The title of Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía ("Favorite Son of Andalusia") or in the case of a female recipient Hija Predilecta de Andalucía ("Favorite Daughter of Andalusia") is an honorific title granted annually on August 10 according to decree 156/1983 of the Andalusian Autonomous Government, recognizing exceptional merit or distinction in relation to the Andalusian region, through scientific, social or political actions or works that have redounded to the benefit of Andalusia. It is the highest distinction of the autonomous community of Andalusia.

The nature of the honor The honor is granted by agreement of the Governing Council of the Andalusian Autonomous Government, based on names proposed by the President of the Government, passed on by the president's office, the Consejería de la Presidencia. The title is strictly honorific, and does not entail any award of money. The names of those given the title are written in a registry known as the Libro de Oro de Andalucía ("Golden Book of Andalusia"). A medal is awarded with the inscription Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía, along with a silver plaque stating the reason for granting the award in this particular case. Normally at most ten medals are awarded each year, although the Governing Council may make exceptions to that. (In practice, as of 2009 that number has never been reached.) That count does not include awards given as a courtesy or in reciprocity, nor does it include posthumous awards. The honor is awarded in a public and solemn ceremony presided over by the President of the Government, in the presence of the Governing Council, and if possible coinciding with the regional holiday, the Andalusia Day, 28 February. The honor can be revoked if the recipient behaves publicly in a manner counter to the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, the principles of the 1978 Constitution of Spain or the Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia, or prejudicial to the dignity of their basic interests.

List of Hijos Predilectos de Andalucía 1983 Antonio Cruz García ("Antonio Mairena"), singer, Mairena del Alcor, Province of Seville Rafael Alberti, writer, El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz Vicente Aleixandre Merlo, writer, Seville Jorge Guillén Álvarez, writer, Valladolid Andrés Segovia, guitarist, Linares, Jaén Ramón Carande y Thovar, historian and economist, Palencia, autonomous community of Castile-Leon

1984 Juan Álvarez Ossorio y Barrau, historian, activistDECRETO 34/1984, de 8 de febrero, por el que se concede el título de "Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía" a Don Juan Alvarez Ossorio y Barrau, BOJA 1984/20, 1984-02-28. Accessed online 2009-12-20.

1985 Rafael Escuredo Rodríguez, lawyer and politician, Estepa, Seville María Zambrano Alarcón, writer, Vélez-Málaga, Málaga Antonio Gala Velasco, writer, Brazatortas, Ciudad Real Carlos Castilla del Pino, psychiatrist, San Roque, Cádiz Antonio Domínguez Ortiz, historian, Seville

1987 José Antonio Valverde Gómez, zoologistDECRETO 48/1987, de 25 de febrero, por el que se concede el título de Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía al Excmo. Sr. don José Antonio Valverde Gómez, BOJA 1987/17, 1987-02-27. Accessed online 2009-12-20. Manuel Andújar, writer, La Carolina, Jaén Juan de Mata CarriazoDECRETO 39/1987, de 25 de febrero, por el que se concede el título de Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía al Excmo. Sr. don Juan de Mata Carriazo y Arroquia, BOJA 1987/17, 1987-02-27. Accessed online 2009-12-20.

1988 Emilio García Gómez, historian specializing in Arabism, Madrid Manuel Castillo Navarro, composer and pianist, Seville Manuel Rivera Hernández, painter, Granada Pablo García Baena, poet, Córdoba José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado, physician and neurophysiologist, Málaga

1989 Rafael Montesinos Martínez, poet, Seville, Seville José Muñoz Caballero, painter, Huelva Luis Rosales Camacho, poet, Granada, Granada

1990 Javier Benjumea Puigcerver, businessman, founder of Abengoa, Seville Dolores Jiménez Alcántara "Niña de La Puebla", singer, La Puebla de Cazalla, Seville Francisco Ayala y García Duarte, writer, Granada, Granada

1991 José Rodríguez de la Borbolla y Camoyán, lawyer and politician, Seville, Seville

1992 José Antonio Muñoz Rojas, poet, Antequera, Málaga, Málaga

1993 Manuel Losada Villasante, scientist, Carmona, Seville

1994 S.A.R. Doña María de las Mercedes de Borbón y Orleans, mother of the King Juan Carlos, Madrid

1995 Miguel Rodríguez-Piñero Bravo-Ferrer, jurist, professor, magistrate and president of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Seville, Seville

1996 José Manuel Caballero Bonald, poet and essayist, Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Cádiz

1997 No award given.

1998 Felipe González Márquez, lawyer and politician, Dos Hermanas, Seville, Seville

1999 Manuel F. Clavero Arévalo, lawyer and politician, Seville, Seville

2000 Carlos Amigo Vallejo, Archbishop of Seville, Medina de Rioseco, Valladolid

2001 , songwriter, Granada, Granada. (Posthumous.) Pedro Cruz Villalón, president of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Seville, Seville

2002 Manuel Jiménez de Parga, president of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Granada, Granada

2003 Emilio Lledó Íñigo, professor of philosophy, Seville, SevilleDecreto 42/2003, de 18 de febrero, por el que se concede el título de Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía, a don Emilio Lledó Iñigo, BOJA 2003/46, 2003-03-10. Accessed online 2009-12-20. Christine Ruiz-Picasso, daughter-in-law of Pablo Picasso, philanthropist, Paris, France

2004 Francisco Márquez Villanueva, professor of medieval literature, Seville, SevilleDECRETO 59/2004, de 17 de febrero, por el que se concede el título de Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía a don Francisco Márquez Villanueva, BOJA 2004/50, 2004-03-12. Accessed online 2009-12-20. Leopoldo de Luis, poet, Córdoba, Córdoba

2005 María Victoria Atencia García, poet, Málaga, MálagaDECRETO 41/2005, de 22 de febrero, por el que se concede el Título de Hija Predilecta de Andalucía a doña María Victoria Atencia García, BOJA 2005/48, 2005-03-09. Accessed online 2009-12-20. Julia Uceda Valiente, poet, literary critic, and professor of literature, Seville, SevilleDECRETO 42/2005, de 22 de febrero, por el que se concede el Título de Hija Predilecta de Andalucía a doña Julia Uceda Valiente, BOJA 2005/48, 2005-03-09. Accessed online 2009-12-20.

2006 María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba, (Madrid) Carlos Edmundo de Ory, poet, Cádiz, Cádiz

2007 José Saramago, writer, Azinhaga, Portugal

2008 Federico Mayor Zaragoza, former rector of the University of Granada, former director general of UNESCO. Barcelona, autonomous community of Catalonia

2009 Juan Antonio Carrillo Salcedo, Doctor of Laws at the University of Seville, expert in international law, Morón de la Frontera, Seville

2010 Augusto Méndez de Lugo, president of the High Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla Francisca Díaz Torres, owner of the "El Romeral" estate

2011 Juana de Aizpuru, gallerist Alfonso Guerra, politician

2012 Luis Gordillo, painter Josefina Molina, film director

2013 Antonio Banderas, actor , syndicalist (posthumous) Carmen Laffón de la Escosura, painter

2014 Miguel Ríos, singer

2015 Alberto Rodríguez Librero, film director

2016 Joaquín Sabina, singer-songwriter Ángel Salvatierra, transplant specialist

2017 María Galiana, actress and teacher Luis García Montero, writer

2018 José Luis Gómez García, actor, director and producer Guillermo Antiñolo Gil, physician and researcher in fetal and genetic medicine

2019 Francisco Martínez-Cosentino, businessman José Luis García Palacios, president of the Fundación Caja Rural del Sur (posthumous)

2020 Curro Romero, bullfighter Antonio Burgos, journalist Joaquín, footballer

2021 Raphael, singer

2022 Alejandro Sanz, singer-songwriter Manuel Alejandro, composer

2023 David Bisbal, singer Lola Flores, actress, bailaora and singer (posthumous)

2024 José Mercé, flamenco singer Santiago Muñoz Machado, director of the Royal Spanish Academy

2025 Jesús Navas, footballer Pilar Manchón Portillo, artificial intelligence researcher

2026 Manuel Carrasco, singer-songwriter Paz Vega, actress

Acceptance speeches Most of the recipients of the award come with a prepared acceptance speech. Politician Felipe González broke somewhat with this tradition in 1998 when he gave part of his speech extemporaneously; writer José Saramago in 2007 gave an entirely improvised speech. During his speech his medal fell to the floor and he had to stoop to recover it. He then continued, "This could be resolved with a Latin proverb, Sic transit gloria mundi, which gained him a round of applause.Videos of 28 February 2007 , official site of the Andalusian Autonomous Government.

Notes

External links

Hijos Predilectos de Andalucía, official list. Decreto 156/1983, the law creating the honor.