Canary Islands (Spain), August 26, 2026 (SPS) – The activities of the reception programme for Sahrawi children participating in the Vacations in Peace programme concluded last week on the island of Gran Canaria, with events organized by municipalities and institutions, and broad participation from local elected officials, civil society representatives, and host Canarian families, in an atmosphere marked by solidarity and support for the Sahrawi people.
The official receptions were held in the municipalities of Telde, under the supervision of Mayor Juan Antonio Peña; Teror, under the supervision of Mayor José Agustín Arencibia; and Santa Brígida, where the reception ceremony was overseen by the Councillor for Solidarity and Social Affairs, Adriano García, on behalf of the mayor. A reception was also held in Santa Lucía, under the supervision of Mayor Francisco García.
The events were attended by several municipal councillors, as well as the Representative of the Polisario Front in the Canary Islands, Ali Salem Sidi Zain, his deputy Mohamed Saeed, and the President of the Canarian Association for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, Octavio Melian, in addition to the association’s coordinators in the municipalities concerned and the Canarian families who hosted the Sahrawi children during their stay.
In their remarks on the occasion, the Canarian officials expressed their pride in welcoming Sahrawi children from the Sahrawi refugee camps as part of the Vacations in Peace programme, which enables children to spend their summer holidays with supportive Canarian families and benefit from suitable social and humanitarian conditions during the summer period.
The local officials expressed their appreciation for the role played by host families in the success of the programme, stressing the importance of continuing efforts and coordination with those responsible for the programme to ensure its continuity and strengthen its achievements. This would allow a larger number of Sahrawi children to benefit from the programme and expand the circle of Canarian families hosting them in the coming years.
The Canarian officials also reaffirmed their steadfast solidarity with the Sahrawi people and their support for its inalienable right to freedom and self-determination, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy.
