Mrs. Beatriz Artolazabal receives the prize for "Public Administration" granted by ONCE to the Basque Government for its initiative of the Basque Observatory of the Third Sector

• Gala of the Solidarity Awards 2022 of the ONCE Social Group–Basque Country
• Minister Artolazabal: "The distinction includes work centred on people and comprehensive attention to the needs of all groups, especially the most vulnerable"
• “We would be nothing and no one without the entities of the Third Social Sector”

Bilbao, 2022 11 03

The Minister of Equality, Justice and Social Policies of the Basque Government, Mrs. Beatriz Artolazabal, received this afternoon the "Public Administration" Award granted to the Basque Government for its initiative of the Basque Observatory of the Third Sector, at the Solidarity Awards Gala of the ONCE–Basque Country Social Group, 2022 edition. Artolazabal explained that the distinction includes work focused on people and comprehensive attention to the needs of all groups, especially the most vulnerable. We would be nothing and nobody without the entities of the Third Social Sector”.

“We believe in people, we focus on them: women victims of sexist violence; minors without family support; prisoners; with Addictions; no homeliness. This is the butterfly effect: for each action of solidarity, accompaniment and socio-health care, there are hundreds of people benefited. The Basque Government collaborates closely with all Third Social entities that operate in Euskadi (Basque Country, in original language), grouped for almost a decade in Sareen Sarea” highlighted Artolazabal.

“Every action, program and initiative promoted by our department counts on your participation. In this close collaboration, we understood that a Basque Observatory of the Third Sector could be very useful. This award is for all the people who one day decided to work to improve the lives of others who are more vulnerable and in need”, summarized the Minister.

Solidarity work

Rafael Ledesma, President of the ONCE Territorial Council, and Juan Carlos Andueza, Territorial Delegate, explained that the Solidarity Awards are given to those people, companies, NGOs, entities and bodies of the Public Administration and communication programs or works that are most have committed from their different areas of action to carry out solidarity work that coincides with the essential values of the Institutional Culture of the ONCE Social Group

Along with them, Alejandro Oñoro, CEO of the Ilunion group, has participated in the gala; Juan Ibarretxe, Councilor for Social Action of the Bilbao City Council; Alejandro Martínez Berriotxoa, General Director of the Eroski Foundation; and the journalist Begoña Marañón.

The Basque Observatory of the Third Social Sector is a technical instrument of the Administration, dependent on the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies of the Basque Government. It is responsible for the compilation, systematization, updating and generation of information and knowledge, as well as its dissemination, in spheres related to the Third Social Sector and the organizations and networks integrated in it. In the development of its attributions, the Observatory collaborates closely with the organizations and networks of the Third Social Sector of Euskadi.

In the category “Institution, organization, entity, NGO”, Juan Ibarretxe, presented the Award to Juan Ignacio Vidarte, Managing Director of the Guggenheim Museum Foundation.

Alejandro Martínez Berriotxoa -from the Eroski Foundation- has awarded the prize in Empress Category to Antonio González, Managing Director of the IPM Rubí Group. Begoña Marañón, director of the SER radio in the Basque Country, presented the prize for the section dedicated to “Communication Media” to Pablo Munilla, founder of Why not Radio, accompanied by María Asuero, Ainara Hernando, Paula Pevidal and Carmen Llanos.

In the “Individual” category, Alejandro Oñoro presented the Award to Pablo González Gutiérrez. At the end of the Gala, Bakartxo Tejería, President of the Basque Parliament, also spoke.

The Jury for the ONCE Euskadi Social Group Solidarity Awards 2022 was made up of:  Cristina Arias; Rafael Ledesma; Juan Carlos Andueza; Alejandro Martínez Berriotxoa; Juan Ibarretxe; Aitor Bedialauneta and Begoña Marañón.