The municipality of Creixell, in the province of Tarragona, became the European capital of families on Saturday 14th by hosting two events in one: the 12th European Congress of Large Families and the 2nd meeting of the European project Better Future Festival. During the event, it received its diploma as a new member of the European network of family-friendly municipalities.
The event was held on Saturday 14th December in the municipal hall of Creixell, the host municipality of the meeting, with the collaboration of the association of large families of Catalonia (FANOC), under the theme: ‘Welcoming families, for an EU of solidarity’. Representatives of the member associations of ELFAC, currently present in 24 European countries attended the event, and a group of representatives from each of the municipalities participating in the Better Future Festival project (financed by the CERV program of European Union) which in addition to Creixell are Alghero (Italy), Bacau (Romania) and Gdynia (Poland). Municipalities and families from the region also took part.
Raúl Sánchez, secretary general of ELFAC, was the moderator of the meeting, which was opened by Emilia Tarifa, president of FANOC, Eduardo Galicia, vice-president of the Spanish Federation of Large Families, Regina Maroncelli, president of ELFAC, and Valentí Arroyo, director general of the Ministry of Social Rights of the Government of Catalonia. Montserrat Muñoz, Mayoress of Creixell, welcomed the participants. After the speeches, the children’s choir of the school ‘Les Eres’, a school characterised by the great diversity of its pupils, performed a song in several languages.
ELFAC Awards
ELFAC presented its biannual awards. The institution award went to Tünde Fúresz, president of the Maria Kopp Institute for Demography and Family (KINCS), Budapest, for her research on family policies and large families. The communication award went to Karl-Maria de Molina for his initiative familyvalued.org to spread family values internationally. The company award went to Victoria Quintana, marketing director of Institutos Odontológicos, a company that has been offering advantages to large families in Spain for years. And finally, the award for a government initiative went to the Polish Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Affairs for the 10th anniversary of the large family card in Poland. The award was received by Consul Dobrosława Siemianowska, who read out a letter of thanks sent by Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
After the awards, Karl-Maria de Molina opened the first of two planned lectures, on ‘The family as a source of solidarity’. The second was given by Tünde Fürész, who presented the recent report ‘European Family Policy Outlook 2024’, produced by the KINCS institute which he chairs.
Good practices and youth discussion
The second part of the congress consisted of two parallel panels: one on good practices in municipal policies, and the second on young people’s vision of Europe and solidarity.
In the panel on good practices, Creixell introduced a new sport, in which they are pioneers, and which allows inclusion and diversity in its exercise; it is ‘Water walking’. ‘Les Eres’ school presented its diversity and inclusion programme, boosted by its participation in the Erasmus programme with other European schools. The municipalities of Bacau, regarding the integration of refugees from Ukraine, Gdynia and Alghero, with solidarity and social participation programmes, closed the panel.
The youth panel was attended by representatives from different European countries, as well as different ages, which led to a very open and participative debate, ending with a final manifesto.
The day’s activities ended with a lunch offered by the municipality of Creixell, during which the mayoress Montserrat Muñoz was given the diploma as a municipality of the European network of family-friendly cities, by the new president of ELFAC, Radoslaw Waskiewicz, and the head of the network, Regina Maroncelli. At the end of the lunch, the participants enjoyed a guided tour of the town, and ended with the singing of international Christmas carols next to the Christmas tree.
Youth Declaration Formed in Creixell
On Saturday 14.12.2024, a diverse group of young people from Italy, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Lithuania came together to collaborate on the creation of a Youth Declaration.
The day began with an engaging exercise where participants identified the five values they considered most important to them personally. Following this reflective activity, they shared their perspectives with one another. It was striking to discover how many values were shared across the group. Common themes included the importance of relationships such as family and friends, the value of safety and health, and the critical need for access to education at all levels.
Building on this foundation, the participants worked in smaller groups to identify areas for improvement and to propose recommendations for the European Commission to consider in its projects and initiatives. Their efforts culminated in the drafting of a comprehensive Youth Declaration, outlining the priorities and concerns of young people across Europe.
Key Priorities of the Youth Declaration
- Safety and security
- Without safety, other priorities become secondary. The call for peace is clear: “No war!”
- Relationships
- Emphasizing the importance of strong connections with friends, family, and communities.
- Equality
- Advocating for a more inclusive and equitable society.
- Economic growth and employment
- The need for well-paying jobs and opportunities for economic advancement.
- Education
- Access to quality education at all levels and opportunities to learn new languages.
- Healthcare and mental health
- Improved healthcare systems, with particular attention to supporting mental health and making mental health services accessible to young people.
- Technology and AI
- Education on using technology responsibly, ensuring AI complements human roles rather than replacing them in the workforce.
- Climate and environment
- Addressing climate change and promoting the protection and preservation of natural resources.
- Political transparency
- Greater openness and accountability in political decision-making processes.
- Empathy and emotional education
- Introducing lessons on empathy in schools to foster understanding and compassion among individuals.
This Youth Declaration reflects the collective voice of young Europeans and highlights their vision for a safer, fairer, and more sustainable future.
Photo Album of the event