Majorca Daily Bulletin founder becomes adoptive son of Fornalutx

THE founder of the Majorca Daily Bulletin and President of the Art Train Foundation, Pere A. Serra was honoured at the end of last week when the town of Fornalutx bestowed on him the title of “adoptive son.” In the same ceremony at the parish church of La Nativitat de la Mare de Deu in Fornalutx, other awards were made posthumously to local women Maria Ferrer and Maria Arbona as “distinguished daughters of Fornalutx” for the part they played in setting up the “La Pureza” women's education centre in Palma.

Prior to the official title being handed to Serra, a history of his family and achievements was read to the congregation by Solleric resident Josep A. Morell. Morell claimed that it was thanks to an “Enciclopedia de Mallorca” which was researched and published by Serra, that the town of Fornalutx is now firmly on the map.

Morell also pointed to the importance of Serra's having bought the Setmanari Soller (Soller's weekly newspaper), a publication which Morell described as a “living witness” to the cultural heritage of the local community. By way of reply, Serra said he remembered as a child the rivalry between Soller and Fornalutx, very different from the common bonds of purpose and unity which are shared by them today.

Meanwhile, academic Joan Rullan extolled the vision and inspiration of the mother and daughter team, Maria Ferrer and Maria Arbona who in 1809 set up an education centre for women in Palma, aided by the then Bishop Nadal of Majorca. Their work was continued by Cayetana Alberta Gimenez who went on to found the religious community of “La Pureza de Maria” in Palma.