Onda Cero holds the sixth Solidarity City Awards sponsored by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona

• Today, to acknowledge the excellent work done by welfare organisations, radio station Onda Cero held its sixth Solidarity City Awards sponsored by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona.
• The award recognises social work done by the organisations that have participated in the Solidarity City section of the “La Ciutat” programme.
•      The winner, the SURT Foundation, received the top prize of 6,000 euros in recognition of its commitment to gender equality and successful labour market insertion of women.
• The Catalan RETT Syndrome Association (Asociación Catalana del Síndrome de RETT) was runner up and received 3,000 euros for its work to help patients affected by RETT Syndrome and their families.

Barcelona, 28 November 2018. Radio station Onda Cero Catalonia and the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, with support from Renfe, handed out the Ciudad Solidaria (Solidarity City) prize today, recognising the work done by non-government organisations (NGO) and non-profit welfare organisations that work in the areas of solidarity, health, childhood, education and social and occupational integration.

This year’s winner, the SURT Foundation, received a cash prize of 6,000 euros, while runner up, the Catalan RETT Syndrome Association, was rewarded with 3,000 euros. Both winning organisations received commemorative lithographs, a communication campaign on Onda Cero to spread the word about their activities, as well as two tickets for two to travel with AVE.

The SURT Foundation, a women foundation, was formed 25 years ago to stand up for women’s rights. It also works to eradicate gender discrimination and to promote a society with real gender equality. It has a project to improve occupation and labour integration for women, particularly marginalised women.

The Catalan RETT Syndrome Association was formed in 1994 for parents with daughters with RETT neurological syndrome, a condition that affects speech, the use of the hands and the ability to walk that affects girls and women almost exclusively. The organisation offers psychological support to families, mutual support groups and different activities to improve personal autonomy of people affected by RETT Syndrome.

The winners were selected from among 40 candidates that took part in Onda Cero’s “La Ciutat” programme this season as part of the weekly Solidarity City space. The space is used to spread the word about the work done in disadvantaged sectors of society and areas such as infancy, poverty, health, education and leisure, social and occupational integration and international cooperation.

The “Solidarity City” award helps to raise the profile of the work done by these organisations by offering two prizes. The value of the prize has been increased by 1,000 euros this year to 6,000 euros for the first time. It is also the first time that the runner up has received a monetary prize of 3,000 euros. This is another sign of these organisations’ firm commitment to the cause.

The prizes were handed out at a ceremony held at the Hotel España in Barcelona and attended by Onda Cero Catalonia; Francesc Robert i Agell; Delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro; the general manager of Atresmedia Radio, Ramon Osorio; Renfe’s delegate for communication in Catalonia and Aragon, Antonio Carmona, and the members of a jury consisting of organisations and associations rewarded in previous editions of the awards.  

This year was the sixth edition of the awards. Since Solidarity City began, more than 240 welfare organisations have been featured on the radio programme.