In an emotional ceremony held this Thursday at the Concordia Convention Center, the first day of the presentation of the traditional 2026 Merit Award took place, established by Ordinance No. 29,752 of 1997, intended to recognize the dedication, academic commitment, and daily effort of students in the final years of the different educational levels and modalities of the city.
The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Concordia, Dr. Francisco Azcué, the Vice Mayor and President of the Deliberative Council, Lic. Magdalena Reta de Urquiza, and the council members Javier Aguilar, Emanuel Godoy, Silvina Ovelar and Mauricio Rey. Likewise, the event was accompanied by the Secretary of Human Development, Professor Carlos Gatto, along with municipal officials, teachers, family members, friends, and the awarded students. After the singing of the verses of the Argentine National Anthem and the March of Entre Ríos, an afternoon conceived as a true celebration to honor the educational community began.
Upon taking the floor, the vice mayor Lic. Magdalena Reta de Urquiza highlighted the importance of the date for the Deliberative Council and recalled the origins of the distinction originally promoted by the current Secretary of Human Development, Prof. Carlos Gatto. In her speech, she emphasized that the award seeks to reward personal improvement and daily perseverance in achieving proposed goals. Furthermore, she highlighted the fundamental role of education in building a society with better tools and knowledge to discern, in the face of technological advances and current risks of misinformation, urging young people to always demand better education as a pillar of personal and community growth. Likewise, she thanked the constant support of families and teachers in the students' trajectory.
For his part, the mayor Dr. Francisco Azcué focused his message on the deep appreciation of the concept of merit and effort. The municipal leader pointed out that when evaluating merit, not only are grades or scores obtained weighed, but also the effort deployed based on the particular capabilities and conditions of each student. In this sense, he stressed that the culture of effort and responsibility constitutes an essential value that must govern both school performance and community life and public service. Likewise, the municipal head linked this premise with the infrastructure and development plan towards the Bicentennial being carried out by the administration, highlighting that the backbone is human development through a present State that generates opportunities, promotes training, and strengthens the foundations of local progress through work and merit.
During the ceremony, each of the distinguished students received a commemorative medal with the inscription of the Merit Award and the year of the edition, accompanied by an official diploma certifying their recognition. The organizers recalled that the celebrations will continue next Friday, November 13, with the delivery of the awards corresponding to secondary school students. Likewise, the photographic material of the event is available on the Deliberative Council's social media.
Instagram: @concejodeliberanteconcordia