Estepona City Council schedules a calendar of events to promote participation of foreign residents

The mayor, José María García Urbano, presents the initiative ‘Sharing Cultures’, which will run throughout the year and will allow the foreign population to publicize their customs and traditional festivals.

The Estepona City Council has designed a program aimed at promoting the participation of foreign residents in the city in social and cultural activities. The project ‘Sharing Cultures’, an annual project, includes a calendar of events in which the foreign population can make known their customs, traditional festivals and gastronomic culture.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, who presented the initiative along with the deputy mayor of the Extraradio area, Begoña Ortiz, stressed the importance of promoting participation in the social and cultural life of Estepona citizens of foreign origin residing in the city and that today represent a third of its population, with more than 120 different nationalities. In this sense, the councilor has stressed that the project promotes integration and close ties with the resident communities.

Sharing Cultures’, which will run throughout the year, will begin next March 16 with the celebration of the International Day of Ireland, a meeting in which the Irish population / Esteponera can enjoy your holiday on a day for which several events are planned and will feature the collaboration with Irish establishments in the town. Specifically, it is scheduled a concert of Celtic music by the group ‘Band O’ Leros’, which will take place from 16.30 hours in the Plaza Antonia Guerrero. At 17.00 hours will start the parade with the traditional group of Irish pipers ‘Sur Pipes Band’, which will visit the Irish local participating in the event: Banagher Irish, in Adolfo Suarez Street; Fergusson’s, in Spain Avenue; and Healy’s Irish and O’Donoghue’s, in the port area. Also participating will be Rory’s Irish pub, located in the suburban area, in urbanization Pilar.

To enjoy this event can be collected in each participating establishment a passport that will also contain two stamps that can be exchanged on Sunday 17 to enjoy the league match of Estepona C.D. against Velez Malaga. During the meeting will support the Irish peña ‘Estepona Guiri Reds’ that encourages every week to Estepona team. In order to exchange the passport for a ticket, those interested must present themselves at 11:30 am in the tower B of the soccer field Muñoz Pérez. Another requirement is to wear a green t-shirt.

This activity involves entities such as the board of CD Estepona, Suzuki Plaicar Costa, the Association of Irish in Spain ‘Irish Associations Spain’, the Peña de Estepona Guiris Reds and the five establishments mentioned.

The second of the appointments scheduled this year within the program ‘Sharing Cultures’ will take place next April, on the 20th, with the traditional Day of the Foreign Resident, a festival that has been held in the municipality for over 20 years and involving more than 20 stands from all countries. Those interested in being present at the event can request information through the mail estepona@estepona.es.

In this case it is a festival marked by color and flavor in which a gastronomic and cultural tour around the world without leaving Estepona. All this enlivened with music and dances typical of the countries represented, along with the municipal dance schools of the city.

Other events scheduled for this year are the Day of Celebration of Italian Culture (Festa della Republica), on June 2; or the Day of France, on July 14.

During the second half of September, the Spanish-Moroccan Day will be celebrated, and on October 19, one of the most internationally recognized festivals, the October Fest and Germany Day, which commemorates (on October 3) the reunification of Germany in 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the division of the country during the Cold War.

Also in October, the Scandinavian Festival will be held, dedicated to citizens from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. In the final months of the year, the United Kingdom Day will take place on November 11, commemorating the end of World War I and honoring the soldiers of the armed forces; and Romania Day, on December 1.