Nearly 900 students from Valencian towns hit by the DANA floods gathered in Aldaia to highlight youth's role in recovery. The Fundación Princesa de Girona hosted the CongresFest x Valencia event, focusing on education, entrepreneurship, and well-being. Local authorities praised the initiative as a beam of hope.
On Friday, nearly 900 students from schools in Paiporta, Algemesí, Alfafar, Catarroja, Valencia, and Sedaví gathered at the Aldaia sports center for the CongresFest x Valencia event. Organized by the Fundación Princesa de Girona, it aimed to highlight actions under the special intervention plan for Valencian youth, launched in January to aid reconstruction after the October 2024 DANA floods.
The plan follows four lines: education, young entrepreneurship, health and well-being, and talent visibility. It featured inspiring stories, conferences, workshops, and musical performances, involving over 30 participants including volunteers, award winners, and professionals. Francisco Belil, the foundation's president, stated: “after working with Valencian youth for months, today we make them protagonists and thank them because from the start they engaged with the plan, contributed ideas, and from the foundation we helped them develop their talent and offer their perspective in the reconstruction process”.
Guillermo Luján, Aldaia's mayor, said: “on behalf of Aldaia and all DANA-affected municipalities, we are immensely grateful for this beam of light and hope that is the Fundación Princesa de Girona”. He added that the event reflects a year of work shifting from despair to hope and youthful talent.
The education line involved over 20 volunteer teachers from Spain providing psychosocial support to 18 centers for five months. Projects from the 'gira de retos' are in experimental phase with foundation funding. Psychosocial aid reached 1,680 people through 3,585 sessions. Sports promotion included a supportive video from Ferran Torres, FC Barcelona and Spanish national team player. In music, the former Tabú discotheque in Benetússer is being rebuilt as a youth talent hub with Fundación Horta Sud.
Attendees included officials like Rosario Linares, director general of educational innovation, and mayors from Catarroja, Paiporta, and Benetússer.