Benidorm commemorates the 696th anniversary of its birth as a town

Benidorm has commemorated the 696 anniversary of its foundation with the institutional plenary session of Benidorm's Day and the subsequent performance of the granting of the Town Charter by the Grup Carta de Poblament, linked to the Associació de Penyes 'Verge del Sofratge', in Julio auditorium in Parque de l'Aigüera.

The mayor, Toni Pérez, the entire municipal corporation and the regional deputy, Manuel Pérez Fenoll, participated in the event. Likewise, the queens of the Major Patron Festivities, Paula Pérez and Sofía Fuster; the presidents of the Comissió de Festes Majors Patronals and the Associació de Penyes, Batiste Rostoll and Adrián Romero; and representatives of the entire Benidormense society.

At 7:00 p.m. the institutional act began with the raising of the flags of Spain, the Valencian Community and Europe and the interpretation of the national anthem. Next, the mayor, Toni Pérez, took the floor to recall that the Town Charter is "a privilege of the population, a franchise statute that formed the essence of this lamp of feelings that is Benidorm."

Toni Pérez has defined Benidorm as a cosmopolitan city that "has made its own and godson how many people have come to make this place also their home" showing the world its "spirit of welcome, permanent hospitality".

The mayor referred to the pandemic situation that our society is still experiencing and has called for prudence "in this phase we are in", showing himself convinced that the experience has served to consolidate "a more humane and safer Benidorm, reinforcing our roots and identity ”.

In his speech, Toni Pérez has proclaimed that Benidorm "is a success story" and "a unique phenomenon that has been possible due to the perfect conjunction between the place and its people" to end by underlining that "this is how we want it to continue being, with the help and the involvement of all ”.

After the mayor's official speech, the Chamber Orchestra of Unió Musical de Benidorm, directed by Rafael Gómez, performed the city's anthem and a musical selection. This was followed by the staging of the granting of the Town Charter, according to the adaptation by Pasqual Almiñana and later the maintainer of the act, the architect Francisco José Llinares, took the floor.

The most emotional moment of the afternoon was the tribute to the people from Benidorm who died recently: José Verdú and Agustín Navarro, who was also the founder of the group playing the role of Bernat de Sarrià. His youngest son, Didac Navarro, thanked for the support received and recalled anecdotes about his father preparing for the performance of the granting of the Town Charter.

This afternoon the last of Benidorm's Day commemorative events will take place, the concert that Societat Musical La Nova will offer to the city at 5:45 p.m., also in Julio Iglesias auditorium at Parque de l'Aigüera.