Around thirty Sahrawi children have arrived in Gran Canaria to spend the summer with host families. The Cabildo welcomed them this week at an institutional event.
The courtyard of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria was filled this week with children’s smiles during the official reception for the participants of the Holidays in Peace programme. About thirty children from the refugee camps in Tindouf (Algeria) will spend the summer on the island hosted by local families.
The island institution, which has been organising the programme for decades, wanted to publicly thank the host families and gifted the children a small token. The event was attended by representatives from the PP and PSOE, demonstrating cross-party support for the initiative.
A Summer Away from Conflict
The Holidays in Peace programme allows these children to escape the harsh conditions of the camps, where summer temperatures exceed 50 degrees, and from the ongoing conflict between the Polisario Front and Morocco. During their stay, the minors undergo medical check-ups and enjoy leisure activities.
The initiative began in 1979, under the collaboration between the PCE and the Polisario Front, coinciding with the first democratic local elections. Since then, thousands of Sahrawi children have passed through the Canary Islands, creating bonds that last beyond the summer.
A Historical Debt to the Sahara
The Cabildo of Gran Canaria continues to support the Sahrawi people, despite the shift in Spanish foreign policy. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, made a U-turn in 2022 by backing Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara, which cooled relations with the Polisario Front. Since then, the war has resumed and tensions remain close to the Canary Islands.
For the Canarian families, hosting these children is an act of solidarity that reminds them of the outstanding responsibility towards the last colony in Africa. Western Sahara has yet to complete its decolonisation process, and the international community has made no significant progress. Meanwhile, the Tindouf camps house over 100,000 refugees.
The programme not only offers a summer respite but also strengthens the ties between the Canary Islands and the Sahrawi people. Many families keep in touch throughout the year, and some even travel to the camps to visit the children.
The Cabildo hopes to repeat the experience next summer, regardless of who is in power. The welcome of Sahrawi children has become a deep-rooted tradition on the island, transcending political differences.
You may also like
