Joaquín Costa group recognition on the Camino de la Alegría 20 years creation

The town halls of Salou and Monzón have paid homage to the Joaquín Costa social group from the Vila-seca II Ercros factory for the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Camino de la Alegría, a pilgrimage between the city of Salou and the hermitage of the Virgen de la Alegría in Monzón. The creators of this route were former workers from the Ercros factory in Monzón who in the early 80s were transferred to Vila-seca to start up the factory in this town.

The 150-kilometre pilgrimage route was carried out for the first time in 2003, it was repeated annually until 2009 and had great participation success. The tour follows in the footsteps of King James I who, on his return from the conquest of Mallorca, travelled to the hermitage of the Virgen de la Alegría to thank for the favours received.

Along the route, pilgrims were received and entertained by the towns where they stopped. And upon arrival in Monzón, neighbours from this town joined the Camino.

The homage acts were attended by the mayors of Salou and Monzón, Pere Granados and Isaac Claver, respectively, and by the founding members of the Joaquín Costa group, currently retired from the Vila-seca II factory: Vicente Torres, Ángel Martínez, Arturo Pérez, José Manuel Mallen, José Antoni Blasco and José Guerrero.