The City Council distributes 4,000 copies of the 'Seagull Game' among Benidorm schoolchildren

Benidorm City Council, through the Department of Historical and Cultural Heritage, has distributed 4,000 copies of the 'Game of the Seagull' to schoolchildren at all the city's educational centres, to spread local history, culture, traditions, and the most emblematic places among Benidorm's children. The councilor for the area, Ana Pellicer, stated that "as we mentioned in its presentation, coinciding with the celebration of the '700th Anniversary' of Benidorm's founding as a municipality, we have adapted the classic 'Game of the Goose' with a much more personal touch, also targeting children so that this historic commemoration can reach all citizens, thus involving different generations in a date that will remain in everyone's memory," the mayor emphasized.

Ana Pellicer noted that throughout the week, "4,000 primary school students will receive this board game, which they can play in class or take home and share fun moments with the rest of their families." She then expressed her hope that "they will enjoy it and have fun, while learning things about our city that they may not have known before."

Through drawings by the artist Malagón, the "Seagull Game" reproduces some of Benidorm's most recognisable locations along with people and historical landmarks on its 63 squares. These include images of natural spaces, both classic and modern, such as the island, El Castell, the Emita de Sanz, the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna, the techno-landmark, the beaches, the Serra Gelada mountain range, the various parks, the Town Hall, and the Avenida del Mediterráneo, among others. Also recognisable are Pedro Zaragoza with his Vespa, and Bernat de Sarrià and Beatriu Fajardo de Mendoza, noblemen who signed the two Benidorm Town Charters. The image of the Virgin of Suffrage, the goddess Tanit, the microphone from the Benidorm Fest, and the Little Mermaid from the Song Festival are other notable images, which also accompany others depicting the Festes Majors Patronals, water sports, local cuisine, and scenes from popular music and culture.

The Councilor for Historical and Cultural Heritage explained that the seagull was chosen as the main animal, replacing the goose in the classic game, because it is an animal "much more ours, which we can find in any part of the city and which, furthermore, is the bird that appears in the lyrics of the Benidorm Anthem, with lyrics by the priest Adrián Ramírez and music by maestro Joaquín Belda, which premiered in August 1944 and was declared the official anthem of Benidorm by the plenary session in 1995."

Furthermore, Pellicer noted that, in addition to this board game format, the City Council has also printed the 'Seagull Game' on a large 7x7 canvas so that the game can be taken to educational centres or childhood-related associations interested in organising sessions to play with their students or users. To do so, they must contact the Department of Historical and Cultural Heritage by sending an email to biblioteca@benidorm.org to schedule dates to enjoy this game, either in parks or other public spaces in Benidorm or in schools.

"The goal is for children to learn from a young age about the rich cultural, historical, and natural heritage we have in Benidorm and to continue to immerse themselves in it through this game," the councilor concluded.