The Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta has awarded its Youth Award to Aaron Medina Candel in an emotional afternoon at the Manuel Municipal Auditorium. The president of the Mancomunitat, Paqui Momparler Orta, and the mayor of Manuel, César Carbonell Pedrós, were present at the ceremony. This was followed by a tribute to young volunteers, who taught the world a lesson in solidarity during the DANA storm in October 2024.
The first Youth Award from the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta went to Aaron Medina Candel, a resident of Castelló who, at just 22 years of age, founded his own company with a very specific mission: to bring new technologies and state-of-the-art communication services to the municipalities in our region, especially those that suffer from a lack of coverage and infrastructure.
After the award was presented to Aaron, the ceremony continued with a tribute to the young volunteers who helped the citizens affected by the DANA. The young people set an example to society and the Mancomunitat presented a commemorative plaque to a representative from each municipality in the Ribera Alta in gratitude for their work.
Paqui Momparler Orta, president of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta, explained the initiative: «We were motivated by the fact that young people have a lot to contribute, they can be a great role model for other young people, and in fact there are many young people who are an example and we thought we had forgotten them. So, what better than to create a Youth Award that can stimulate the potential that young people have. We are convinced that young people have a lot to say and that they are the future».
Aaron Medina Candel, winner of the award, shared his joy: «When they called me from the Mancomunitat, at first I thought it was a joke, but when I spoke to Paqui, I started to believe it. It’s something you never expect, but this recognition is very much appreciated». He also left some advice for any young person who wants to become an entrepreneur: «Be very patient if you want to launch yourself into the world of entrepreneurship. It’s a wonderful world, but at the same time it’s a complicated world. You have to be very patient and persevering, and have enthusiasm, energy and drive, and never set yourself a deadline, but take it step by step».
This was the first edition of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta Youth Award, an initiative organised by the institution’s Youth Department, which aims to highlight the importance of the impact that young people can have on society. The cases of Aaron and youth volunteering are two good examples to draw inspiration from.
