Institut Guttmann has held this Friday 27th November in the Oval Room at the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), the institutional ceremony of the 50th anniversary celebration, coinciding with the opening of the old hospital, in the neighborhood of La Sagrera, in 1965.

In an emotional and full of surprises ceremony attendants travelled over the 50 years of evolution of the institution, from the ancient hospital to the modern hospital in Badalona, as well as over the evolution of the expectations and needs of people with neurological origin disabilities along these years.

The event brought more than a thousand people, including authorities, friends of the institution, representatives of ONCE, patients, former patients, family members, business partners, representatives of associations of people with disabilities, professionals of the Institut Guttmann, representatives from the University and science, as well as the table of the “third sector”, and members of the Board and Social Council and Participation of Institut Guttmann.

The welcome by the managing director, Dr. Josep M. Ramirez, who made an emotional speech about this 50 years of efforts and team, led to institutional parliaments: Mr. Francesc Homs, President of the Institut Guttmann Foundation; Mr. Miguel Carballeda, President of ONCE Spain; Mr. Salvador Alemany, President of Abertis as a "Company Friend of Institut Guttmann"; our beloved Anna Monllau, as former patient of Institut Guttmann; Ms. Laura Perez, councilor of the council of Barcelona; President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Carme Forcadell; and the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Artur Mas.

This was followed of an emotive show of memories, thanks and performances, including live towers of “castellers” by “Els Falcons”, a group who wanted to collaborate in the celebration.