Michael Douglas becomes Mallorca’s adopted son
Michael Douglas has been named Mallorca’s adopted son at the island’s 2026 honours gala in Palma. The US actor received the title on Saturday night at the Teatre Principal de Palma during the Diada de Mallorca celebrations. Musicians Rels B and Concha Buika were also awarded the titles of Mallorca’s distinguished son and daughter.
The ceremony, hosted by Bel Bestard, marked 100 years since the first musical setting of “La Balanguera”, Mallorca’s anthem. Donallop performed “Qui te plora”, written and composed by Joana Pol, while the DaBraccio Quartet played Isaac Albéniz’s “Mallorca”. The Teatre Principal de Palma choir and the Consell de Mallorca’s Joch de Ministrils closed the evening with “La Balanguera”.
Awards honour island figures and groups
Mallorca’s Medals of Honour and Gratitude went to Antònia Rosselló, Can Company, Fundació La Sapiència, Antoni Vidal Ferrando, Toni Ballador, Hipercentro, Grup d’Empreses Roig, Cucorba, Miguel José Deyà Bauzà, Montserrat Pons i Boscana, Federació Balear de Tir de Fona and Tomeu Penya. Tomàs Martínez, Pere Sampol and Antònia Matamalas received the medal posthumously.
The Jaume II Awards were presented to Encesa pels Drets Humans, Isabel Calero, Bar Bosch, Gremi de Margers de Mallorca, Etnogràfic de Campos, ASNIMO, Colegio Madre Alberta, Regimiento de Infantería Palma 47 and Joan Mas i Vives.
Galmés calls for Mallorca’s identity to be protected
Consell de Mallorca president Llorenç Galmés said the island must face today’s challenges while protecting the identity and way of life of Mallorcans. He called “La Balanguera” the soul of Mallorca, saying it reflected a people with deep roots looking ahead with hope and pride.
Galmés pointed to Mallorca’s landscape, history, culture, language and food, but said the island was shaped above all by its people — both those from Mallorca and those who had made the island their home and helped improve it. He also repeated his commitment to lower the cap on tourist accommodation places during this term.
Topics: Tourism · Food & dining · Palma · Campos
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com