The City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria approved a declarative agreement this Friday for International Youth Day, commemorated on August 12. The initiative, supported by all groups except VOX, reaffirms the municipal commitment to the participation and well-being of young people.
The Plenary of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has given the green light this Friday to an institutional declaration that places youth at the centre of municipal action. The agreement, approved in the ordinary session of July, is framed within the commemoration of International Youth Day, which will be celebrated on August 12, and has received support from all municipal groups except VOX.
The text references the theme chosen by the United Nations for this year, 'Different contexts, common aspirations', which acknowledges that despite different national and local realities, young people share aspirations such as accessing quality education, finding decent employment, being able to emancipate, caring for their mental health, participating in decisions that affect them, and developing a life project.
The declaration emphasises the specific reality of youth living in insular territories. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as an Atlantic and insular city, shares these aspirations from the uniqueness of living on an island, where there are challenges related to mobility, access to certain training and job opportunities, and the need to move towards a sustainable development model.
The agreement also highlights the recognition obtained this year by the city with the European youth exchange 'Divercities, cities and diversity', the only activity from a Canary municipality admitted to the European Youth Week 2026. This milestone places the name of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and its youth on the European map of participation and diversity.
With this declaration, the Plenary expresses its recognition to all young people in the municipality, especially those who participate and lead initiatives that transform their environment. It also reaffirms the City Council's commitment to continue placing youth at the centre of municipal action, ensuring their real participation in the design, execution, and evaluation of policies that concern them.
The text expresses adherence to the values of International Youth Day 2026 —global solidarity, shared challenges, and youth innovation— and calls on all administrations, entities, and social agents to redouble efforts and resources directed at youth, recognising them as an essential ally in building the city and the shared future.
The approval of this institutional declaration comes at a time when Canary youth face challenges such as the high youth unemployment rate and difficulties in accessing housing. According to the latest official data, the unemployment rate among those under 25 in the Canary Islands exceeds 30%, a figure that highlights the need for specific policies for this group.
The City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has been developing various initiatives aimed at youth in recent years, such as training and employment programmes, citizen participation activities, and European exchange projects. The recognition obtained with 'Divercities' boosts this line of work and projects the image of the city as a reference in youth policies.
The declaration approved this Friday is not normative, but reflects the political commitment of the council to the youth of the municipality. The municipal groups that have supported the initiative agree that it is necessary to continue advancing in policies that guarantee equal opportunities for young people, especially in an insular territory where connectivity and access to services can limit their development.
International Youth Day is commemorated every August 12, a date established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 to recognise the role of young people as agents of change and to promote their participation in society. This year, the theme chosen by the UN focuses on the diversity of contexts but also on the common aspirations that unite youth globally.
With this declaration, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria joins the celebrations of this anniversary and reaffirms its commitment to an active and participatory youth. The City Council has announced that it will organise specific activities to commemorate International Youth Day on August 12, although details of the programme will be announced in the coming weeks.
For the young people of the municipality, this declaration represents recognition of their work and a commitment to the future. The youth associations in the city have positively valued the initiative, although they insist that it is necessary to translate words into concrete actions and budget allocations that allow for the development of the announced policies.
In any case, the approval of this institutional declaration demonstrates that youth has become a priority for the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The council will work in the coming months to specify the measures that will make the aspirations outlined in the agreement a reality.
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