La Gomera inicia programa ‘Ocio y Salud’ en Hermigua
La Gomera celebrated its first day of activities related to the ‘Leisure and Health’ program in Hermigua this Saturday. The event was organized by the Cabildo, with the support of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, aimed at preventing addictions and drug dependence. The day featured a wide range of sports, music, cultural, gastronomic, and healthy leisure activities, with the participation of the Minister of Social Services, Rosa Elena García; the Mayor of Hermigua, Solveida Clemente; the Minister of Youth, Guillermo Medina; and the Councilor of Social Services and Youth, Guillermo Coello.
Rosa Elena García, the Minister of Social Services, expressed her satisfaction with the high participation and interest of the citizens in this event. She mentioned that similar activities will be carried out in other municipalities in the coming months to create alternative leisure spaces accessible to everyone, reinforcing the sense of community and strengthening the social fabric of the island.
She emphasized the importance of the new project, targeting the entire community, including families and youth, to provide them with information and support in addiction prevention. She highlighted the need to reach out to the community directly if they do not come forward and stressed the importance of learning to say no and setting boundaries, which are key aspects in substance abuse prevention.
The Mayor of Hermigua, Solveida Clemente, highlighted the importance of raising awareness about drug and alcohol consumption in all municipalities. She mentioned that these activities are crucial in sensitizing and preventing the increasing problem that affects both young people and adults. She also emphasized the importance of prevention not only in mitigating current issues but also in preventing more people from falling into substance abuse.
The first ‘Leisure and Health’ day in Hermigua, held at El Curato Park and its surrounding sports facilities, included morning workshops and healthy leisure activities such as badminton, chess, sports challenges, virtual reality, a Jiu Jitsu session by athlete Paola Pereyra, and an emotional management workshop by the Acapasil Association.
There was also a one-hour theatrical forum by Timbiriqui Productions, where audience participation influenced the performance and engaged with the actors, addressing the topic of addictions. At 1:30 pm, a Zumba class for all ages was conducted by Sofiane Fouzane.
Afternoon Session
In the afternoon, starting at 4:00 pm, Gomero athlete Marco Rodríguez García, the current champion of the Meridiano Vertical Kilometer with an absolute record, led a trail running training session called ‘Life without Sedentary Lifestyle’. The session involved a round trip from El Curato Park to Santa Catalina Beach, focusing on aspects like rhythm and speed on inclines. Additionally, La Gomera Crea held a painting workshop ‘Creating Designs’, allowing participants to create a representative mural of the event.
From 5:00 pm, there were workshops on preparing healthy food and non-alcoholic cocktails, alongside a rap workshop by Tazz Yeah, a freestyle improvisation expert in the Canary Islands. The workshop taught attendees how to rap and improvise, similar to the techniques used in ‘rap battles’ competitions.
At 6:00 pm, a round table discussion took place with participants like Francisco David Lorenzo, a Psychology doctor and vice president of San Miguel Addictions; Raquel González, a general health psychologist and president of the Acapasil Association; Rubén Antonio Cubas, historian, professor, writer, and cultural promoter; Paola Pereyra, European champion of Brazilian jiu-jitsu; and Carlos Jesús Hernández, Spanish Trail Running Master 50 champion.
At 7:00 pm, a participatory freestyle show led by Tazz Yeah included freestylers RDC, Mazl, and Samu HH. The event concluded with musical entertainment by DJ Javi Cubas and a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails for all attendees.
