Fair saturday awards

I don’t know if you still haven’t met Jordi Albareda and Saioa Eibar… Have you? And if I mention Fair Saturday…, how about now? Good, because Jordi and Saioa are its founders, two great people and, in addition to that, entrepreneurs. Always willing and ready, and with a project that I wish was created before.

Last Saturday the 26th of September they called us again for an award event that was born in 2017. It’s really special. Through the awards, they recognize the initiatives of individuals and organizations that get to inspire and question us, that have demonstrated a social impact on different levels, and that are based on art and culture. Oh, and their mission is to generate more inclusive, fair, and sustainable growth (Fair Saturday’s own goal). If you don’t know about it yet, I encourage you to keep reading because the projects, and especially the people behind them, deserve it.

This year, I was especially excited to be at this awards show because I had the pleasure and honor of talking a little bit with Rana Dajani, one of the most influential scientists of the Islamic world, founder of We Love Reading, and whom I met in May of 2021 thanks, of course, to Fair Saturday. I admit that, while I was excited just by knowing about the project, being with her made me confirm that dreams, which sometimes feel impossible to fulfill (especially in some countries), are not that impossible, as long as we make an effort, are determined, put our heart on it and are brave. Thank you, Rana, for your proximity, but especially for what you’ve achieved: inspire hope, make us grow and believe, and empower many children, young women, and women from all over the world through reading. That’s what Rana has achieved, and I think it’s GREAT!!!!!

“Since 2006 it has expanded to more than 60 countries all around the world, founding more than 4400 libraries in a variety of communities, both rural and urban, as well as in refugee camps.”

This is not the only awarded project and person, so let me present you the rest of the winners:

Musicians without Borders, from Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Lindenbaum Festival Orchestra, from Seoul (South Korea), Apropa Cultura, in Barcelona, but with Basque roots, Playing for Change Foundation (Santa Monica, USA), Pabellón Número 6, award that was collected by Ramón Barea (Bilbao), Candoco Dance Company (London, UK), Garabide Elkartea (Aretxabaleta) and Nuccio Ordine as the honor award.

As I don’t want this post to get so long, I invite you to visit the Fair Saturday website to learn more about each project.

Thank you, Jordi and Saioa, for supporting the culture and art, but especially for getting us closer to the kind of people you introduce us to every year. Today this is for you.

Translated by María Ubierna Quintanilla and supervised by Arantza Arruti.