The Soutomaior Council today presented at Soutomaior Castle a new Correos stamp dedicated to María Vinyals, a writer, intellectual, and activist for women's rights, born in this castle in 1875. The initiative arose from a municipal request to recognize her figure.
The event was attended by the mayor of Soutomaior, Manu Lourenzo; the Government sub-delegate in Pontevedra, Abel Losada; the Councilor for Tourism, Culture, and Historical Memory, Silvia Cernadas; and the Director of Philately and Institutional Relations at Correos, Nuria Lera.
The day was enlivened by the harp and guitar duo of Lorena Reinaldo and Ariel García. In parallel, artist Alba Troiteiro created a real-time artistic piece through 'storytelling' to capture the essence of the event.
The stamp, part of the 'Literature' series, has a value of 2 euros and a print run of 65,000 copies. It is available at Correos offices and through Correos Market.
Mayor Manu Lourenzo highlighted that "María Vinyals deserved the recognition she lacked for so many years. This request stems from the desire for her figure to be known and recognized beyond Soutomaior. Today her name and image will travel around the world".
Councilor Silvia Cernadas added that "María Vinyals is part of our heritage and our collective memory... She was a woman ahead of her time, who excelled in literature, the arts, journalism, and the defense of women's rights. This stamp helps her story cease to be invisible and reach new generations".
María Vinyals, known as the "Red Marchioness" for her progressive ideas, advocated for female education, equal rights, and universal suffrage. She was also the author of 'El Castillo del Marqués de Mos en Sotomayor' (1904) and 'Rebelión' (1905) under the pseudonym Joyzelle.
Her connection with Soutomaior Castle was close, where she, along with Cuban doctor and intellectual Enrique Lluria Despau, promoted the Hotel-Sanatorio Lluria, turning the location into a meeting point for cultural figures.
