Traditional celebration drew larger crowd than usual

There were several changes in the celebration of the conquest of Palma by Jaume I in 1229, and a larger crowd than usual gathered in the Plaza Cort to watch. For the first time, the Army did not take part, and their place was taken by the Local Police in gala uniform, who stood guard while the royal pennant and the helmet of King Martin were placed in the Plaza Cort. The Mayor and councillors, accompanied by the Brotherhood of Knigts of St George, on horseback, then walked to the Cathedral to hear Mass, said by Bishop Mgr Teodor Ubeda. The service was also attended by government leader Francesc Antich, goverment representative Catalina Cirer, commander of the military zone of the Balearics Tomas Formentin, the chief prosecutor Antonio de Vicente Tutor and the Council of Majorca, presided by Maria Antonia Munar. The dance groups Els Cossiers and Els Cavallets danced during the service, after which the authorities returned to Plaza Cort, where the pennant was removed and the Balearic anthem, La Balanguera, was sung. Miquelina Lladó, surrounded by pupils of the Majorcan Music and Dance School, then read the poem La Colcada by Pedro Alcántara Penya, in which a grandmother describes to her grandchildren how the feast of the Conquest used to be celebrated when she was young. In his traditional speech, Mayor Joan Fageda said that the big challenge facing the city was the ambitious project for remodelling the sea front. Looking back over 2001, he pointed to the achievements made under the Mirall Plan to restore the historical city centre and improvements made to the outlying districts. He said that the renewal of the fleet of EMT (Municipal Transport company) buses would continue in 2002, when frequencies would be improved and lines remodelled. The Mayor also stressed that the council wanted to reduce the number of cars parked in the streets, although he admitted that this called for a profound change in outlook and time to get used to the idea. The city's gold medals were then presented to sculptor Jaume Mir, born in Felanitx in 1915, and the organisation Juventus Musicals.