“Her Excellency María José Catalá, Mayor of the City of Valencia; Santiago Ballester, President of the Fallas Central Board and Councilor for Fallas; members of the municipal council and the Fallas Central Board, Belleses del Foc, Queens of the Festivals of Castellón, Falleras Majors of Valencia, and the 2025 Corts d’Honor. Falleras and fallers, good afternoon.
Today, for the first time, 13 voices unite as one to address Valencia and begin writing their own history—the very same 13 who have turned their voices into words to write this speech together: Along with me, Mar, Marta, Marta, Zoe, Virginia, Laura, Anabel, Daniela, Ani, Paula, Paula, and Vega… 13 women who, starting today, will be the ambassadors of the Valencian people, showing the whole world our love and dedication to our city and to the Falles.
This exciting story has a prologue—one that was written by the decision of seven people who, through their generosity, have given us a wonderful gift. Thank you for opening the doors to a dream for us, and for giving us the opportunity to make history and be the foremost representatives of our festival. A festival and a city full of light—just like the 60 women who have accompanied us this far and who will continue by our side in this story.
As Fallera Major of Valencia, I take on this cherished and beloved role with the certainty that I will represent it with dignity and with theof being that beacon that illuminates a community of more than 100,000 people who carry as their banner the commitment to continue making Valencia—as its pasodoble says—the land of flowers, light, and love.
So, thank you, Valencia! Thank you for welcoming us with such affection and respect, and for showing us the importance of becoming the voice and face of our culture, our traditions, and the passion we feel for our Falles. From here, we want to promise that we will give back, through hard work and dedication, everything that this city and the Falles have given us.
Our Falles are our most cherished treasure, our reason for being. A festival that in 2026 will celebrate its tenth anniversary as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A celebration born of unity and brotherhood, of the passion that every faller and fallera pours into making our festival great. Furthermore, we will strive harder than ever so that, in 2026, Valencia will also become the true heart of the global fireworks world by being chosen to host the International Congress of Pyrotechnics.
And while all this is happening, today I’d like to add one word to this dream: THANK YOU. Thank you to everyone who instilled in me this love for the festival, making it possible for me to be here today. Especially to my family, always by my side, always ready with a hug when I’ve needed it most, always discreet, always proud, and always family.
Thank you to my falla, Convent, for everything. Starting today, I’m part of a new committee—that of all Valencians—but this year, I’ll always carry you in my heart. You, my sector, La Roqueta-Arrancapins, and the Centro Fallas Federation.
Thank you also to everyone who makes this festival possible. To the falla artists for all that magic, to the pyrotechnicians for that original soundtrack, to the musicians for composing the score of our festival, to the costume designers and goldsmiths for such delicacy, to the folklore groups for keeping our roots alive, to the poets for their imagination… and to the falleros—ALWAYS the falleros—for so much dedication and passion.
And if I spoke earlier of family and gratitude, I also want to thank our new family—all the members of the Fallas Central Board—for their invaluable work. They say you are the big family, and in just a few days we’ve already learned why.
How great our little ones are! Congratulations to Marta and her Court of Honor. I am convinced that these girls will be a magnificent representation of the world of children’s Fallas and that their smiles will be an inspiration to all of us.
The Falles will always be the light that illuminates Valencia—a light that we make our own today and that we’ll carry to every corner, every community center, and every place we go. Because these 26 groups are eager to meet all those who work for and on behalf of the festival, to get to know every faller and fallera, and to discover all the different ways they experience the festival we love so much. Because there are as many ways to experience the Falles as there are Falles themselves!
So, as our municipal Falles say, Valencia will always move forward, and it will do so with hope.
Welcome, Falles 2026! Here we are, with open arms and full hearts. Long live Valencia! And long live the Falles!”
