Would you welcome refugees from the DANA in your neighbourhood? What if they arrived from Africa or America? Seniors in Elche reflect on climate migrations

Would you be willing to take in refugees in Elche who have been affected by the destructive hurricane of 29 October in Valencia? And what if these people arrived from Africa or America? These are the questions that a journalist asks a group of elderly people from Elche during the recording of a supposed television report in which they will have to put themselves in the shoes of migrant people. This fictitious situation is the starting point for La Ventanilla Indiscreta‘s social experiment in Elche. What will their reaction be?

In addition to the experiment, a seminar on the Sustainable Development Goals and a debate forum were also held, with the participation of 33 people and the intervention of Celia Lastra, Councillor for Social Action and Cooperation of the Elche City Council, and María Latorre, representing the Esperanza Pertusa Foundation. These meetings have served to reflect on the challenges of inclusion of diversity in host societies.

A diverse city seeking to be fairer: Elche facing the challenge of coexistence

One in every six inhabitants of Elche is of foreign origin according to the INE, reflecting a growing cultural diversity in the city. The growth of this population group has been 15’5% between 2021 and 2024, coming mainly from Morocco, Colombia, Romania and China, with an outstanding increase in the Ukrainian population which has almost tripled its presence in response to the war on its territory.

This diversity has been key for sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and care, but it has also made visible the challenges to full inclusion, such as job insecurity, lack of recognition of academic qualifications and barriers to access to public services.

Faced with these challenges, Elche City Council has promoted the Municipal Plan for Intercultural Coexistence to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and social inclusion. However, challenges remain, such as the concentration of the migrant population in neighbourhoods with fewer resources, as well as the inequalities faced by the second generation in access to education and employment.

In the framework of La Ventanilla Indiscreta, older people from the municipality have discussed with the Councillor for Social Action, Celia Lastra, how to address these challenges from a coexistence and sustainability approach, reaffirming the commitment of active citizenship for a fairer and more inclusive city.

The indiscreet window is a project promoted with the aim of raising awareness and promoting active Valencian citizenship through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which has as its central axis the implementation of social experiments with older people on migration, gender equality, Islamophobia, responsible consumption, decent work and shelter.

GET TO KNOW ALL THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS OF ‘LA VENTANILLA INDISCRETA’

La Ventanilla Indiscreta is a Jovesólides project funded by Elche City Council through the Department of Development Cooperation and the First Vice-presidency and Regional Ministry of Social Services, Equality and Housing. You can follow all the news about the project with the hashtag #LaVentanillaIndiscreta on social networks.