This new distinction aims to keep alive the legacy of the White Father Joaquim Vallmajó, who was murdered in Rwanda in 1994, and to foster cooperation and social commitment. A group of people from Empordà and Girona, in response to growing lack of solidarity, have promoted this award to recognize individuals, entities, and groups excelling in solidarity, cooperation, peace, truth, and social justice.
The award is organized by the Coordinadora d'ONG Solidàries de les comarques gironines i l'Alt Maresme and is intended to be an annual event. Each year, the recognition will be announced around April 26, coinciding with the anniversary of the death of Joaquim Vallmajó, a cooperant and religious figure from the Empordà region.
“"More than an award, it is a recognition that we will make every year to a person or entity that has stood out for the work done."
Behind this initiative are the former members of the Grup d'Empordanesos Empordaneses per a la Solidaritat (GEES), who, despite being dissolved, maintain their spirit of struggle. The award's guidelines allowed for applications from individuals as well as associations, entities, institutions, and groups. Thirteen proposals have been received—ten from entities and three from individuals—a response that has pleased the organizers.
The jury comprises representatives from the Coordinadora, Justícia i Pau - Girona, the Vallmajó family, and the Empordà collective that initiated the award. Joan Surroca and Imma Parada serve as president and vice-president, respectively, with Bibiana Vallmajó, Xavier Punset, Martí Terés, and Josep Lluís Tejeda as secretary. The award itself includes an engraving specially created by Miquel Duran.
The award ceremony will take place at seven in the evening on April 24 at the Caputxins auditorium. It will feature a lecture by lawyer Jordi Palou-Loverdos, an expert on Vallmajó's life, and musical accompaniment by Ansoumani Kouyaté and Enric Pérez.
Joaquim Vallmajó, born in Navata on March 21, 1941, and ordained a priest in 1965, was a religious figure from Empordà belonging to the Missionaries of Africa, known as the White Fathers. After his training, he was assigned to Rwanda, where he worked in two phases, particularly from 1972 onwards. He was deeply involved in defending the most vulnerable, working with refugees and displaced persons amidst the tension between Hutus and Tutsis. In 1991, he took responsibility for social works in the diocese of Byumba, northern Rwanda, and was known for denouncing abuses and corruption.
Vallmajó disappeared on April 26, 1994, during the Rwandan genocide, one of the most devastating episodes in contemporary African history. Despite opportunities to flee, he chose to remain with the population. His death, attributed to soldiers or guerrillas, made him a symbol of commitment to human rights, remembered in Empordà, the Catalan Church, and solidarity circles.
