This year, the Solidarity Awards of the Antonio Menchaca Foundation in Bilbao will honor the ‘Aita Mari’ maritime rescue ship for immigrants; Begoña Aguirrezabal, founder of the Luisa de Marillac Association; Aintzane Monteverde, president of San Nicolás Zabalik and the Somorrostro Training Centre.

This award has sought to recognise our school for its solidarity programmes with students. The aim of the awards is “to give public recognition to those people or groups who have continuously carried out outstanding work in the field of solidarity and social inclusion”.

The official awards ceremony, which is traditionally held in November at the BBK hall on Bilbao’s Gran Vía, will take place on 20 June at the Philharmonic Society. This year the Menchaca Foundation will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was created in 1974 by the Bilbao writer and philanthropist Antonio Menchaca Careaga in memory of his father, Antonio Menchaca de la Bodega.