The Ontinyent City Council, through the Department of Economic Promotion and with the support of the Provincial Council of Valencia, has celebrated the second edition of the Valencian Language Use in Local Commerce Awards. The aim of this initiative is to recognize businesses, services, and professionals who integrate Valencian into their daily activities. The event took place at the Textile Museum of the Valencian Community and was attended by the Councilor for Economic Promotion and Vice President of the Provincial Council, Natàlia Enguix; the municipal linguistic technician, Manolo Requena; and the Councilor for Culture, Àlex Borrell.
In this edition, five initiatives have been recognized across the two established categories. In the category dedicated to the use of Valencian in signage and materials, the first prize went to Tralarà S.L., Escola Infantil i Animacions, and the second to Tendavins, Distribución Directa de Licors S.L. For the category of Valencian language use in new technologies, the first prize was awarded to Tresmés, Estudi d’Arquitectura S.L.; the second prize went to Paula Sanchis Fillol (L’Òptica de Paula); and the third to Foto Flash II C.B.
The awards, with a total endowment of 3,000 euros, recognize both the use of Valencian in elements such as signage and printed materials, and its application in websites, social media, and other technological tools.
“"These awards are a way to value businesses and professionals who naturally incorporate Valencian into their activities, because the language is also part of our commerce, our services, and the way we relate to each other."
Natàlia Enguix highlighted that the City Council aims to continue giving visibility to these initiatives and recognize the individuals who make it possible for Valencian to be present in the city's everyday spaces.
“"We increasingly find more examples of businesses and professionals who understand that using Valencian is an opportunity to strengthen proximity with their clientele and also a way to contribute to the normalization of the language."
For his part, Manolo Requena pointed out that the awards help to highlight these practices and encourage other businesses to incorporate Valencian in areas of their activity where it is not yet present.
