DUAL RECOGNITION AT THE “AMBASSADORS OF GIJÓN” AWARD 2023
The “Ambassadors of Gijón” award has been recognising the efforts and contributions of professionals from various fields since 2004. These professionals work towards promoting the city as a destination for meetings and events, alongside their regular jobs. By nominating the city as a venue for congresses, they create a positive impact and help position the city as an events venue.
The Ambassadors of Gijón programme is the oldest among Congress Offices nationwide, having existed for 19 years. There are currently 21 ambassadors.
The Club de Empresas de Turismo de Negocios (Business Tourism Company Club) has gone further, announcing that they awarded two professionals from the medical-health and technological-scientific sectors in 2023. It is worth noting that many conferences hosted in the city are focused on these two sectors. The winners are Dr Miguel Ángel Prieto Díaz, a Primary Care doctor and Industrial Engineer, Doctor of Industrial Engineering from Oviedo University and Dr Jaime Viña Olay, a Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering Professor at Oviedo University.
Dr Miguel Angel Prieto was born in La Peña, a small town in Salas. Gijón has been his favourite city for leisure and culture since he was selected as a jury for the Gijón Film Festival at age 9. His favourite way to recharge his batteries is by exploring the coastal paths. He is the 3rd Vice President of SEMERGEN (Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians). He is responsible for congresses and conferences at SEMERGEN. Additionally, he was the Chair of the 41st SEMERGEN Congress, which was held in Gijón in 2019, thanks to his involvement. He has been involved in numerous research studies, including the IBERICAN study (Identifying cardiovascular and renal risk in the Spanish population), of which he is the national general coordinator. This study on cardiovascular health is the largest in Europe and is being conducted entirely by primary care in our country. He collaborates closely with the Gijón Convention Bureau to develop marketing plans for the meetings sector (MICE), sharing his expertise.
Professor Jaime Viña was born in Sanatorio de Begoña. His parents were from Gijón with ancestors from Gozón and Cenero. He completed his pre-university studies at Corazón de María School and his university studies at Gijón’s Advanced Technical School of Industrial Engineers. His father was a lithographer and co-owner of Litografía Viña, along with his uncles. He is a member of AEMAC (Spanish Composite Materials Association), SEMAT (Spanish Materials Society) and SPE (Society of Plastic Engineers). In June 2023, Gijón hosted the 15th National Congress of Composite Materials – MATCOMP, the most significant event in the country’s composite materials field. This was the second time the city hosted the event after a gap of 22 years. The credit for hosting the event successfully goes to Jaime Viña, whose prestige and tenacity made it possible. In 2016, Gijón was the headquarters of the 14th National Materials Congress due to his involvement and work. He and his research team have established strong partnerships with various international research groups and frequently engage in technology transfer activities with companies, including ThyssenKrupp Airport Systems, KLK Electromateriales, and Canalón SA, among others, at regional, national, and international levels. This knowledge transfer is reflected in the high percentage of young doctoral students presenting their first developments at Congresses.
With the addition of these new Ambassadors of Gijón, the distinction now includes two professionals who exemplify the values and objectives of the award in their respective fields.
The “Ambassadors of Gijón” 2023 award ceremony will take place at Laboral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial on October 4, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. The event will be chaired by the Mayor of Gijón and the President of the Club de Empresas de Turismo de Negocios. Recently, this venue has joined the Gijón Congress Office – Gijón Convention Bureau as a member, adding to the list of unique venues in the city.
