Barcelona starts European Volunteering Capital term by announcing 30 events

Barcelona (ACN).- On Monday, Barcelona launched its term as first European Volunteering Capital, which will feature more than 30 events spread throughout the year, combining activities created especially for the occasion and traditional celebrations. Among the most noteworthy are the promotion of volunteering in schools and the creation of a mobile app connecting volunteers and organisations in need. The Catalan Minister for Social Welfare and Family, Neus Munté, and the Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Joaquim Forn, stressed that volunteering has always been one of the defining features of the city. Furthermore, Munté announced that the Catalan Government had already completed the drafts for a future volunteering law and action plan.

The Director of the European Volunteer Centre, Gabriella Cívico, and Joaquim Forn signed a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions. However, Gabriella Cívico pointed out that European support will be “moral” and not financial.

Cívico said that the first European Volunteering Capital “would work as an example” for the cities to follow. After congratulating Barcelona for securing the title, she urged the Catalan capital to collaborate with the three other contestants, which competed to be European Volunteering Capital: Laval and Rennes in France, and Guimaraes, in Portugal. Cívico also called for applause for the “real winners, the dozens of volunteers present at the Saló de Cròniques room of Barcelona’s Town hall”, where the European Volunteering Capital was officially launched.

Barcelona, a long volunteering tradition

The Catalan Minister for Social Welfare and Family said that the title would help project the Catalan volunteering model, based on a combination of efforts by the Catalan Government, municipalities and society as a whole. In addition, Munté explained that the Executive would further develop the social organisations’ networking. The Minister mentioned that the Catalan Government had already completed the drafts for a future volunteering law and action plan.

Meanwhile, Joaquim Forn remarked that Barcelona has a long volunteering tradition in a wide variety of fields, for instance in social, environmental or sports matters. He also recalled the important role of volunteers in popular events such as the 2013 World Swimming Championships, the collecting for the Food Bank, the fundraising show of the Catalan Public Television Broadcaster (called La Marató) for medical research or the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation’s solidarity campaigns (Mulla’t per l’Esclerosi Multiple).  

A wide variety of events

Forn also explained that some events are scheduled outside of Barcelona, in other parts of Catalonia, and even abroad, for instance a congress in Turin. Among the specific events to be carried out this year are the Environmental Volunteering Week; a day to reflect on organisations and participatory democracy; the so-called Marketplace - an event to connect businesses with such organisations; or the presentation of a study on the employability opportunities for volunteers.

Carles Agustí, the Commissioner for Citizen Participation said that the schedule of events is not completely closed and that more activities could still be organised. He also explained that the much awaited mobile app connecting volunteers and organisations was not entirely finished, but he expected it to be operational in the coming weeks.

Promoting volunteering in schools

Regarding volunteering experiences in classrooms, Munté explained she was committed to re-organising the summer school to train people who wish to devote part of their free time to volunteering activities. Carles Agustí explained that such an initiative was prompted by Barcelona’s Pare Manyanet School, which is involving parents in volunteer activities.