her Cadiz roots provide. "My work as an artist, just like this place where I was born and raised, seeks to bring contemporary elements to the ancient."

Marina Iglesias concludes by stating that, on the occasion of 19 March, we remember "that Cadiz was not only the setting for myths, but that it embraced them, enriched them and continues to keep them alive today, thus honouring those who came before us and made possible the legacy that we enjoy today. We are heirs to an infinite wealth, both cultural and natural, and that is why I would like to express my great, deep and sincere gratitude for allowing me to contribute my part to this legacy, for the trust that has been placed in me and for continuing to care for and fan that flame that is our culture and our land, and which remains so alive among today's generations."