Fuerteventura Protagonista: Strengthening Community Participation in Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura Protagonista is a groundbreaking initiative spearheaded by the Cabildo of Fuerteventura in partnership with the University of La Laguna and its General Foundation. Together with local municipalities, the project aims to enhance citizen participation through a community-focused perspective. Recently, it marked its first community gathering at the Insular Youth Center in Puerto del Rosario, setting the stage for an inclusive dialogue about local needs and aspirations.
Celebrating Community Voices
One of the standout moments of the gathering was the official launch of the monographic publication titled “Voces Majoreras: Claves para comprender y transformar la participación comunitaria en la isla.” This groundbreaking document, unique to Fuerteventura, was crafted from insights and contributions shared by around 250 participants, spanning representatives from neighborhood associations, social collectives, technical staff, political leaders, and residents. The publication is envisioned as a critical tool for social entities, institutions, and local citizens, aiming to foster genuine community engagement.
A Year of Listening
The community meeting was the culmination of a year-long listening and social hearing process conducted across various municipalities on the island. This inclusive approach highlights the importance of community feedback in shaping pertinent policies and actions. The President of the Cabildo, Lola García, underscored that listening to citizens is essential for translating their inputs into actionable policies that enhance quality of life in Fuerteventura.
Building Collaborative Frameworks
Victor Alonso, the counselor of Social Action, Diversity, LGTBIQ+, Citizen Participation, and Open Government, emphasized that the initiative is laying the foundation for a stable, collaborative working model. This model aims to integrate public decisions with the genuine needs and expectations of the majorero population. Julio Brito, the director-manager of the University of La Laguna’s General Foundation, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting the island’s society, leveraging its knowledge and expertise.
Academic Insights and Public Policy
The academic director of the project, Professor Vicente Zapata, highlighted that community listening is vital for formulating more effective, legitimate public policies that resonate with social realities. This exercise, developed positively in Fuerteventura, aims to create a sustainable framework for community engagement and public interaction.
Municipal Proposals for Community Participation
The collaborative work with municipal governments has unveiled a diverse range of prioritized proposals designed to enhance community participation over the coming years. In Antigua, the focus is on improving and diversifying institutional communication channels to facilitate information access and convening neighborhood meetings for shared decision-making.
Meanwhile, Betancuria is advocating for the establishment of formal community participation spaces, like open forums and councils. They aim to strengthen technical municipal structures with specialized roles in participation. In La Oliva, discussions centered on creating stable communication channels between the administration and citizens, along with promoting inclusive community initiatives that reflect the municipality’s diverse social fabric.
Similarly, Pájara has underscored the need for better institutional communication, accessibility in participatory processes, and enhanced connectivity to encourage wider participation. Puerto del Rosario also calls for improved communication avenues and increased accessibility, facilitated through stable participation spaces and periodic meetings. Lastly, in Tuineje, the focus returns to communication channels and improving transport to ease citizen participation.
Institutional Memorandum of Cooperation
Coinciding with the public feedback phase, the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, the six municipalities of the island, and the University of La Laguna have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement establishes a stable cooperative framework focused on citizen participation with a community-oriented approach. It will facilitate the integration of insights gained from the social hearing process, promote coordination among administrations, and encourage joint strategies to bolster community participation.
The document outlines initiatives for training, sharing experiences, creating collaborative workspaces, and supporting municipal community initiatives. During the Community Meeting, plans for establishing a stable collaboration space between the island’s council and municipal participation departments were announced, with the first work session set to take place before summer.
Developing Community Nodes
The Community Meeting also served to unveil another key component of the initiative: the progressive development of municipal community nodes. Currently in the initial design phase, these spaces aim to implement specific projects based on the priorities identified throughout the listening process.
Initial proposals focus on initiatives related to cultural heritage recovery, collective memory, youth engagement considering familial contexts, and fostering intergenerational and intercultural relationships, among other goals. These efforts reflect a commitment to engaging diverse community groups, enhancing collective identity, and ensuring the voices of all sectors within Fuerteventura are heard and valued.
