The night of Friday, July 3, 2026, marked the grand finale of the Pride events in Miguelturra. The closing ceremony took place at Doctor Fleming Park, hosting a festive yet advocacy-focused event that brought together numerous attendees to celebrate diversity, equality, and respect.

During this event, the Carnival Peñas Association received an honorary mention from the Amparo LGTBI+ Association in recognition of its commitment to equal opportunities, inclusion, and respect for diversity—thereby helping to create open, safe, and representative spaces for participation for everyone—as well as for its role as a social leader in promoting values ​​of coexistence, respect, and the visibility of diversity.

Mariano Donate, President of the Amparo LGTBI+ Association, presented the honorary distinction to the 2025 and 2026 Major Masks—Esther, Berna, Juan Carlos, and Miguel Ángel—who accepted the award on behalf of the Carnival Peñas Association. Subsequently, the following statement was read on behalf of the Peñas Association.

Letter of Appreciation from the Peñas Association

On behalf of the Miguelturra Carnival Peñas Association, its Board of Directors, and everyone who is part of our great Carnival family, we wish to express our sincere gratitude for the Honorary Mention we receive today.

This recognition is much more than a plaque. It reflects years of effort, struggle, commitment, and collective work. It acknowledges those who have believed that equality, inclusion, and respect are not merely words, but principles that should guide our actions every day. Ultimately, this recognition speaks of rights, dignity, and freedom.

For us, as representatives of one of our people’s most important cultural and popular expressions, this recognition holds a very special meaning. Carnival has always been a space for coming together, for community, for diversity, and for freedom—a place where everyone belongs and where difference has never been a barrier, but rather a source of richness that makes us better.

That is why today I wish to echo the words spoken by María Peláe during Seville Pride, when she advocated for a society with no place for hatred or extremism. We, too, believe in that plural, open, and diverse society—a society where no one has to hide who they are, where everyone can live freely, and where hard-won rights continue to advance rather than ever regress.

We want to tell you loud and clear that we are your allies. We extend a hand to continue moving forward together, building spaces that are more inclusive, respectful, and humane. Because equality and diversity are not causes for the few; they are responsibilities shared by all of society.

This recognition will hold a place of honor within our collective heritage. It will be prominently displayed in the Carnival Museum—specifically in the area dedicated to the Association of Carnival Peñas—so that all citizens can view it and remember what it represents: our Carnival’s commitment to equality, inclusion, visibility, and respect for diversity.

And today, this recognition is accepted by those best suited to do so: our Major Masks, Berna and Esther. They are two individuals who embody the finest values ​​of our Carnival and were the true architects of a courageous and necessary decision. It was they who championed Miguel Ángel and Juan Carlos—a choice that this Board of Directors embraced with pride and conviction from the very start.

Today, we wish to especially acknowledge that courage. For beyond the fact that Miguel Ángel and Juan Carlos were the first gay couple to become Major Masks of our Carnival, what truly mattered was the message they conveyed. Their selection represented an act of normalization, visibility, and commitment to a reality that was already part of our society. It reflected the plurality of our town, the diversity of our families, and the richness of a society that moves forward when it is able to see itself reflected in all the people who make it up.

That decision not only made history in our Carnival; it helped demonstrate that love, commitment, enthusiasm, and participation transcend labels. It showed that traditions can and must go hand in hand with democratic values ​​and human rights. And for that very reason, we feel today that this recognition is also a tribute to all those who, with courage, have helped build a freer, fairer, and more inclusive society.

Because visibility matters. Because rights are won, but also defended every day. And because when a society advances in equality, we all advance.

We wish to express our deep gratitude to Espacio Amparo for this honor and for the work it does to promote equality, inclusion, and respect for diversity. Thank you for building bridges, creating safe spaces, and reminding us that living together is built upon mutual respect and the recognition of every individual.

Allow us also to congratulate CEIP María Elena Maseras on the recognition it is receiving today. Thank you for fostering an education based on freedom, equality, and respect. For it is in the classroom that the values ​​are sown which later blossom into a more just and humane society.

I would like to conclude by recalling the words of Clara Campoamor: “Freedom is learned by exercising it”—a phrase that remains fully relevant today. And we wish to add that love, too, is taught. It is taught through education, respect, and harmonious coexistence, and through the example we set every day in our institutions, associations, families, and schools.

Let us continue to exercise freedom. Let us continue to educate in love. Let us continue to build a society where diversity is always a source of pride and never a cause for division.

Thank you all very much for this honor.