The most international 6th Edition of the Citizenship School kicks off in València with a call to protect our democracies and strengthen migrant participation

With keynote speeches by journalist Laura Arroyo and researcher Moussa Bourekba, the opening session tackled the rise of authoritarianism and the criminalization of migration through a critical and plural lens.

The opening day gathered nearly a hundred people of diverse nationalities to discuss Trumpism, hate speech, and new narratives from a migrant perspective.

The School of Citizenship launched its sixth edition with record interest: over 120 people applied to participate, and only 45 were selected due to space limitations.

The Citizenship School has kicked off its sixth edition with record levels of interest: this year, over 120 people applied to participate, but due to limited capacity, only 45 were selected. The opening session, held at the La Petxina cultural complex, brought together nearly one hundred people from various nationalities. Under the title “Democracies at Risk: Trumpism, Migration, and New Narratives”, the event marked the beginning of the most international edition to date, with participation from countries like Portugal, Italy, Lithuania, and El Salvador.

The day began with remarks from Boutaina El Hadri, director of the Citizenship School, who emphasized the urgency of the inaugural debate amid an increasingly polarized political context. “Today we are here to continue making history. We gather once again with a clear goal: to claim the place that belongs to us,” she stated. She highlighted that this sixth edition is the most international yet, addressing key issues such as Trumpism, the climate crisis, and the growing threat of authoritarian rhetoric. Within this framework, she underscored the School’s role as a collective space to strengthen migrant leadership and equip participants with tools to face today’s democratic challenges.

Political Participation in the Face of Democratic Backsliding

During the institutional opening, Stephane Soriano, Director General of Diversity at the Generalitat Valenciana, stressed the importance of turning words into action: “Speaking plainly in politics is good, but so is following through with actions and not just words,” he said, denouncing the political instrumentalization of migration, which “continues to be addressed far from humanity and social justice.” Soriano advocated for building an active, thoughtful, and committed citizenry and warned about the rise of Trumpism as a global wave that “relies on populism, nationalism, and the oversimplification of complex issues.”

Stephane Soriano, Director General for Diversity, during the institutional opening

Pilar Bernabé, Government Delegate in the Valencian Community, described the Citizenship School as “a trench of democracy” in a time of change and tension that requires social cohesion. Speaking about Trumpism, she warned that “Trump is not an exception” and that “we also have other Trumps here, with names and surnames,” referring to those who link criminality with origin, even though “there’s no need to ask someone’s origin to talk about crime.” She highlighted the regularization process following the DANA storm, with 26,000 applications and more than 20,000 approved, as evidence that political will can be translated into real rights and progress toward a more inclusive society.

Pilar Bernabé, Government Delegate, speaks at the opening of the Citizenship School

The central discussion, moderated by Boutaina El Hadri, brought together two key voices to examine the challenges to democracy amid the rise of authoritarianism: Laura Arroyo, journalist and political analyst, and Moussa Bourekba, researcher at CIDOB and university professor at Universitat Ramon Llull and the University of Barcelona. Both agreed that the criminalization of migrants is not a mistake but a political strategy reflected in both rhetoric and discriminatory public policies.

Laura Arroyo and Moussa Bourekba, keynote speakers at the opening panel, alongside moderator Boutaina El Hadri

Laura Arroyo explained that hate speech is part of a system that generates fear to justify exclusion. Drawing from her political and media experience, she argued that migrant representation must go beyond symbolism: “If migrants make up 18% of society, shouldn’t we be 18% of all political forces? Of all media editorial teams? Shouldn’t we be part of every decision-making body in every branch of government?” She also pointed out that Trump was not a historical exception but the visible expression of an institutional racist logic already operating in many countries.

Moussa Bourekba described how European democracies normalize racial exclusion through seemingly neutral public policies. He denounced the lack of institutional response to attacks on Muslim individuals, noting that “Islamophobia is institutionalized as a slow, gradual, and uneven process.” This exclusion not only affects its direct victims but also erodes collective trust in institutions and challenges the universal values of democracy.

The Citizenship School: Training, Leadership, and Action

The day concluded with a clear message: migrants do not want to be the object of political debate but subjects with the power to influence and transform. In this sense, the Citizenship School has established itself as a space for leadership, practical training, and active participation.

With a renewed program, this sixth edition is defined by its international scope — including Portugal, Italy, Lithuania, and El Salvador — and its territorial expansion to the cities of València and Alicante. In addition to workshops and gatherings, the program includes new tools such as visits to the European Parliament and the Valencian Parliament, mentorships on institutional operations, and Dialogue Circles — spaces where migrant students engage directly with political leaders.

“The Citizenship School was born with a clear purpose: to empower migrants to assume authentic, effective, and transformative leadership,” said Boutaina El Hadri during her speech. She also warned of a particularly delicate political context in the Valencian region, where some political forces are attempting to restrict rights and social programs. “We are talking about people. We are talking about rights. We are talking about the kind of society we want to build,” she stated firmly, underscoring the need to respond with unity and commitment to move toward a more inclusive society.

The Citizenship School is a global citizenship and development education project promoted by Jovesólides and Acoec ONGD, in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of València (UPV), and funded by the First Vice Presidency and the Department of Social Services, Equality and Housing, with contributions from income tax (IRPF) and the European Union.

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