The archivist and historian Joan Boadas will be the new official chronicler of the city of Girona. The municipal plenary session has unanimously approved his appointment. Boadas replaces Enric Mirambell, also a historian, who held the position between 1987 and his death in 2020.
Boadas was the head of the Documentary Management Service, Archives and Publications of Girona City Council from February 1990 until his retirement in December 2022. He had also been head of the Culture Department of Girona City Council between 1992 and 1997 and previously he had taken care of the archives of the Town Halls of Caldes de Malavella and Salt.
As Girona's archivist, he has won some of the most renowned awards in the sector. In 2022 he received the Emmet Leathy Award, considered the Nobel Prize in archival science, for his "dedication and excellence" in documentation and information management. So far only five Europeans had achieved it.
That same year he was awarded by the International Council of Archives with the Fellow of the International Council Archives (ICA), which allowed him to enter the select group of 20 people who had obtained recognition in the international arena.
The election of Boadas to occupy the position has been made based on the regulations of the official chronicler, which were approved last February and which established that any person, entity or association could submit their proposals. In this case, the proposal came from the mayoress, Marta Madrenas.
This honorary title is for life. Among his functions are to resolve queries on issues related to the past and present of the city; collaborate in actions to recover documentary, bibliographic, artistic and ethnographic heritage or participate in the promotion and promotion of studies linked to historical heritage.
You must also write an annual report on the most remarkable activities linked to the historical heritage of Girona and read it in the municipal plenary.
The post of chronicler has existed in the city since 1864. Since then it has been occupied by Narcís Blanch Illa (appointed on February 22, 1864); Enric Claudi Girbal (June 17, 1867); Joaquim Pla Cargol and Carles de Bolós Vayreda (January 4, 1957) and Lluís Batlle Prats and Jaume Marqués Casanovas (January 26, 1979). The last official chronicler, Enric Mirambell occupied the post for 33 years.
