43 students of the Pedagogy Degree They participated in a mission to Sparkle of Aragon. In collaboration with their municipal council, they designed several proposals to try to attract and integrate new residents in their small town.
In total, 6 teams presented solutions to celebrate a “open days» of the municipality, generate candidate selection processes and design integration support mechanisms. An initiative supported by the Spanish Commission for Assistance to Refugees (CEAR).
This action is part of VIVID Herriak Towns, which contributes to generating individualized strategies to combat depopulation in up to 10 municipalities in Navarre. It is promoted by Fundación Emplea, with the support and financing of the General Directorate of Local Administration and Depopulation of the Government of Navarra.
The day
From 12:00 in the morning, the group of students was able to learn about the challenge proposed by the town hall. Thanks to its collaboration with CEAR, They are studying the possibilities to attract refugees to live in their locality.
This great challenge was presented to them divided into three others. On the one hand, the creation of an open day to present the city to interested people, where to visit the cityvisit available accommodation and meet local people. Second, the design of a candidate selection process, in case of multiple applications. Finally, the generation of mechanisms to integrate and root these people in the community.
The 43 students, divided into 6 teams, They were supervised by staff from Fundación Emplea, which energized the session. Through a team ideation process, ending with a prototyping phase, these teams presented their solutions, which were listened to attentively by members of the city council.
In the future, the municipality will try to adapt these and other ideas with hope that they help attract a new population, making Petilla de Aragón a vibrant municipality. Something for which they constantly work, according to its mayor, Florentino Aguas.
A unique municipality
Petilla de Aragón is undoubtedly one of the municipalities the most unique in Navarra. On the one hand, it is the only municipality in Navarra located outside its borders, in this case in the province of Zaragoza. This state dates back to the 13th century and is due to an ancient debt of the Aragonese king Peter II to the king of Navarre. Since the 19th century, it has had the title of city.
Additionally, it is the birthplace of Santiago Ramon and Cajal, father of neuroscience and one of the most influential scientists in the world. Petilla has always been proud of it and is twinned with the towns of two other Nobel Prize winners: Luarca, in Asturias, where Santiago Ochoa was born; and the Italian Corteno Golgi (Lombardy), birthplace of Camillo Golgi.
Petilla de Aragón Demographics
Petilla de Aragón is one of the smallest municipalities in Navarra, with a population of 28 inhabitants in the 2023 census, however, this year began with virtually no residents living on a daily basis. This situation changed thanks to the fact that a family stayed to run the inn.
Petilla of Aragon against depopulation
The visit of these students is not a coincidence, but is part of a whole process in which the municipality is immersed in trying to respond to depopulation. Currently, The municipality succeeded in introducing the Internet to the city, and they are renovating two social housing units with the intention of renting them out. In addition, they are continually improving the Casa de Ramón y Cajal, pride of the city and main tourist destination.
This year 2024, Petilla de Aragón is one of the 10 municipalities that participate in the VIVID Herriak Villages Project. This is an initiative aimed at generating individualized strategies to combat depopulation, promoted by the Fundación Emplea, with the support and financing of the General Directorate of Local Administration and Depopulation of the Government of Navarra.
