Words and verse

MARPOÉTICA Poetry Fes ­ tival closed its sixth edition with an evening fusing literature and humour in Marbella after 15 packed days of activity dedicated to spreading the power of words.

The city’s poetry festival culminated on Thursday, April 27, and stood out for the quality of its activities on offer and the enormous audience it reached since

Honouring local heroes

MARBELLA’S highly­anticipated Feria Social is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before! On Friday, May 5, the city’s Avenida del Mar will be transformed into a hub of social engagement and community support, hosting over 32 organisations from around the city to showcase their work.

The Feria Social is a platform for recognising outstanding work in the community, and the local Plataforma del Voluntariado volunteering association will be presenting their ‘Solidarity Awards’ to members of the community during the event, highlighting their incredible service, particularly during the pandemic.

The event will run from 10am to 6pm and will feature a stage and stands for attendees to receive information on different programmes and projects developed by the associations.

Young people are encouraged to participate, as the council will be calling on local schools to promote volunteer projects for local young people. Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting vulnerable members of the community.

All are invited to learn about the remarkable work being done in the city and how you can contribute to making a difference.

it began on Thursday April 13.

On Thursday morning, organisers presented the Marpoética Poetry Prize to the writer Felipe Benítez Reyes. In the evening, the festival closed with a thought provoking talk about artistic vocation and the bond with poetic words by writers Fernando Aramburu and Antonio Lucas, and poet Javier Vicedo. The night concluded with a performance by flamenco pianist Dorantes.

Organisers described the festival as a resounding success. The event’s director, Carmen Díaz, said the festival was a massive hit.

Díaz also highlighted the success of the festival’s new feature, the Marpoética International Poetry Prize which boasted a prize pool totalling €20,000. More than 1,800 entries were received, with a significant portion coming from countries across the Atlantic, strengthening the festival’s bond with Latin America.

THE Salón Varietés theatre in Fuengirola is currently pre‐senting ‘Two’, an innovative and thought‐provoking dra‐ma by the acclaimed English dramatist Jim Cartwright.

This groundbreaking play features two actors who por‐tray 14 different characters in a powerful and emotional story. The show is running every night until Sunday, May 7, so this is the last chance for the‐atre lovers to see it.

The theatre is also preparing for its next show, The Magic of

IN a move which has brought hope and joy to many in the community, Be‐nalmadena Council voted to declare the expansion of the Cudeca Foundation’s Day Unit to be of General Munici‐pal Interest, which will im‐prove resources for the char‐itable association.

The decision made on Thursday, April 27 means that the non‐governmental organisation will benefit from tax exemptions and other financial benefits from the council.

This positive news means that the Cudeca Foundation can now move forward with