Cleaning of beaches in La Graciosa and Lanzarote, of urban plots in Arrecife and replanting in San Bartolomé. These are just some of the activities that the 45 young people participating in the Ruta Siete program of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are carrying out these days in Lanzarote. The young people, who within this project travel the islands carrying out actions of "positive change", arrived on the island last Monday after passing through Fuerteventura and will remain here until Saturday.
During these days they will stay at the San Bartolomé sports center, where the Councilor for Youth and the Councilor for Sports of the municipality, Isabel Sosa and Raúl de León, came to welcome them this Monday. The main action of Route Seven, which is also organized by the University Foundation of Las Palmas, is a "transformative journey" through the Canary Islands for 35 days in summer, in which the 45 university students travel through the Canary geography carrying out a multitude of "positive change actions". "It is an experience of responsibility for global problems, the development of skills and solidarity. The participants return, and the experience has empowered them to use their talent in the solutions that the world needs," says the San Bartolomé City Council. This is an initiative with projection and interest from the tourist, educational, institutional and also social points of view.
During their stay in Lanzarote, the young people will carry out different activities, both in the municipality that hosts them and in other parts of the island and also in La Graciosa. These activities began with a visit to the César Manrique Foundation, they have also already participated in a reception at the Island Council, will carry out internal dynamics and will receive a talk from José Corral.
This Wednesday they began the day with dynamizing activities with boys and girls from the municipality of San Bartolomé, replanting in the area near the Sports Center and also collaborated in activities with workshops at the Farmer's Monument. In addition, the Cabildo gave them a motivational talk. Among the environmental activities, they will participate in the Biosphere Reserve project 'Agüita con el plástico' in Arrecife and La Graciosa. This Thursday they have traveled to this island and will carry out environmental activities to clean the coastline. On Friday, they will visit the Timanfaya Visitor Center and surroundings, closing the afternoon with aquatic activities in El Cable.
Cleaning of plots and planting of native species in Arrecife
This Tuesday, the young people were received at the Cabildo by the president, Pedro San Ginés, together with the councilors of the Arrecife City Council Asunción Toledo and Tomás Fajardo, who coordinate the areas of Parks and Gardens; and Cleaning, respectively. The representatives praised their work in the Islands, which "always leaves a positive mark", while encouraging them to enjoy Lanzarote.
In this sense, they thanked them for the work they will carry out on Friday, August 12, from 08:00 to 11:30 hours, in a degraded plot of Argana Alta. With the collaboration of both Corporations and coordinated by the Biosphere Reserve, they will clean and landscape the space with native species.
Once the area has been cleaned up, in Tenderete street (in the new commercial area in front of the Mercadona supermarket facilities, bordering the ring road) they will plant native species: 70 sweet Tabaibas (Euphorbia balsamifera), 8 Tarajales (Tamarix canariensis), 8 Dragon Trees (Dracaena draco) and 70 Veroles (Kleinia neriifolia), provided by the Ministry of the Environment led by Marcos Bergaz.
The president of the Corporation and head of the Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote stressed that these young people are a selection of 45 young people among 1,500 university students, among whom are students from all the islands and the peninsula, even some from outside the country, such as the Czech Republic or Colombia. They will be in the Canary Islands for 35 days, and dedicate an average of 5 days to each island.
San Ginés took the opportunity to recall that a Cleaning Shock Plan is being finalized in the Arrecife City Council, which will be launched at the end of the summer. The Plan is included in the program 'Arrecife, capital of the Biosphere Reserve', which is being drafted by the architect and urban planner Juan Palop Casado, whose objective is to revitalize the city of Arrecife, especially in the surroundings of the neighborhoods.
Previous stop in Fuerteventura
Before arriving in Lanzarote, these university students were on the neighboring island, Fuerteventura, from August 4 to 8. The island of Majorera was their second stop and they stayed in Corralejo. During the days they stayed there, they had the opportunity to carry out different actions; such as cleaning the beaches of Bahía de Bristol and Grandes Playas de Corralejo. In addition, they have fully entered the Canarian culture with the practice of the stick game taught by the association "Juego del Palo Corralejo" and typical Canarian dances, with the "folklore association Dunas de Corralejo". During their stay in Betancuria they collaborated with Finca Pepe, which has allowed them to "value the work of the agricultural sector", explain from the organization of the project.
One of the "most memorable" actions for the participants of Ruta Siete was the visit to one of the AFA centers (Association of Relatives of Alzheimer's Patients), where they connected with the residents of the facility and developed dynamization actions. Before leaving for the island of Lanzarote, the participants had the opportunity to carry out adaptation and improvement work on their accommodation; the IES Corralejo.
"Through collaborations and activities, the young people participating in the Transformative Journey will acquire both professional and personal skills; teamwork, resilience, leadership, proactivity and communication skills," the organization highlights. They add, in addition, that with this social innovation program "young university students lead positive change actions in their transit through the Canary Islands and create a responsible and proactive community carrying out social, environmental and cultural collaborations while promoting the connection of young talent with the needs of the environment and its inhabitants."
