Lanzarote is synonymous with multiculturalism. Only in Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote and the most inhabited municipality, coexist 90 different nationalities. This diversity also extends to the island level, where, at least, two out of three residents on the island are foreigners. However, the way different cultures mix depends largely on institutional work, according to the researcher and social worker José Manuel Álamo, who participated this Friday in the The garden of voices conference in Lanzarote.
The expert in social intervention argues that the data available on the island is "a trap" because there is no department in the Cabildo of Lanzarote or some of the municipalities dedicated to investigating the real diversity. "As soon as people become naturalized, they are no longer counted as foreigners or as foreign cultural origin. The sons and daughters of migrants are not counted either and all that is diverse cultural origin and all that is cultural diversity," he adds.
To understand the importance of the coexistence of different cultures on the island, Álamo returns to the origins of the Canarian people. "The Canary Islands are between three continents and we have a past where the Canarian identity is really an identity that has its singularity in the mixture of different cultures," he argues.
"The work in the neighborhoods is fundamental when it comes to addressing a challenge such as cultural diversity and in the case of Lanzarote the impact that migrations have had on the population changes that are taking place in the different municipalities," highlights the expert, with several published works on community intervention.
In this sense, the social researcher points out that "Lanzarote was the Canary Island that had the highest percentage increase in population in 2023." Of the population growth that the island has experienced, largely due to migratory movements from Europe, America and Africa, he asserts that "it is impossible to individualize it" and that it must have a transversal response led by public institutions and, in collaboration, with organized civil society, companies and other associations.
"Working together, creating alliances and being effective in these interventions is what we call community intersection," highlights Álamo, who participates in these conferences promoted by the Social Welfare area of the Arrecife City Council, which seek to create common spaces for the integration of different cultures and avoid closed circles.
Álamo shows that "trying to limit human movements is a strategy that time will defeat." At the same time, he highlights that cultural diversity is a heritage to protect.
Meanwhile, he reveals that in Lanzarote "we are in a model of multiculturalism where groups do not tend to mix." As happens in the rest of Spain, where there is a coexistence. For example, he exposes the case of the English community settled on the island, the largest according to data from the island's Data Center, "which is more endogamous or tends more inward and not to interrelation," according to the expert.
Migrations and policies
When it comes to ordering population growth and achieving an integrated society, the social worker highlights that there are three different types of policies: reactive policies (those that occur in emergencies, for example, with the increase in arrivals to the coasts), denial policies (where it is expected that migrations will stop someday) and proactive policies (where cultural diversity is bet on as synonymous with prosperity).
Despite the fact that the first boat arrived in the Canary Islands 30 years ago, the arrival of migrants by sea to the Archipelago continues to generate a "reactive" response in the institutions, where action is taken to resolve an "emergency." Thus, Álamo highlights that "the type of policies that are based on the emergency are often, unfortunately, the ones that cause many problems and overwhelm."
From his point of view, the most comprehensive policies are proactive ones. In this sense, he insists on the importance of "dedicating well-structured reception resources" for the people who arrive.
"There will always be people who need to be welcomed and included in society," says the social and community worker.
The demographic growth of Lanzarote is complex and encompasses several realities, beyond the arrivals from the sea from the neighboring continent or the migratory movements from Latin America and Europe. To this, in recent years have been added the remote workers who, "continue as residents in their countries of origin, but already work from here" or the classic tourists who come to spend a few days on the island.
Faced with this, the social researcher highlights the situations of hostility faced by people of diverse cultural origin. "It is no secret that, under the theme of migrations and cultural diversity, situations of hostility are occurring in many places, sometimes of aggression, even physical, when not verbal or excluding about one nationality over others," insists Álamo.
Likewise, he points out the importance of addressing the discourses and narratives that exist in the street, for example, knowing how people speak in contexts of violence and also where peaceful coexistence occurs and what are the circumstances for the population to intermingle and collaborate together.
From a more utilitarian view of migrations, which José Manuel Álamo tries to avoid but does not want to ignore, he highlights that "if today we took Arrecife or any municipality of Lanzarote and expelled all the migrants, it would be an absolute economic and service disaster."
To the hate speeches, are added the problems in the regularization of their situation for non-European migrant citizens, job insecurity or difficulties in accessing housing.
To conclude, he criticizes that "we know how to manage the thousands of tourists who arrive to the island, so there will be no problems to manage the people who can arrive by coast, what there are not are the necessary means."
