Benidorm opens nominations for the 2026 Exemplary Resident Award
The award, promoted by the Neighbourhood Council with the support of Benidorm City Council, recognises individuals whose actions set an example of community spirit and dedication to others
Any individual or organisation in the city can submit a nomination until 2 October
Benidorm’s Neighbourhood Council, with the support of the City Council’s Citizen Participation Department, has launched a new edition of the Exemplary Resident Award, which recognises Benidorm residents whose actions exemplify community spirit and inspire others. Councillor for Citizen Participation Ana Pellicer announced on Monday that the nomination period is now open, marking the start of the process. Nominations can be submitted until 2 October by any citizen, local organisation or association.
Pellicer recalled that one of the distinctive features of this award is that it “comes from civil society” and stressed that it is “a magnificent opportunity to highlight the work, dedication, commitment and empathy of our residents.” The award recognises “people who stand out for their personal, civic and ethical values, who have served or are currently serving the city, and whose everyday lives and good practices can serve as an example and source of inspiration for the wider community.”
As on previous occasions, to maximise the reach of the call for nominations and make it even more inclusive, the councillor encouraged “all organisations in Benidorm, regardless of their field of activity, to take part.” To this end, the Citizen Participation Department has sent a letter to all associations in Benidorm encouraging them to put forward candidates, “thus helping us discover more exemplary members of our community.”
As established in the rules of the call, any citizen or organisation wishing to do so may submit nominations for the Exemplary Resident Award until 2 October by registering the relevant application form at the Neighbourhood Council offices or at the Citizen Participation Department of Benidorm City Council.
The nomination must be endorsed by the signatures of three individuals or by a legal entity and accompanied by a statement detailing the candidate’s merits and the reasons why they deserve this recognition. These merits, Pellicer explained, “must be related to respect for others, solidarity, peaceful coexistence and tolerance among citizens, as well as personal sacrifice, commitment to helping others and the ability to overcome adversity.”
From among all nominations submitted within the deadline, the committee established for this purpose by the Neighbourhood Council will select three finalists. Their nominations will then be submitted to a jury, which will have the final say in choosing the 2026 Exemplary Resident. The jury will consist of five prominent members of the community, selected by the committee, all of them Benidorm residents and with no connection to any of the nominations. Previous recipients of the Exemplary Resident Award who wish to take part in the selection process will also join the jury.
Among the criteria to be taken into account when assessing and selecting the winner, the jury will consider whether the candidate demonstrates humanitarian qualities, is dedicated to helping others, is an example of solidarity, shows a spirit of sacrifice and a desire to overcome challenges, upholds exemplary values for fellow residents, can serve as a role model for the community, and contributes to enhancing the name of Benidorm and its people wherever they may be, as set out in the rules.
Ana Pellicer once again encouraged individuals and organisations to “join this heartfelt initiative by putting forward nominations” and recalled that in previous editions, the Exemplary Resident Award has recognised “the life and work of people who have left their mark through their service to the community and our society”, thereby helping “to continue building an ever better and greater Benidorm.”
To date, twelve editions of the award have been held, recognising the following individuals: Francisco Fenoll Rostoll (2011), Antonio Gonzaga Picó (2012), Francisco Alvado Barber (2013), Carmen Cerdá Garrido (2014), María Rosa González Mata-Rubio and Juan José García Albarrán (posthumously, in 2015), Casimiro Vila Esteban (2016), Eusebi Chiner Vives (2017), María Zaragoza Lloret (2018), Jesús Rosillo Jiménez (2019), Bárbara Pérez Llinares (2023), Ángel Olmo Quesada (2024) and José Luis Sarrió García (2025).
