It is a prominent activity and now a well-established tradition of the Valora centre, which belongs to the Pinardi Federation of Salesian Social Platforms. It brings together the participants of a wide range of projects of the organisation, around a solidarity market and a culinary competition, in which the initiative is led by the people who make up the Barrios project.
Barrio came into being in 2015 and developed in the municipality of Parla. This project is framed in the field of social and community intervention and has a double intention: on the one hand, to improve shared life between close families and, on the other, to work for an overall improvement of social, demographic, economic and housing conditions in the southern and eastern districts of the municipality.
In its almost 10 years of life, hundreds of families have participated in the various activities organised as part of the Barrios project and there is probably no better way to understand its raison d 'être and the feelings of its beneficiaries than to participate in the "Cooking Coexistence" day.
"I came here scared to death, I didn't speak the language, everything seemed strange to me... I realised that I could not stay in my country because the situation there was worse, but I still missed it. I discovered these activities from my neighbour and now we have been here for 4 years, we have learned a lot together, they have also helped me with the education of my children. Now it's different, I feel like I have support. ” This was said by Amal, a participant in the Barrios project.
On the day of celebration of 27 June, the members of the Women's Group arrived with the dishes they had prepared for the competition. They immediately put on their red aprons and placed a series of appetisers and drinks on the tables to offer to guests. Soon the diners also arrived, who had the task of voting for the winner, but first all those present enjoyed the charity market.
The young people of the "PEP" (First Professional Experience) project also supported this day, helping to organise the market. On the morning of Thursday 27 June, the Valora centre attracted many families in the area, with women, men and young people ready to choose only the clothes to take: a peculiarity of the market, in fact, is precisely that you do not need money to buy the goods.
During the day, the flags of many different countries were hung on the walls of the centre, reminding the participating families of their roots. And not only the flags: lively music, with a wide range of traditional rhythms such as calypso, brightened the day and reminded those present of their origins.
Around 1 pm it was then time to proclaim the winners of the cooking contest, but first the young people who make up the "Peace Group" shared a summary of the podcast they elaborated on their migration experiences and told what it was like for them to leave their countries of origin and adapt to life in Parla, with all the challenges, novelties, risks, advantages and disadvantages that this entails.
The members of the Women's Group and the Pinardi educational team also took advantage of the day to remind the participants of the importance of a coexistence open to diversity, in which solidarity, respect, mutual responsibility and cooperation prevail.
For participants in the Barrios project, this shared experience also facilitates the exercise of their rights. Membership in the group helps them to share training and work opportunities, to learn new languages, to have access to up-to-date information on the laws, requirements and administrative processes necessary to obtain or renew work, residence or study permits, etc.
At the end of the day, the sense of unity among the participants of " Cocinando Convivencia" was strengthened and everyone returned home with the awareness that their Parla neighbourhood can be a safe, supportive and joyful environment.
