The Mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa, accompanied by the Councillor for Participation, Roberto Pino, presented the city's bid today in Brussels to become European Volunteering Capital 2028. The proposal, under the slogan "Volunteering from everyone for everyone", places people, entities, and citizen participation at the heart of public policies.
The bid is based on the city's long associative tradition, the mobilization capacity of its social fabric, and the commitment to consolidate volunteering as a stable tool for social cohesion, inclusion, and community building. This proposal aims to be a long-term city strategy that strengthens citizen participation.
Lleida is competing with Odder (Denmark), Pilsen (Czech Republic), and Reggio Emilia (Italy). The result will be announced in December.
One of the main arguments for the bid is the strength of Lleida's associative fabric, which has 850 registered entities. According to a study by the University of Lleida (UdL) and the Lleida City Council, this represents a ratio of approximately six entities per thousand inhabitants, a significant figure compared to other large cities.
The city has nearly 3,000 active volunteers and an associative fabric involving around 27,000 people, equivalent to about 20% of the population. Furthermore, volunteering entities annually assist approximately 25,000 individuals.
The proposal is structured around four main axes: the city's associative identity, community care and support, recognition of volunteers, and the capacity to learn and improve from knowledge and data. The bid is part of the agreements reached in the municipal budget pact with the Junts group for the year 2025.
Another strategic project is the transformation of the Palau de Vidre into the new Casa de les Entitats (House of Entities), an infrastructure of over 4,600 square meters intended to be a space for meeting, cooperation, and shared work for the city's associative fabric.
