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- The gala, which was held this Wednesday in Tenerife, was attended by the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo.
- Rafael González, General Director of Generation at Endesa, highlighted that these awards demonstrate the strong relationship the company has with the Islands and all Canarians.
- The winners were Binter, the Municipality of Adeje, the people of El Hierro, the Turtle Nursery of Fuerteventura, Miguelina Padrón, Ariadna Calcines, the family of Pablo and Adrián Schwengber, and the Living Museum of La Aldea.
Endesa held its II Endecan Awards Gala this Wednesday, December 11th, to recognize the merits of individuals, companies, and institutions whose work and professionalism have stood out in areas such as sustainability, biodiversity, research, sports, culture, and solidarity.
This second edition of the Endecan Awards Gala took place on the island of Tenerife, at the Mencey Hotel in the island’s capital, attended by the winners, jury members, the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, his Vice President, Manuel Domínguez, and prominent figures from Endesa, including Rafael González, General Director of Generation at the company, and Pablo Casado, Territorial Director in the Canary Islands. The gala was also attended by representatives from the business and political sectors, various administrations of the Canary Islands, and the island’s society in general.
On this occasion, the winners in the eight categories were: the people of El Hierro, for the humanity they demonstrate to the thousands of migrants arriving at their docks (Solidarity Award); Miguelina Padrón (Sports Award); the loggerhead turtle recovery project of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura (Biodiversity Award); Municipality of Adeje (Most Blue Municipality Award); Astrophysicist Ariadna Calcines (Scientific and Technological Talent Award); Binter Canarias (Sustainability Award); Pablo, Adrián and their family for the fight against Duchenne disease (Equality and Overcoming Award); and the Living Museum of La Aldea (Culture Award).
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, congratulated Endesa on organizing the awards and praised that, in a “difficult time filled with bad news,” an event like this celebrating such important values as solidarity and effort could take place. Regarding the winners and their “life stories,” he stated that “they are a reason for hope as well as a reason to feel proud of who we are as a people.”
Before proceeding with the awards ceremony, a round table titled ‘The Other Energy,’ moderated by Delia Jiménez, Head of Communication at Endesa Canarias, was held. Alongside her, some of the winners participated, including Ariadna Calcines, Director of Optical Design at the Advanced Instrumentation Center of Durham University (UK), Miguelina Padrón, three-time national Powerlifting champion and European Master 4 (+70 years) runner-up, Obdulia Falcón, mother of Pablo and Adrián Schwengber affected by Duchenne, and president of the Association for Neuromuscular Diseases of the Canary Islands (Asenecan), Ana Bella, Head of the Environment Service of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, and José Pedro Suárez, founder of the Living Museum of La Aldea, the most important living cultural space in Europe.
After this round table, Rafael González, General Director of Generation at Endesa and President of the II Endecan Jury, explained the reasons each of the winners was chosen to receive this distinction from Endesa. “These awards also serve to demonstrate something that we at Endesa already know: the affection, involvement, and strong relationship this company has with these Islands, where it has been providing light and energy for over 80 years; light and energy just like the one our winners offer to all present tonight, for which we are once again grateful,” he stated.
Finally, the awards ceremony took place, and one by one the winners were called to receive their statuettes in an emotional celebration that celebrated values such as effort, solidarity, humanity, empathy, resilience, respect, and environmental awareness.
The example of athlete Miguelina Padrón reminded attendees of the importance of constant effort and family support to achieve goals that seem impossible. The champion announced her upcoming trip to France to try to add another victory to her record. “The older I get, the heavier the weight,” she joked after recommending everyone to do sports for their health.
The award to scientist Ariadna Calcines recognized her dedication to unraveling the mysteries of the Universe. After explaining the ‘image slicer’ technology, she said she didn’t know “how far we’ll go, but it’s good to think that there are no limits, as long as we have the funding for it.”
The President of the Cabildo of El Hierro, Alpidio Armas, narrated the migratory drama in the Canary Islands, Europe’s southern border, and asked for more resources to accommodate the thousands of migrants who arrived on the island this year: over 20,000 in a local population of just 11,000.
The mother of Pablo and Adrián Schwengber, Obdulia Falcón, received a loud round of applause from attendees for her unwavering strength in the face of an incurable disease. She took the opportunity to ask for more funding for NGOs dedicated to people with dependency needs.
Ana Bella, responsible for the Turtle Nursery project in Fuerteventura, emphasized the need to unite efforts to protect the biodiversity of the Canary Islands and passionately described the conservation and awareness work being carried out at the center.
The Municipality of Adeje, represented by its mayor, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, served as an example of how public-private collaboration can benefit both parties while caring for the environment. Rodríguez Fraga reminded everyone of the significant role tourism plays economically but acknowledged that it can be improved and emphasized the need for it to become more sustainable.
Miguel Ángel Suárez, Commercial and Marketing Director of Binter, highlighted the ‘Canarian accent’ of the company and stated that the constant growth of the company has not made it forget its environmental commitments, which are an important part of its successful development.
Finally, the delegation of eight women from the Living Museum of La Aldea, dressed in traditional clothing as old tomato packers, surprised everyone by singing a popular song that moved all the attendees.
And so, with all the winners present, the Endecan Awards succeeded in bringing together the past, present, and future of a more solidary and sustainable Canary Islands on the same stage.
Manuel Domínguez, Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, presented the Sustainability Award to Miguel Ángel Suárez, Commercial and Marketing Director of Binter Canarias. Pablo Casado presented the Biodiversity Award to Carlos Rodríguez, Councillor for the Environment and Hunting of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura. Delia Jiménez, Head of Communication at Endesa Canarias, presented the Most Blue Municipality Award to José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, Mayor of Adeje. Rafael González, General Director of Generation at Endesa, presented the Scientific and Technological Talent Award to Ariadna Calcines. José Manuel Revuelta, General Director of Infrastructure and Networks at Endesa, presented the Solidarity Award to Alpidio Armas, President of the Cabildo of El Hierro. Ana María González, Rector of the University of the Atlantic Mediterranean, presented the Overcoming and Equality Award to Adrián Schwengber and his parents, Verne S. and Obdulia Falcón. Arancha Cuadrado Pérez, responsible for Media Planning at Endesa, presented the Culture Award to Miguelina Padrón. And finally, Juan Francisco Santana, Head of Prevention Services at Endesa in the Canary Islands, presented the Culture Award to Cayita Navarro and Mamina Suárez.
To conclude the gala, Pablo Casado, Territorial Director of Endesa in the Canary Islands, took the floor to close the event and give way to the final cocktail.
JURY MEMBERS
The jury for this second edition of the ENDECAN Awards was chaired by Rafael González, General Director of Generation at Endesa, and included Juan Francisco Santana, Head of Prevention Services at Endesa in the Canary Islands; Cristiana Oliveira, Rector of the European University of the Canary Islands; Arancha Cuadrado, Head of Media Planning at Endesa; Dácil Jiménez, journalist at Canarias Ahora; Leticia Martín, News Director at Canarias Radio la Autonómica; Ana María González, Rector of the University of the Atlantic Mediterranean; and Delia Jiménez, Head of Communication at Endesa in the Canary Islands.
DETAIL OF THE WINNERS
Binter Canarias (Sustainability Award)
Endesa recognizes its effort and commitment to reducing pollution and the carbon footprint after renewing its fleet with more sustainable models that consume less fuel, emit less CO2, and reduce noise pollution. They have also adapted their onboard service with 100% compostable cardboard and paper materials. The company’s goal is to reduce 15 tons of waste per year.
Turtle Nursery of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura (Biodiversity Award)
The corporation has been leading this project since 2006 for the recovery and conservation of the loggerhead turtle on the island. The aim is for this species to return to nest on the beaches of Fuerteventura, and this summer the first success was achieved. The work is structured in three action lines: the conservation of hatchlings, the care of rescued individuals, and social awareness. More than 3,000 specimens have passed through their facilities.
Municipality of Adeje (Most Blue Municipality Award)
Adeje, one of the most important tourist destinations in the Canary Islands and Spain, hosts a large portion of Tenerife’s hotels and is the first (and only so far) municipality to join the Circular Tourism Communities initiative. This project, led by Ashotel and Asaga Canarias-Asaja, turns organic waste from hotels into high-quality compost. This natural fertilizer is then used in agro-ecological farms or in the hotels’ own gardens. The project has prevented 7,000 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere, and 24 establishments are already participating.
Ariadna Calcines (Scientific and Technological Talent Award)
Born 41 years ago in Agaete, Ariadna has had her eyes on the sky since she was a child. She was chosen as one of the top 25 astrophysicists in the country and was recently awarded the best talk prize at the International SPIE Telescopes and Astronomical Instrumentation Congress (Japan). Her career is filled with awards, and she currently leads the Optical Design Group at the Advanced Instrumentation Center of Durham University, UK. Her pioneering research in telescope lenses allows for more precise observations of the Universe.
The People of El Hierro (Solidarity Award)
The nearly 12,000 people of El Hierro, far from political battles, organize themselves so that migrants who lost their lives on the journey to the Canary Islands or upon reaching their shores do not die alone. No grave is sealed without anonymous locals attending to give a dignified and humane farewell to those who did not survive; even nameless tombstones receive fresh flower bouquets: “No one dies alone here.”
The Schwengber Brothers Pablo, Adrián, and their Family (Equality and Overcoming Award)
If it is hard for your firstborn to be diagnosed with a rare and severe disease, it is even worse when two children are affected. The entire family of Pablo and Adrián, both suffering from Duchenne, is an example of overcoming adversity in facing this syndrome that eventually leaves the person confined to a wheelchair. Obdulia, their mother, presides over the association Asenecan, created to help neuromuscular patients and advocate for their rights. Despite the diagnosis, the brothers continue to face each challenge and dream of a cure for Duchenne.
The Living Museum of La Aldea (Culture Award)
In a rural setting, between the mountains of Gran Canaria, the Living Museum of La Aldea de San Nicolás is an oasis dedicated to preserving and making visible the agricultural traditions of the island. It conserves knowledge and popular wisdom, an example of respect for the environment, and an open-door space for the island’s history, traditions, and culture. Thousands of visitors have passed through its doors, and this community project, founded by José Pedro Suárez and his colleagues, has become a landmark on the island.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. It is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. It undertakes end-to-end business including the generation, distribution and retailing of electricity. It also offers electric mobility services, where it is one of the main operators of charging stations in Spain, and, through the Endesa X brand, value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy uses in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribución and Corporate Social Responsibility. The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,000 employees. Endesa is part of Enel, Europe's largest electricity group.