Benidorm reissues the community action program to promote the inclusion of the Roma people

In 2024, Benidorm City Council reissues the Community Action Program that for six years has been promoting the inclusion of the Roma people. The councillor for Social Welfare, Ángela Zaragozí, explained that this program “is endowed with a budget of 23,000 euros, financed in three ways by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, with 5,979.09 euros; the Department of Social Services, Equality and Housing, with 12,020.91 euros; to which is also added a contribution from the Benidorm City Council, which complements these items with another 5,000 euros."

Specifically, Zaragozí has indicated that among the actions carried out, “advice, guidance or referral to Social Services stands out; individualized, family or community social work; help in processing documentation or managing resources; support, monitoring and school reinforcement; literacy projects for the adult population; or the promotion of leisure activities, free time or the promotion of culture and health, among others.” These are also added actions related to employment or housing, sexual and reproductive education or addiction prevention.

In short, according to the mayor's summary, "all the actions included in the program are aimed at social inclusion, the recognition of Roma culture and diversity, as well as the promotion of the participation of this collective as full citizens", after which she added that in the 2023 edition, it reached a total of 251 users of all ages and 151 beneficiary families.

On the other hand, Ángela Zaragozí has also announced that next Monday, April 8, Benidorm will join the commemoration of the International Day of the Roma People by illuminating two of its most emblematic enclaves in blue, red and green, such as El Castell and the Levante lighting catenary. These three colours of the Roma flag were instituted on April 8, 1971, at the first World Romani/Gypsy Congress held in London.

The Councilor for Social Welfare stated that "with this gesture, we support the equal fight for the rights of people of the Roma ethnic group, social inclusion and respect for the identity of the Roma people", support that, as he recalled, "we come developing for years with many actions.”