BaezaDiversa 2023 recognizes Alfredo Corell, Jaime de los Santos and Manolita Chen for their work in favor of diversity

A celebration of diversity, dignity, equality and freedom. This is the objective of the BaezaDiversa 2023 Awards, which celebrated its 14th edition this Saturday night at the Montemar Theater in the Andalusian city, where a multitude of authorities, entities and groups traveled to support the winners..

Pedro Cabrera, mayor of Baeza, opened the event with some welcoming words, in which he highlighted that the city “aspires in this new edition of the Baeza for Diversity Program to once again be an instrument for sharing spaces, transforming stereotypes and roles and “educate in equality, promoting respect for differences, joining efforts and establishing commitments for coexistence and mutual respect.”. “Therefore, with this new edition we wanted to reinforce in a special way our commitment to equality, respect and dignity of all people; ours, and that of a citizenry increasingly committed to social causes, to problems derived from a model that on too many occasions still excludes, or discriminates against, people from the LGTBI community or other diversities,” he added..

The BaezaDiversa Awards are part of the Baeza for Diversity Program, created in 2009 to “promote citizen awareness regarding the acceptance of sexual diversity, gender identity and other diversities”. To this end, the city council develops an extensive program of activities each year between September and October, which culminates in the granting of these awards..

At the event, Mari Ángeles Moreno, city councilor for Equality, also highlighted the “commitment to vindicate, commemorate and protect the achievement of the rights that protect people from the LGTBI community and other diversities, as well as our firm intention to continue working for respect, equality and freedom”.

The winners

In the “education and science” category, Alfredo Corell Almuzara, professor at the University of Seville, scientific communicator and prestigious member of the Spanish Society of Immunology, received the award “based on his recognized educational, research, scientific and informative work, as well as their defense and activism in favor of the rights of the LGTBIQ+ group”, highlighted the Baeza city council.

In the “diversities” category, the recognition went to the ONCE Foundation, “based on its recognized action of solidarity and cooperation in working with diverse groups, also integrating other dimensions such as equality and non-discrimination of LGTBI people”.

Manuela Saborido Muñoz, better known as Manolita Chen, was awarded in the “Pedro Zerolo” category, “based on the development of her personal, social and artistic profile as a leading activist of the LGTBIQ+ group and promoter of actions aimed at other disadvantaged groups”. This artist and businesswoman was one of the first transsexual women in Spain to change her name and sex on her ID in the 80s..

Lluis Guilera Ximenis won the award in the “media” category, “based on his recognized professional and personal career in the field of journalism, communication and TV, and his position against LGTBIphobia and in favor of the visibility of sexual diversity”.

Jaime de los Santos González, deputy and National Secretary of Culture of the Popular Party, received the recognition in the “public participation” modality, “based on his activism and personal, cultural and political work against LGTBIphobia, as well as for his presence and social influence in favor of LGTBIQ+ groups”.

And finally, the “honorary recognition” went to Joaquín Álvarez de la Roza, “based on his constant support for the Baeza Diversity Program since its creation”. Born in Asturias and a retired professor from the IES Duque de Rivas, in Rivas Vaciamadrid, De la Roza promoted during his years of teaching the so-called Tutoring of Attention to Affective-Sexual Diversity, a pioneering initiative in Spain to help LGTBIQ+ students to be able to live fully their sexual orientation and gender identity within the school community, carrying out prevention and awareness actions against bullying. He has also been an “indispensable collaborator” of the Baeza Program for Diversity.