Adeje, one of Tenerife’s most diverse municipalities, is taking another step towards strengthening community integration with the creation of a new Intercultural Council (Mesa Intercultural).
The initiative aims to encourage dialogue and participation between the town’s many different communities, reflecting the reality of a municipality where more than half of the population is made up of foreign nationals representing 123 different nationalities.
One of Tenerife’s Most International Communities
Home to almost 50,000 residents, Adeje has over 27,000 foreign nationals registered on the municipal census, making it one of the most multicultural municipalities not only in Tenerife but across the Canary Islands.
For decades, the area’s thriving tourism industry has attracted people from around the world, creating a diverse community that includes residents from countries such as the UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Morocco, Ukraine and Argentina.
A Permanent Forum for Community Participation
The new Intercultural Council will provide a permanent platform where representatives from different cultural communities can share ideas, identify local needs and help shape future initiatives focused on integration, participation and social cohesion.
The proposal was introduced during the first planning meeting for the “Adeje Vive, Adeje Convive: 20 Years Building Community Together” Nationalities Gathering, which will take place on 21 September at the Adeje Auditorium.
Rather than being a one-off celebration, the council is intended to create lasting collaboration between the municipality’s many communities.
Building on 20 Years of Community Integration
The project builds on the “Adeje Vive, Adeje Convive” campaign first launched in 2006, which promoted respect between cultures and encouraged integration as the municipality became increasingly international.
Twenty years later, the council wants to expand that vision by giving residents themselves a greater role in shaping future community projects and activities.
Celebrating Diversity
The upcoming Nationalities Gathering will bring together representatives from different cultural backgrounds to share experiences, ideas and traditions while celebrating the diversity that has become one of Adeje’s defining characteristics.
Through the creation of the Intercultural Council, Adeje hopes to ensure that its multicultural population remains not just a demographic statistic, but a lasting strength that continues to enrich community life in one of Tenerife’s most international municipalities.