Miguel Sanz receives the Gold Medal of the Chamber of Commerce of Navarre.

Miguel Sanz Sesma, President of the Government of Navarre for fifteen years (1995-2011) and current President of the TW Foundation, received this Friday 27 February 2023 the Gold Medal of the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Navarre. This recognition was awarded to him in 2011 by unanimous decision of the Plenary of the Chamber.

In the 124 years of history of the entity, this award has only been granted to two people: the King of Spain, Felipe VI -when he was Prince of Asturias and of Viana- and Miguel Sanz.

The recognition, according to the Chamber’s Internal Regulations, is reserved for those persons or entities that have made a truly outstanding contribution to the development of the Chamber’s activity or to the expansion of economic activity in Navarre.

The ceremony was presided over by the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Navarre, Javier Taberna; the President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, José Luis Bonet; and the Vice-Presidents of the Chamber of Commerce of Navarre, Rafael Moreno and Miguel Suárez.

Miguel Sanz’s contribution has been classified into two groups: the collaboration with the activity of the Chamber of Commerce and its strategies to support the development of companies and the economy of Navarre as a whole.

Some of these achievements were detailed, such as the internationalisation of Navarrese companies, the creation of the Pamplona Conference Centre, the City of Transport, the one-stop business shop and the new headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce.

As for aspects related to the development of the economy, mention was made of the Employment Plan – “a symbol of dialogue and social agreement”, in Taberna’s words -, the three technological plans of the region, the creation of various technological centres such as Cener, Cima, Citean…, together with other relevant infrastructures such as the Itoiz reservoir, the Canal de Navarra, the Navarra Arena pavilion, the Sendaviva park, the Pyrenees dual carriageway or the Camino de Santiago dual carriageway.

Miguel Sanz was accompanied by his family and close friends.
Not in vain did the auditorium break the attendance record with 130 people.

“I have tried to surround myself with all the people who, in my opinion, knew much more than me,” he said, after accepting the award and thanking them for their collaboration and support in moving forward with the projects that his government put on the table. He acknowledged that the main value on which he built his administration was, above all, respect.

For his part, Taberna wanted to thank Sanz for his patience because “despite being indebted to him, since 12 years have passed since the Plenary of the Chamber awarded him our highest distinction, the Gold Medal, on 28 June 2011, he never asked us for it, nor did he ask us for his well-deserved medal”. Those of us who know him well know that he does not like awards or distinctions, that he is an austere, simple, humble, hard-working and tireless person who is only happy with his family and friends and a jota to be happy and, above all, to make others happy”.

And at TW Group we couldn’t agree more.