“Un orgullo de ciudad” is the slogan of the campaign carried out by the council to commemorate the International LGTBI+ Pride Day
Mari Carmen Reyes emphasises on the diverse and egalitarian character of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria through various local initiatives, “Un orgullo de ciudad” is the slogan of the campaign carried out by the council to commemorate the International LGTBI+ Pride Day.
The ‘ACTIVA-T A LA VIDA’ project has as a goal encouraging the integration and empowerment of women through healthy activities in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Monday 24 of August of 2020.- The council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has carried out different initiatives with the purpose of fighting against the discrimination. On this matter, the Equality and Diversity councillor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Mari Carmen Reyes, presented the past month of June the local campaign to commemorate the 28J, International LGTBI+ Pride Day.
The campaign, that has had as a slogan “Un orgullo de ciudad” highlighted the open, free, kind, multicultural, happy and diverse character of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and emphasised the historical importance of the city in the fight for the LGTBI+ rights. This way, Mari Carmen Reyes explained that “Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a city proud for its diversity and therefore the citizens feel committed to the rights and the civil and social achievements. The councillor claimed that “making the population of the capital aware of the importance of the diversity, the dignity and equality” is essential, because “we must keep making progress in the acknowledgement of rights and in achieving the total equality, especially in the social sphere”.
Reyes claimed that, given the rise of intolerance in the Spanish society, “this is the council of the freedom, the equality and the diversity” and that “the revindications of the LGTBI+ people and their adaptation in the social fabric is a matter of pride to the city”. It should be noted that, this year, due to the sanitary crisis caused by the Covid-19, the ceremonies planned for the celebration of this ephemeris were cancelled all around the world, being replaced by online initiatives. That is why this is the first time the Equality and Diversity council field has done a campaign of these characteristics. The councillor also revealed the image of the campaign, which was set up all over the urban furniture through the city. In addition, six buses from Guaguas Municipales – that will cover the lines 2, 33, 47, 91, 12 and 21 – and 30 taxis from the capital have carried the slogan “Un orgullo de ciudad” through the streets of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Equality and Diversity council made, as well, a promotional video of this campaign for its diffusion in different platforms, with the aim of increasing the diffusion of the message of respect, diversity and equality for the LGTBI+ people.
On the other hand, the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria council has set the ‘ACTIVA-T A LA VIDA’ project in motion for the women user of the Equality Technical Unit. The initiative is considering the execution of recreational and sport activities for 16 women, between 30 and 78 years old, during the month of August.
The Equality and Diversity councillor of the capital, Mari Carmen Reyes, explained that “the goal of this project is discovering a new world of sport possibilities for women, encouraging their empowerment and integration through social and group contact” Reyes claimed that “the activities planned help to grow at a personal and social level of these users of the Equality Technical Unit, as they establish confidence bonds and personal growth goals thanks to the planned workshops”. This project, which is being carried out for the first time, values the importance of the fitness as a tool to harmonize mind and body and to promote the personal growth of these women.
This way, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the month of August, from 10:00 to 12:00, two coordinators, accompanied by two technicians from the Equality council and 16 women, conduct activities around the town. The participants have been divided in two groups of 8 to fulfil the health authorities’ recommendations in respect of the Covid-19. Among other initiatives, they go hiking and have guided tours, workshops on the beach, flying kites, routes, local sports, basic first aids, or diverse games and sports.
These healthy activities are being carried out in different locations of the capital, such as Las Canteras , Las Alcaravaneras or El Confital beach, the Guiniguada ravine, or the natural swimming pools of the town. Apart from the sport-leisure workshops that take place in these spots, the coordinators also include the history and characteristics of the different settlements, with the purpose of improving the user’s cultural knowledge and highlight the resources the town citizens have available to conduct leisure, sport and cultural activities.
After the project’s good reception and the great results from the participants, the Equality Council has decided to prolong it, so these 16 women users of the Equality Technical Unit, can keep doing these sport-leisure activities during the month of September.
