On 24 May, the Hotel Palace in Barcelona hosted a new edition of the traditional event in which the Humanitarian Merit Institution recognises the values, social commitment and humanitarian work carried out by professionals and prominent figures from the social, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Among this year’s awardees were Dr Elisa Sanagustín, lecturer and administrator at the Faculty of Dentistry, and Dr Anna Hospital, a lecturer at the Faculty with wide recognition in the field of forensic medicine and dentistry. Both were honoured with the Ribbon of Humanitarian Merit.

Dr Hospital, who holds degrees in both Medicine and Dentistry, is Vice-President of the Spanish Association of Forensic Anthropology and Dentistry. She is a nationally and internationally renowned figure thanks to her major contributions to forensic medicine – particularly forensic dentistry – which have helped resolve legal cases and assist in the identification of victims in large-scale disasters.

Dr Sanagustín, meanwhile, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Navarra and a PhD in Education, Communication and Humanities from Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. She plays an active role in the Faculty’s social commitment and solidarity initiatives and chairs the Social Committee for the Caring for Smiles, Changing Lives programme.

Recognised by the Ministry of the Interior, the Humanitarian Merit Institution was founded in Barcelona in 1999 with the mission of honouring individuals every year from the social, cultural and charitable sectors who consistently demonstrate a commitment to humanitarian work and human values.