PABLO PINEDA: BIOGRAPHY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Pablo Pineda holds the distinction of being the first European with Down syndrome to finish a university degree. He is also a lecturer, educator, writer, television host, and actor. Furthermore, in 2009, he was awarded the Silver Shell for best actor at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Critics awarded him this distinction for his outstanding performance in the film "Me Too." In this feature film, he plays the role of a college graduate with Down syndrome. Today, he lectures, makes presentations on disabilities, and talks about his own experiences in order to break down related prejudices.

By Drivaspacheco Daniel Rivas Pacheco, from Wikimedia Commons

Between 2003 and 2006, she worked in her city council preparing other people with disabilities to find work, among other responsibilities. Likewise, she has been working since 2010 with the Adecco Foundation on issues such as awareness raising and training for commercial audiences and society in general.

In more recent dates, he has traveled to different countries such as Colombia, the Dominican Republic and in some European countries to sensitize people. Part of her work includes the publication of a book in 2013 entitled "The Learning Challenge." In addition, in that year she presented the program "Think positive" on Spanish television.

Biography

Birth and education

Pablo Pineda Ferrer was born in Malaga on August 5, 1974 into a Valencian family. He was the youngest of 4 siblings, and from a young age he was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Both his father, Roque Pineda, and his mother, María Ferrer, decided to treat him in the same way as his brothers and enrolled him in a public school.

In his childhood he interacted with the whole school and had many friends. His teachers treated him with great affection, but it was precisely from the mouth of one of them that Pablo Pineda heard the word "Down syndrome" for the first time at age 6.

From that moment, he realized why his physical appearance attracted the attention of some colleagues. Pablo decided not to be intimidated and finished school with good grades. Later, he repeated his successes in high school where he graduated with honors.

At 21, he entered university to continue studying. And she chose to study teaching in special education. So, she decided to research and research her condition. There he discovered, comparing with his case, that there were a lot of misconceptions about this syndrome.

To prove it, Pablo continued his university career living as independently as possible, earning the respect and support of his classmates and teachers.

Finally, and despite negative expectations, he managed to finish his degree and graduate, becoming the first European with Down syndrome to do so.

Laboral life

After graduating from college, Pablo Pineda decided to tell the world about his experience. He then dedicated himself to giving talks and conferences to promote understanding and respect for different people.

On the other hand, he has worked as a job coach for people with some dysfunction. In the same way, he has given several presentations with the Foundation "What really Matters". And, through the Adecco foundation in Spain, it tries to sensitize and train the business environment about this type of dysfunction.

In 2011, he was in Colombia together with the organizations Fundación Adecco and Conexion Global. On this trip, Pablo Pineda dedicated himself to activities aimed at sensitizing businessmen in that country and the general public. The goal was to convince them to include more dysfunctional people in their workforce.

It also collaborates with universities in programs that study the insertion of people with Down syndrome in social and work life. Pablo Pineda is convinced that the failure of many people who suffer from this condition is due to the little stimulation they received in their training.

Character

His friends and those who treat him say that Pablo Pineda is a very positive man, with a very good humor and a peaceful character. They also describe him as a person in constant pursuit of his goals.

Similarly, they report that they have learned to take uncomfortable situations with humor as a result of social prejudices due to their condition.

On the other hand, Pablo comments that over the years he has acquired a certain social independence from his family circle. He claims that he has discovered that he has tastes that differentiate him from them.

He states that long before he himself mistakenly thought that those affected by this syndrome had no personal tastes of their own or privacy.

Regarding the film, he expresses that it allowed him to savor physical emancipation. This experience, he maintains, was very enjoyable for him and brought him closer to full emancipation.

Cinematographic activity

Another of Pablo Pineda's great achievements was his participation in the leading role in the movie “Yo també” along with Lola Dueñas (Spanish actress). This is a 2009 film directed by Álvaro Pastor and Antonio Naharro.

In it, Pablo plays Daniel, a 34-year-old person with Down syndrome who falls in love with Laura, a co-worker who also has no apparent disability. The intention of this tape was to introduce the audience to people with this condition as normal human beings.

Throughout the film, you can see personal situations that show that they too have needs, fall in love and have work problems. Pablo's performance in the film allowed him to break taboos about his condition.

For his performance, Pablo Pineda was nominated for the Goya awards for best new actor and he was awarded the Silver Shell for best actor at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

In general terms, "Myself" was received positively by the critics. In the evaluations made by specialized pages, without reaching the top, it remained above average in the taste of the audience.

Other recognitions

In 2013, the mayor of Malaga named a roundabout in his hometown with his name. Throughout his professional career, Pablo has received many awards, medals, and recognitions. Among them, it is worth mentioning the Medal of the Province of Malaga and the Medal of Andalusia, both awarded in 2005.

References

1. Zaid, A. (2018). We are Resilient. New Jersey: Babelcube Inc.
2. Cano Montes, S.; García Fernández, L.; Luque López, LA; Castillo, C.; Rodríguez, R. and Montealegre Guzmán, EM (s / f). Pablo Pineda: "Beauty is in what is different." Taken from uam.es.
3. Adecco Foundation. (s / f). Pablo Pineda, 41 years of example. Taken from fundacionadecco.org.
4. The opinion of Malaga. (2013, June 24). Malaga dedicates a roundabout to Pablo Pineda. Taken from laopiniondemalaga.es.
5. Pérez, FJ (2009, January 02). "Can you imagine a heartthrob with Down syndrome?" Taken from elpais.com.
6. Adecco Foundation. (2018, August 18). “Companies and society win when disability is normalized”. Taken from fundacionadecco.org.