At the eighth annual Porxada Awards gala, held on Friday, October 16, at the Teatre Auditori, the award recognizing Floristeria Pètals and its owner, Mónica Orellana, was presented for her demonstrated commitment to using Catalan since the shop opened.
At the flower shop, Mónica Orellana greets customers in Catalan and then continues the conversation in the language they choose. The shop's signage is exclusively in Catalan, and she actively uses the language on social media. Furthermore, the establishment collaborates with the 'Voluntariat per la llengua' (Volunteer for Language) program, hosting students from Catalan courses for language practice, providing them with a comfortable space to speak the language they learn in class and improve their fluency.
Additionally, the flower shop has participated in language promotion activities such as Paraules sobre vidre (Words on Glass), the exhibition Quan parles fas màgia (When You Speak, You Make Magic), and the contest Endevina-la (Guess It).
Mónica Orellana, originally from Ecuador, has managed the business, located at Carrer de Rafael Casanova, 64, in the Ponent neighborhood, for just over two years. She received the award from Núria Sala, director of the Centre de Normalització Lingüística del Vallès Oriental (Linguistic Normalization Center of Vallès Oriental).
The Porxada Awards, organized by the Granollers City Council and the merchants' association Gran Centre, recognize shops in the city for their trajectory, values, longevity, and remarkable or exemplary qualities. The Catalan Language Commitment category was created last year, as part of the Municipal Pact for Language, aiming to value businesses' actions in favor of the Catalan language, to encourage its use among customers and inspire other shopkeepers to do the same.
