Lleida has already defined the youth representation that will lead the events of the 2026 Main Festival. The jury proclaimed four new role models after evaluating the profile and trajectory of the applicants in a closed selection process.
Xavier Sabaté Roldan and Maria Blanch Rodríguez head the list of chosen ones along with Xènia Bosch Buisán and Ivayla Stoyanova Ivanova. The official ceremony will take place on May 8, the opening day of the celebrations, during the reading of the Pregón.
A generational change with neighborhood roots
The final selection opted for profiles linked to the associative and academic fabric of the city. Xavier Sabaté Roldan, 19 years old, combines his studies in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication with a long career in representative spaces such as the Plenary of Childhood and Adolescence.
"I define myself as an active and involved person" - Xavier Sabaté Roldan, Heir Referent 2026
Maria Blanch Rodríguez, also 19 years old, will bring her previous experience as a three-time heiress within the Jaume I Neighborhood Association. The future Computer Engineering student at the University of Lleida also maintains a strong link with the Pardinyes entity.
The diversity of origins and ages characterizes the new quartet. Ivayla Stoyanova Ivanova is the youngest member of the group. At 17 years old and studying for her Baccalaureate, she stands out for her active participation in the Association of Bulgarians in Lleida Mechta.
Two reserves active by tight scoring
The competition had the participation of six candidates. The high quality of the proposals caused the jury to decide to keep the two unelected people, Pilar Lian Roda Maça and Júlia Queralt Morales, in reserve.
"They will have active roles in events during the year" - Contest judge, on the reserve candidates
This exceptional measure responds to the minimal point difference registered in the final assessment. Both young women will participate dynamically in various activities planned for the next festive event.
Xènia Bosch Buisán completes the starting lineup. The 21-year-old, trained in Digital Prepress and with experience in the Lleida restaurant sector, assures that she deeply appreciates local traditions and the city itself.
The proximity of the investiture date already marks the agenda of the four chosen ones. Their presence at the Pregón on May 8th will symbolize the official start of a festival that seeks to integrate tradition with the diversity of today's youth.