The Town Hall of Torrejón de Ardoz has welcomed nine Sahrawi children participating in the Vacaciones en Paz programme, an initiative that allows them to escape the harsh conditions of the Tinduf camps during the summer.
The Town Hall's Plenary Hall was the venue for the official reception of the nine Sahrawi minors who will spend the summer in the city thanks to the Vacaciones en Paz programme on July 28. The mayor, Alejandro Navarro Prieto, led the welcome event, which was also attended by the councillor for Welfare, Education and Immigration, Rubén Martínez; the Sahrawi delegate for the Community of Madrid, Jalil Mohamed Abdelaziz; and the vice president of the Yallah 27 de Febrero Association, Luis Lázaro.
During the event, Navarro Prieto thanked the generosity of the families from Torrejón who, once again, open their homes to welcome these children. The mayor highlighted the work of the Yallah 27 de Febrero Association, which coordinates the programme in the municipality, and emphasised the council's commitment to the Sahrawi people, materialised in the twinning agreement with the daira of Bir-Ganduz.
The Vacaciones en Paz programme has been running in Torrejón de Ardoz since 1996. Its aim is to provide Sahrawi minors with a stay during the summer months, when temperatures in the refugee camps of Tinduf, Algeria, are particularly extreme. During their stay, the children live with host families, participate in leisure activities, and receive health and nutritional care.
The Town Hall financially supports the initiative and funds part of the programme's expenses. Additionally, the municipal plenary approved a joint Institutional Declaration of support for the Sahrawi people on February 25, renewing the city's backing for this solidarity cause.
Councillor Rubén Martínez stated that the reception of these minors is a demonstration of the solidarity of Torrejón de Ardoz. “It is a source of pride to see how the families in our city come together each year to offer a dignified summer to these children,” he affirmed. For his part, Sahrawi delegate Jalil Mohamed Abdelaziz thanked the Town Hall and the families for their involvement and reminded everyone of the difficult situation faced by Sahrawi refugees.
The Yallah 27 de Febrero Association is responsible for selecting the minors, organising the trip, and coordinating their stay with the host families. Its vice president, Luis Lázaro, explained that this year nine children have arrived, although some could not attend the reception event as they were already on holiday with their host families.
The Vacaciones en Paz programme is one of the most emblematic solidarity initiatives for the Sahrawi people in Spain. In Torrejón de Ardoz, the project enjoys wide citizen participation and institutional support from the Town Hall, which considers it a priority within its international cooperation policy.
The minors will remain in the locality until the end of August, when they will return to the Tinduf camps. During their stay, in addition to living with families, they will engage in recreational and educational activities organised by the association and the Town Hall.
Mayor Alejandro Navarro Prieto concluded the event by encouraging more families to participate in future editions and reiterated the municipality's commitment to the Sahrawi people. “Torrejón de Ardoz is a city of solidarity, and this is demonstrated year after year,” he stated.
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