CalpeNoticias EN

Friday, 12:

• • XXX ExfiCalpe 2025. Philatelic and collectors' exhibition: ‘20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Until 30 December.
  • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint’. Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo
  • 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays).
  • 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. / 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene from the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church
  • 11:00 a.m. Exhibition of the Municipal Nativity Scene. Calpe Cultural Centre. Until 6 January.
  • 6:00-7:00 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced. Parish Church Until 11 January.
  • 8:30 p.m. Christmas concert by the Youth Band of the Unió Musical Calpe-Ifach. Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church

Saturday, 13th:

• • XXX ExfiCalpe 2025. Philatelic and Collectors' Exhibition: ‘20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Until 30th December.
  • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint’. Until 30th December. Museo del Coleccionismo
  • 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina.
  • 11:00 a.m. Municipal Nativity Scene Exhibition. Calpe Cultural Centre. Until 6 January.
  • 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. / 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church
  • 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.

Sunday, 14th:

• • XXX ExfiCalpe 2025. Philatelic and collectors' exhibition: ‘20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Until 30th December.
  • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint’. Until 30th December. Museo del Coleccionismo
  • 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church
  • 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12:00 p.m.).
  • 11:00 a.m. Exhibition of the Municipal Nativity Scene. Calpe Cultural Centre. Until 6 January.
  • 8:00 p.m. Christmas concert: Ifach Choir. Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves

The Gardens Department of Calpe Town Council has planted more than fifty trees in the Las Salinas area, which were purchased through the Green Sponsorship scheme. The trees planted are mulberry trees, which will create a shaded area in Las Salinas.

The Green Sponsorship procedure, set out in Calpe's Urban Environment Protection Ordinance, establishes that to fell trees on urban land, a felling permit must be obtained from the Municipal Environment Services, and the authorisation requires the interested party to transfer three trees of the specified species and sizes to the council for each tree felled.

The same ordinance establishes that the construction of new buildings will entail the obligation to transfer trees of the specified species and sizes to the Calpe Town Council. In addition, depending on the type of construction, the number of specimens to be delivered is established. In the case of new single-family properties, five specimens per dwelling are delivered; in the case of new multi-family properties, two specimens per dwelling are delivered; and in the case of new hotel properties, one specimen per room is delivered.

It is estimated that through this procedure, the Town Council acquires around 1,300 trees each year to replant in different areas of the municipality. Through the Green Sponsorship scheme set out in the ordinance, residents can get directly involved in protecting nature. This is a very common practice in some countries and involves citizens donating trees, suggesting where they want the City Council to plant them, and reclaiming specific spaces and turning them into gardens.

There are two types of green sponsorship: zonal, which is intended for the design and planting of specific spaces, considering them as a whole, and individual green sponsorship, which consists of the transfer of individual plant species for subsequent planting by the City Council.

It should also be noted that the local council regulates the species that can be donated in its own ordinance, with the most suitable being those that grow naturally and are adapted to the climate and water regime. Invasive species included in Decree 2013/2009 of the Consell cannot be donated.

Calpe Town Council, through the Observatory of Resilient and Sustainable Cities and in collaboration with Global Omnium and Aguas de Calpee, has launched the third edition of the # goCalpe competition, an initiative aimed at 6th grade primary and 4th grade secondary school students in the municipality's educational centres to turn them into ‘sustainability urban planners’ committed to the fight against the climate emergency.

The contest challenges students to design viable and accessible solutions to one of the six climate risks identified for Calpe: drought, heat islands, flooding, population stagnation and demographic challenges, degradation of the natural environment and loss of biodiversity. Based on these risks, the teams must analyse how they manifest themselves in the municipality and propose specific actions in the urban space or natural environment that contribute to reducing their impact and increasing the resilience of the town.

The competition will run from December 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of four phases. In the first phase, until 19 December 2025, teaching staff will register their teams and select the climate risk they will work on. Next, the Year 6 primary school groups will prepare a proposal in digital poster format that includes the risk analysis, a description of the solution and its environmental, social and economic benefits. Meanwhile, Year 8 secondary school students will have to submit a more detailed research project, with a local diagnosis, objectives, timetable, resource estimate and final infographic. The deadline for submitting the projects is 13 February 2026.

In the third phase, a jury of experts from the Observatory of Resilient and Sustainable Cities will select, by 27 February 2026, at least one finalist proposal for each primary school and one finalist project for each class of the participating secondary schools. The selected teams will have the opportunity to engage in a technical dialogue with these specialists, who will advise them on possible improvements before the public defence of their projects, scheduled for 3 March 2026. The winners will be announced on 4 March.

The awards ceremony will be held on 9 March 2026, at which the best proposal from Year 6 Primary will be recognised with a prize worth €2,000 and the best project from Year 4 Secondary with a prize of €3,000. In both cases, the prize money will be used to purchase technological equipment for the winning schools. In addition, the winning classes will participate in the sponsorship and release of a sea turtle on a beach in Calpe, an activity organised by the Oceanogràfic Foundation of Valencia, thus reinforcing the link between environmental education and marine conservation.

Participation in the competition is free and voluntary and is carried out in teams of at least four students coordinated by a teacher. The full rules, as well as the registration forms and detailed information on the phases, evaluation criteria and contacts, are available on the website www.go2globalomnium.com and via email at sostenibilidad@globalomnium.com.

With this third edition of #goCalpe, the Town Council is reinforcing its commitment to education in sustainability, adaptation to climate change and the involvement of the educational community in building a more resilient, inclusive and environmentally friendly Calpe.

The Calpe Town Council has agreed to request the Ministry of Public Works, through the Alicante Roads Unit, to build a roundabout at the southern access as a solution to the long-standing problem of lack of safety for pedestrians accessing the train station. This means that the construction of the pedestrian footbridge over the N-332, a project that the Ministry awarded in 2019 but which was put on hold after the winning company withdrew in 2020, will not go ahead.

According to the Councillor for Infrastructure, Juan Manuel del Pino, since then, Calpe Town Council has held several meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Development to speed up a much needed and long-awaited project in the municipality. It should be remembered that pedestrians currently accessing the train station and various residential areas in Oltà must cross the road, with the consequent risk that this entails.

Finally, a solution has been chosen that not only prioritises pedestrian safety but also aims to improve traffic flow at the southern entrance to the municipality. The proposal involves converting the current tunnel, built more than 40 years ago, into a passageway exclusively for pedestrians and bicycles, thus ensuring a safe route to the train station and the residential areas of Oltà. At the same time, there are plans to build a roundabout to organise and regulate the entry and exit of vehicles in an area where the existing infrastructure is already insufficient for the volume of traffic it supports.

‘What we are bringing to the plenary session is a formal request to the Ministry to draw up this project and carry out the works,’ said Juan Manuel del Pino, who considers this project ‘more favourable and important for the population than the footbridge’. He added that the request reminds the Ministry of Public Works that the land acquired by the City Council for the footbridge – a total of 5,176.78 square metres – is still at its disposal and can now be used for the construction of the roundabout.

The Councillor for Public Safety, Guillermo Sendra, said: ‘This is great news. We will go from having an obsolete and dangerous access point to having a roundabout that will eliminate the current dangers,’ and indicated that the cost of this project is similar to that of the footbridge.

The Councillor for Defendamos Calpe, Toni Tur, agreed that the southern access to Calpe ‘needs a solution because it is dangerous and third world to see people crossing from the station to the national road’.

For his part, the spokesperson for the PP municipal group, Miguel Crespo, pointed out that this new infrastructure proposal is ‘necessary and vital and deserves every effort on the part of this corporation’.

The mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala, stated that: ‘the most important thing of all is that the Ministry is clear that this access needs improvement and there is a willingness to draft the project and make it a priority. And this is going to happen sooner than we think’. She added that work will continue to make the project a reality as soon as possible.

Last Friday, Paiporta Town Council held an emotional ceremony in tribute to those who died in this town on 29 October 2024 because of the DANA flood. At the ceremony, held at the Terrer football ground, more than 900 local police officers from all over Spain who came to Paiporta to offer their services and participated in rescue and relief efforts during the devastating flood were honoured.

Among those decorated were 13 officers from the Calpe Local Police who travelled to the Valencian municipality to participate in the tribute. The Calp Town Council was represented by the Councillor for Public Safety, Guillermo Sendra, who accompanied the decorated officers, who are: Superintendent Juan A. Sanchez, Inspector Iker Benzazoua, Inspector Miguel Vizcaino, Officer Martin Moreno and officers Oscar Cazaña, Rafael Climent, Jose Maria Dominguez, Sergio López, Francisco Perles, Jessica Muñoz, Pablo Terrones, Daniel Perles and Lina Moreno.

In the days following the DANA flood, members of the Local Police travelled to the affected municipalities to participate in surveillance, control and food distribution tasks. In addition, the Drone Unit travelled to the area and participated in the search for people. The Calpe Local Police was also in charge of managing and guiding the various aid and food convoys that departed from Calp.

The event, organised by the Paiporta Local Police with the support of the Town Council, brought together more than 1,000 attendees, reflecting the national scope of the recognition. The tribute concluded with a minute's silence in memory of the 56 fatalities in the town, followed by the laying of a laurel wreath in memory of the 230 people who died in the DANA flood.

The 30th edition of EXFICALP, the philatelic exhibition organised by the Calpe Philatelic Association, was officially inaugurated on 5 December in the Exhibition Hall of the Old City Hall, as part of the Calpe Town Council's Fira de Nadal programme.

In this new edition, EXFICALP offers the public eight philatelic collections on a variety of themes that allow visitors to discover the history, curiosities and possibilities of stamp collecting. As a complement, the exhibition also includes an outstanding selection of old photographs of Calpe belonging to local collector Joaquín Vázquez Boronad, which provide a historical view of the municipality.

Since its opening, the exhibition has been attracting many visitors, establishing itself as a key event in the Valencian philatelic world. EXFICALPE 2025 will remain open until 30 December at the Ajuntament Vell, with free admission until full capacity is reached.

The programme also includes two noteworthy activities. On Wednesday 17 December, at 8 pm, the Seu Universitària Casa Nova will host the conference ‘Los V-Mail. Photography in the service of the Post Office during World War II’, by José Ivars Ivars, member of the Royal Hispanic Academy of Philately and Postal History.

To close the event, on Sunday 21 December, the Calpe Tennis Club will host the International Philatelic Exchange, an event open to all, which will begin at 10 am and will include a stamp auction and a Christmas lunch for members and supporters.

With initiatives such as EXFICALP, Calpe Town Council and the Calpe Philatelic Association are reinforcing their commitment to promoting philately and highlighting the historical and cultural heritage of the municipality.

Friday, 5:

11th Christmas Fair:

• 6 pm Opening of the 11th Christmas Fair.
• 6 pm Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 7 pm Performance of ‘Bosque Encantado del Norte’ (Enchanted Forest of the North) in Plaza de la Villa.
• 7 pm Santa's House at the Museo del Coleccionista.
• 8 pm ‘Christmas Dreams’ parade.
• 8 pm Opening of XXX Exficalp 2025. Philatelic and collecting exhibition: ‘20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Until 30 December. Presentation of commemorative philatelic and postal material. Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell.

Saturday, 6:

XXX Exficalp 2025. Philatelic and collecting exhibition: 20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell:

• 10 a.m. Philatelic and collecting exchange day. Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell.
• 7 p.m. Introductory workshop on philately. Activity for children and young people.
• 11 a.m. Inauguration of the municipal nativity scene. Exhibition Hall of the Casa de Cultura. With the participation of Solera Artística.

XI Christmas Fair

• 12 noon ‘Juguetones Encantados’ parade and Solera Artística.
• 12 noon Santa's House at the Collector's Museum.
• 12 noon Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 1 p.m. Performance by Calpe Salsea in Plaza de la Villa.
• 5 p.m. Storytelling ‘El Soldadito’ in Plaza de la Villa.
• 5.30pm Youth Club workshop in Plaza de la Villa.
• 6 pm ‘The Reindeer of the Forest’ parade.
• 6 pm Santa's House at the Museo del Coleccionista.
• 8 pm Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 6.30 pm Performance by Saltimbanqui in Plaza de la Villa.
• 8:00 p.m. Performance by Marcia's Dance in Plaza de la Villa.

Sunday, 7:

XI Christmas Fair:

• 12:00 p.m. Parade ‘The Nutcracker’.
• 12:00 p.m. Santa's House at the Collector's Museum.
• 12:00 p.m. Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 1:00 p.m. Performance by Casa de Andalucía in Plaza de la Villa.
• 1.30pm Hip Hop Ada Arbona performance in Plaza de la Villa.
• 5 pm ‘Angelitos Navidad’ theatre in Plaza de la Villa.
• 6 pm ‘La Magia de la Navidad’ parade.
• 6 pm Santa's House at the Museo del Coleccionista
• 6 pm Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 6:30 p.m. Saltimbanqui performance in Plaza de la Villa.
• 8 p.m. Baila con Gloria performance in Plaza de la Villa.
• 9 p.m. ‘Melodías entre luces de Navidad’ performance with Fermín, in Plaza de la Villa.

6 p.m. XXX Exficalp 2025. Philatelic and collecting exhibition: 20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell: Talk ‘10 years of the Ifac Filatélico blog’ by José Ivars Ivars.

Monday, 8:

• Nativity scene at the parish church of Nuestra Señora Virgen de las Nieves 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Nativity scene at the parish church of Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

11th Christmas Fair:

• 12 noon Performance ‘Christmas Mischief’ in Plaza de la Villa.
• 12 noon Santa's House in the Collector's Museum.
• 12 noon Children's games and workshops in Plaza Beato Sendra.
• 1 p.m. ‘Christmas Fantasy’ parade.

XXX Exficalp 2025. Philatelic and Collectors' Exhibition: ‘20th anniversary of the excavations at La Pobla d'Ifac’. Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell:

• 12 noon Guided tour of the exhibition.
• 6.30 pm Philatelic Literature Day. Coffee and conversation around philatelic magazines and publications from all periods.

Calpe Town Council and the Alicante Renace project have begun their collaboration with an ecological restoration day in which 200 trees were planted in the salt flats. The day, which took place last Saturday, aims to recover an area of 10,000 m² within this wetland, an ecosystem of great ecological, scenic and cultural value.

Two hundred volunteers took part in this initiative, planting species classified as priority protected, such as tetraclinis, as well as rosemary and carob trees, native plants that are essential for the recovery of degraded habitats. In addition, 1,000 seeds of Mediterranean mountain herbaceous plants were scattered, which are essential for improving vegetation cover, promoting soil retention and increasing biodiversity in an area where human pressure and climate significantly affect the ecological balance.

The project has received technical and logistical support from the Valencian Regional Government and the collaboration of Calpe Town Council, whose work in tasks such as irrigation with recycled water is key to ensuring the survival and establishment of the planted species.

Alicante Renace is an environmental project run by the Enamorados de Alicante Association that promotes ecological restoration and environmental education in degraded areas in the province. Through reforestation, workshops and conservation actions, it mobilises thousands of volunteers, companies and administrations to protect and restore local ecosystems.

Calpe Town Council has sent a letter signed by the Councillor for Education, Mariola Mulet, requesting that the Regional Ministry of Education halt the dismantling of the ten prefabricated classrooms located at IES Ifach and guarantee their maintenance throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. The letter warns that the removal of these modules, eight of which are used daily as classrooms, would have a ‘very negative’ impact on the normal functioning of the school and on the quality of education.

The council points out that, despite the opening of IES Les Salines, IES Ifach continues to experience high enrolment pressure in the morning, with figures similar to those that led to the granting of these prefabricated classrooms at the time. In addition, Basic Vocational Training courses continue to be taught in the afternoon due to a lack of available classrooms, even though pedagogically they should be taught in the morning. For this reason, the Council has informed the Regional Ministry of its opposition to the removal of the prefabricated classrooms during the current academic year until a definitive solution to the space problems has been found.

The school's teaching staff have already expressed their opposition to the dismantling of the classrooms, arguing that they have not yet received a detailed work plan or safety protocol to protect the educational community, which occupies the premises continuously between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The school's management has also warned that the material resulting from the dismantling could remain stored within the school's facilities, with the consequent increase in risk to students and staff, as well as a reduction in available space.

The City Council supports these concerns and stresses that, to date, there is no plan in place to ensure that the dismantling is compatible with the normal running of classes, nor is there a plan for the immediate removal of the dismantled material. Furthermore, it points out that “the centre has invested in recent years in improving the facilities of these prefabricated classrooms, such as network cabling and electrical connections, so removing them now would be ‘an unjustified waste of public resources”.

Likewise, the Department of Education indicates that if intervention is considered essential, a work plan, with a schedule and safety and emergency protocol, should be sent in writing to the centre and the City Council in advance. In addition, it demands that any dismantling work be carried out outside school hours and preferably after the end of the school year in June in order to avoid ‘relocations of groups, organisational disruptions and unnecessary risks for students and staff’. The council also requests that the immediate removal of dismantled material from inside the centre be guaranteed, without indefinite periods of storage in accessible areas, and that the conditions under which such removal will be carried out be detailed.

The Pànic Escènic Theatre Association has won the award for best show with its performance of ‘La decisió de Lola’ at the 13th Antonio Ferrer ‘El cartero’ National Amateur Theatre Competition. Yesterday, Sunday, the winners of this latest edition were announced, with the main prize, the Antonio Ferrer ‘El cartero’ award, going to this tragicomedy, which also won the award for best leading performance, given to Amparo Sospedra Tarazona.

The award for best director went to Begoña Tenés for the play ‘7 años’ by the association Aquí te pillo, aquí teatro. Iván Herrera won the award for best supporting actor for ‘La chica luciérnaga’ by the association Squizo Teatro.

The finalists were Aquí te pillo, aquí teatro for ‘7 años’ and Squizo Teatro for ‘La chica luciérnaga’. Both received a prize of €2,000, while the Antonio Ferrer ‘El cartero’ award is worth €3,500 and includes a trophy valued at €242.

The competition was held over several Sundays in November. After the jury's decision was read and the awards were presented, Rafa Maza's ‘Fabiolo connection’ was performed yesterday as the culmination of this latest edition.

The Antonio Ferrer ‘El Cartero’ National Amateur Theatre Competition was created in 2012 to pay tribute to theatre, a discipline closely linked to Calpe's cultural tradition for more than a century, and to the late local actor Antonio Ferrer.

Calpe Town Council has awarded the preventive ambulance service to the Valencian company Ambulancias Vallada, following the corresponding public tender process organised by the municipal technical services. Three companies participated in this tender and, ultimately, Ambulancias Vallada obtained the highest technical and economic score, becoming the successful bidder for the contract.

The Calpe Town Council points out that municipalities do not have jurisdiction over medical transport, which is the responsibility of the Regional Ministry of Health of the Valencian Government, but they do have jurisdiction over prevention and civil protection. This is the context for the new ambulance contract, which aims to strengthen public safety and guarantee an immediate response to emergencies that may arise during events and activities organised by the Town Council.

The Town Council wished to take advantage of this announcement to publicly acknowledge the extraordinary work that the Red Cross has been doing for years in Calpe. ‘Their professionalism, commitment and dedication have been fundamental in preventive healthcare, in assisting citizens and in responding to emergency situations,’ said Ana Sala, Mayor of Calpe.

The Council wanted to take advantage of this announcement to publicly recognise the work that the Red Cross has been doing for years in Calpe. "Current regulations prohibit us from signing collaboration agreements. The Council will continue to fight and work to find other ways of collaborating with the Red Cross," said Itziar Doval, head of the Council's Social Services department.

With this award, the Council reiterates its commitment to the safety, prevention and well-being of citizens, and maintains its willingness to continue working closely with all entities that contribute to the development and quality of life of the municipality.

The governing team (Somos Calpe, PSPV-PSOE and Compromís) has presented a motion calling on the Valencian Regional Government to urgently reinforce the ambulance service in Calpe in view of the lack of healthcare protection in the municipality.

The text points out that, despite the significant increase in population during the high season and the complex terrain of the municipality, Calpe currently only has one 24-hour Basic Life Support (BLS) unit and another 12-hour unit, in addition to a SAMU based in Benissa that also serves other municipalities, which can lead to response times that exceed the recommended levels.

The motion demands that the Regional Government extend the BVS based in La Fossa to 24 hours and provide Calpe with a permanent SAMU base, draw up a specific plan to improve response times and review the criteria for allocating health resources in tourist municipalities such as Calpe, while also requesting that legal formulas be studied to enable, if appropriate, the provision of a municipal ambulance to complement the regional service.

This morning, the Governing Board of Calpe Town Council agreed to modify the Municipal Ordinance for the Protection of the Urban Environment with the aim of increasing penalties for illegal dumping to €3,000.

The urban sprawl of the municipality encourages uncontrolled dumping and makes it difficult to collect waste in an orderly manner. For this reason, the 2026 municipal budget includes two environmental wardens with the power to impose penalties to increase surveillance of any type of uncontrolled dumping, identifying the persons responsible and applying the corresponding penalty where appropriate.

Individuals can deposit pruning waste at the Punto Blanco, located on Avenida del País Valencià, while professionals in the sector must take pruning waste to an authorised landfill site. It is prohibited to dump this type of waste on public roads, plots of land or open spaces, whether publicly or privately owned.

Last night, Calpe held its first Sports and Culture Gala, an event created to reward emerging talents from Calpe who have excelled in these fields. In this first edition, Jana Ferrández Díaz and Roger Martínez Bertomeu were the winners of the first prize in culture and sport respectively. A total of five awards were presented in each field, each worth £1,000.

Jana Ferrández Díaz is a young saxophonist from Calpe who began her training at the age of seven and soon stood out for her naturalness on stage, even performing as a soloist at institutional events. She continued her studies at the Professional Conservatory of Altea, where she won two first prizes in the Interpretation Competition with Honourable Mention and the centre's Professional Music Prize. Her external recognition includes a third prize in the Marina Baixa Young Performers Competition and first prize in the 2024 edition. She is currently involved in various chamber music projects and is a member of The Groove Dealers, where she combines alto and soprano saxophones with her own arrangements.

For his part, 17-year-old Roger Martínez has had an outstanding sporting career since his beginnings at CB Ifach Calpee. He was selected for the Spanish Junior Championship, obtaining the distinction of Elite Athlete, and was called up for the Spanish Under-12 team. With Valencia Basket, he was crowned Spanish Junior Champion and, after playing for clubs such as CB Benidorm and CB Ilicitano, he has accumulated further successes, such as a regional junior runner-up title. Back at CB Ifach Calpe, he has already made his debut in the EBA League at the age of just 15 and has been recognised as the best player in international tournaments such as the U17 in Rome.

In the field of culture, the other winners were musicians Juan Espinosa Nieuwenhuis (second prize), Pedro Benlloch Domínguez (third prize) and Kai Lin Chen (fourth prize), as well as visual artist Noelia Lillo (fifth prize). In sports, the winners were athlete Hanan Et Tabaa (second prize), gymnast Tatiana Crimi (third prize), boxer Santiago Saavedra (fourth prize) and tennis player Mario Lozano León (fifth prize).

The aim of these awards is to ‘support local artists on their long and complex journey of personal and creative growth,’ said Councillor for Culture Guillermo Sendra, who encouraged those who did not win to continue working on their artistic creations and to enter future editions.

For his part, the Councillor for Sport, Ximo Perles, stressed that ‘both culture and sport are not only necessary but therapeutic’ and added that ‘children need role models, which is why you, both the winners and the nominees, have an essential role to play in promoting culture and sport in the municipality’.

The Mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala, thanked both the winners and the nominees for their work and sacrifice. ‘Thank you for taking the name of Calpe beyond our municipal boundaries, for representing us with such dignity and affection wherever you go’. She also stated that the Town Council firmly believes in the value of sport and culture, something that, she pointed out, is reflected both in the municipal budget, which continues to support these areas, and in initiatives such as this gala, which the council aims to consolidate over time.

The Department of Culture has assessed the performance of the guided tour service at the Banys de la Reina archaeological site since its launch on 17 September. In the first two months of service, 966 people took part in the tours.

The tours are offered from Wednesday to Saturday at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. In addition, on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. the tours are conducted in French, on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. in English and on Sundays at 12 p.m. in Valencian. In addition to group visits, guided tours have also been organised for associations and schools.

The visits are free of charge, organised in groups of up to twenty-five people and last approximately 50 minutes. Registrations can be made at: cabdelareina@esatur.com

In fact, the possibility of registering online is essential for the proper functioning of the guided tour service, added to which a large number of people register by going to the site to schedule their visit, and other groups of users register spontaneously when they see that the site is open and have the opportunity to register.

After the visits, a satisfaction survey is given to the participants. The data collected shows that the users are families, especially couples, who have travelled to the municipality and are looking for interesting tourist activities and resources. In general, visitors consider that the duration and content of the visit are adequate, that the site is attractive because of everything it offers, and that what visitors like most are the mosaics and the waterwheel. Many of the responses expressly praise the work and friendliness of the guide.

The Councillor for Culture and Heritage, Guillermo Sendra, has expressed his satisfaction with the statistical data confirming the consolidation of the archaeological site as another tourist attraction in the town of Calp. ‘Our efforts are bearing fruit, and opening the site to the public has proven to be a great success, as the site attracts many visitors interested in learning about local history and heritage,’ said Sendra.

These visits mark the realization of a long-awaited project that displays the Banys de la Reina site, one of the largest Roman sites on the Spanish Mediterranean coast due to its uniqueness and monumentality. It dates from the late second century AD to the 7th century AD and was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in March 2022.

Friday, 28:

• Exhibition “Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint.” Until December 30. Museo del Coleccionismo

• 10:00, 11:30, and 13:00. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays).

• 19:00. IX Innovative Communication Meeting of Calp. With Albert Rivera and Inma Shara. Doors open at 18:30. Grand Hall Hotel Suitopía. Free entry. Registration required.

Saturday, 29:

• Exhibition “Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint.” Until December 30. Museo del Coleccionismo.

• 10:00, 11:30, and 13:00. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina.

• 10:00. Collection of litter as part of the 1m2 initiative for the countryside, forests, and mountains of the LIBERA Project. At the Calp salt flats (Zipline Park area). Contact: 663 23 33 36. Free activity.

• 19:00. Christmas lights switch-on. Sort Square.

Sunday, 30:

• Exhibition “Banys de la Reina, the Roman footprint”. Until December 30. Museo del Coleccionismo.

 • 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Guided tours of Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12:00 p.m.).

• 6:30 p.m. Closing ceremony and award presentation of the XIII National Amateur Theatre Contest “Antonio Ferrer, El Cartero”. Afterwards, the comedy show “Fabiolo Connection” by Rafa Maza will be performed. Casa de Cultura Auditorium.

Calpe will host tomorrow, Friday, November 28, the IX Innovative Communication Meeting, which will feature the participation of former Citizens leader, lawyer, and consultant Albert Rivera, and the conductor and composer Inma Shara.

Albert Rivera is a former Spanish politician and lawyer, president of the Citizens party (2006-2019), deputy in the General Courts (2016-2019) and in the Parliament of Catalonia (2006-2015). In November 2019, after a poor result in the repeat election, Rivera resigned from his position as leader of Ciudadanos, gave up his seat in the Parliament, and withdrew from political activity. He currently works in the private sector and participates in conferences to launch initiatives to empower civil society.

Inma Shara is one of the most brilliant representatives of the new generation of conductors in Spain. She has conducted the most important Spanish symphony orchestras, and some of her most recent engagements include collaborations with some of the world's best orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, as well as others like the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, the Russian National Symphony Orchestra, the London Royal Philharmonic, the Rome Symphony, the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra, the Milan Symphony, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Switzerland), the Latvian National Symphony, the Reggio Theatre Symphony Orchestra of Parma, the Carlo Felice Theatre Orchestra, the Ukrainian National Symphony, as well as the Belarusian Symphony among many others. She has also collaborated with internationally renowned soloists such as Mischa Maisky, Boris Berezovsky, and Shlomo Mintz, among others.

The 9th Innovative Communication Meeting will be held at the Suitopía Hotel starting at 7 p.m. It is a free event, and all interested people must register at www.creama.es.

This meeting aims to be a platform to share experiences, motivate, and provide tools to improve communication in the business sector. The initiative is organized by the Calpe City Council together with CREAMA.

Starting tomorrow, students from Calpe who are studying outside the municipality can apply for transportation grants for the 2024/2025 school year. This year, the budget allocated for these grants reaches €140,000.

These grants aim to provide financial support to help cover part of the transportation costs for students who study outside the municipality of Calpe during the 2024-2025 school year.

Eligible recipients of these grants include students who were enrolled during the 2024-2025 school year in Baccalaureate studies (only the programs not offered in schools in Calpe), Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Training, professional artistic education, higher artistic education, undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral university studies, as well as distance university education, UNED, and online programs. (all modalities), in a Public Education Center, a Private Subsidized Education Center, or a Private Education Center located outside the municipality of Calpe and within national territory and recognized by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of the Government of Spain.

To apply for the grants, applicants must be registered residents of Calpe for at least two years, be up to date with their tax obligations with the City Council, the Tax Agency, and Social Security, submit the application and the rest of the required documentation on time and in the proper manner, and have passed at least 50% of the enrolled subjects.

The maximum amount of aid will be, in the case of Baccalaureate (only the programs not offered at schools in Calpe), Intermediate or Advanced Vocational Training up to €264 if the distance is less than 20 kilometers and up to €396 if it is more than 20 kilometers; for professional artistic education up to €264 if the distance is less than 20 km and up to €396 if it is more than 20 km; for higher artistic education up to €396 if the distance is less than 20 km and up to €528 if it is more than 20 km. In the case of university degree, master's, and doctoral programs, up to €396 if the distance is less than 20 km and up to €528 if it is more than 20 km, and for UNED and online distance university programs €198.

The application can be completed online or in person at the OAC through the electronic headquarters procedure on the municipal website. The application submission period is set from November 28 to December 9.

The streets of Calpe's old town will once again host the Christmas Fair, which will be held from December 5 to 8. It is an event in which local businesses and associations participate, complemented by shows and the recreation of Christmas atmospheres.

This year it will take place on Llibertat, Justicia, Mayor streets, Plaza de España, Plaza de la Villa, Plaza del Mestre Llopis, Plaza Beato Francisco Sendra, and Calle Santísimo Cristo and Plaza Miguel Roselló.

The initiative will feature around forty stalls representing local businesses and associations, offering a wide range of products such as traditional dishes, handicrafts, crafts, traditional sweets, Christmas items, and more. This event is an opportunity to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in the old town of Calpe, as well as to support numerous associations with charitable and festive purposes in the area.

The fair is characterized by its Christmas atmosphere, and in this regard, numerous recreational and entertainment activities are planned, including a Christmas-themed photo booth, Santa Claus's House, a carousel, and traditional games throughout the fair.

All of this will be complemented with different musical activities featuring performances by local groups, parades, concerts, musical and dance performances. There will also be workshops and performances aimed at the little ones, as well as storytelling sessions, static shows, etc. The Fair will be open from December 5 to 7 from 12 PM to 10 PM, and on December 8 from 12 PM to 6 PM.

The Christmas Fair is the highlight of a wide Christmas program prepared by various departments of the City Council, which will kick off next Saturday, November 29, with the Christmas lights switch-on. This program includes concerts by various local associations, theater, exhibitions, shop window competitions, cultural animation parades, the ballet Swan Lake performed by the Ballet of the National Opera of Kyrgyzstan, the San Silvestre race, youth activities, Page Day, the Three Kings Parade, etc.

ExfiCalp, the philatelic and collecting exhibition that the Philatelic and Numismatic Association of Calpe organizes every December in collaboration with the City Council of Calpe, reaches its 30th edition. On this occasion, it will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the excavations that the Archaeological Museum of Alicante is carrying out at the archaeological site of La Pobla d’Ifac.

"After two decades of constant work in the field and subsequent research, we believe this recognition is more than justified. From the Calpe philately community, we want to pay tribute to this work and, thanks to the philatelic-postal material that the Post Office will issue – stamps and commemorative envelopes – we aim to share it with the whole world and beyond the usual channels," said José Ivars, president of the Philatelic and Numismatic Association of Calpe.

EXFICALP will be held from December 5 to 30 in the Exhibition Hall of the Ajuntament Vell, which will host a total of eight collections of very diverse content.

Alongside the exhibition, EXFICALP 2025 will offer a program of activities aimed at all audiences, from experienced collectors to those approaching the world of philately for the first time.

On the opening day, Friday, December 5, at 8:00 p.m., the material issued by Correos for this new edition will be presented.

On Saturday, December 6, the day will begin with a Philatelic Exchange Day, one of the most anticipated events on the Alicante philatelic calendar, which will take place in the same exhibition hall. In the afternoon, the focus will be on the youngest visitors, with an introductory philately workshop specially designed for them.

On Monday, December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, EXFICALP will dedicate the day to Philatelic Literature, with a discussion focused on specialized publications and magazines. As part of the program, two activities will take place outside the exhibition area. On Wednesday, December 17, at 7 p.m., the University Hall of Casa Nova will host the conference “The V-Mails: Photography at the Service of Mail in World War II,” given by José Ivars Ivars, academic of the Royal Hispanic Academy of Philately and Postal History (RAHFeHp) and president of the Philatelic and Numismatic Group of Calpe.

The Calpe City Council held this morning an institutional event to mark November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, this year under the slogan "We eradicate violence by building good treatment." To this end, it involved the participation of the town's two secondary schools, IES Ifach and IES Les Salines, which offered musical performances to highlight the importance of eliminating gender-based violence and building more equal relationships.

The event, held at the Ifach Pavilion, began with a performance by IES Ifach, which performed “Paraules silenciades” from ”El diluvi and “Libertad” by Nil Moliner, while IES Les Salines sang a rap against gender-based violence.

The Councilor for Equality, Itziar Doval, read the official statement, emphasizing that “this date is a call to strengthen coordination, prevention, and awareness, and to promote, at the local level, all the necessary measures to move towards a society free from gender-based violence.” She also expressed her gratitude for the participation of the municipality's secondary schools, both in today's event and in other activities, including workshops and the creation of a mural in l’Esplai Parc, undertaken by the Friends of Art Association (ADA), in which students collaborated by painting various decorative elements and the slogans.