Los Alcazares is set to celebrate diversity on the shores of the Mar Menor with the return of its annual Pride celebration. Running from Monday, July 6 to Saturday, July 11, this third edition of “El Mar Menor vibra con Orgullo” promises nearly a week of events dedicated to the LGTBIQ+ community, equality, and respect.

Star-studded line-up at Plaza de la Feria

The main stage at Plaza de la Feria will host as many as 30 diverse acts throughout the week. Acclaimed artists Nebulossa and Malena Gracia will top the star-studded bill, alongside popular performers like Satín Greco, Le Cocó, Pitita, Kuve, and Keunam.

The festival’s major highlights begin on Thursday, July 9, with the Gala Míster Orgullo del Mar Menor. This is followed on Friday by the colorful Gala Divas y Reinas. The celebrations reach their peak on Saturday, July 11, starting with a lively parade along the seafront at 19:00, marching from Plaza del Espejo to Plaza de la Feria.

Following the march, Mayor Mario Pérez Cervera and the “Lo tienes claro?” Association will deliver a pride manifesto, setting the stage for an opening speech and a massive closing gala, featuring unforgettable musical performances.

Highlighting health and advocacy on the coast

In addition to the fun aspect of the event, it will also have another main focus: public health. All day on July 10, and in the morning of July 11, organisers will provide quick, confidential, and free HIV tests at the Town Hall, available for anyone who wants to take one.

Local businesses along the Los Alcazares promenade are also actively participating, with many hosting themed events, decorative displays, and special promotions to welcome the influx of international and local visitors.

This vibrant coastal celebration will successfully blend high-energy entertainment with important advocacy, welcoming residents and visitors to honour equality and have fun together. Organisers suggest that anyone interested in attending arrive early to the event, and enjoy one of the most colourful and fun celebrations in the town’s local summer calendar.

A local Costa Calida charity has launched a solidarity campaign to help those affected by the devastating recent earthquakes in Venezuela. Cartagena por la Caridad, a charity that aims to help vulnerable people with low resources and that has pledged to donate to the “Eternal Grandparents” project.

Direct, in-person support for earthquake victims in Venezuela

The project is a solidarity campaign that will provide on-the-ground assistance to the people in Venezuela suffering from the earthquakes, a tragedy that has left significant damage and many people affected in the country. The project deploys doctors and volunteers to the affected areas, providing direct assistance and comfort for the victims of the earthquakes.

Cartagena por la Caridad stated that they have received news from Venezuela from many families, detailing extremely difficult conditions. The charity is appealing to the solidarity of people from all over the Costa Calida and beyond, as well as companies and organisations, in order to contribute to this humanitarian campaign and make a real and direct change for the affected victims.

How regular citizens can donate and spread the word

Kindhearted donors who want to help with funds can donate through a bank account set up by the association, indicating “Help for Venezuela” in the description, with 100 per cent of the funds being used for this emergency action. The Spanish bank account number to donate is: ES76 3018 5751 8620 4885 6427.

Citizens can also help by spreading the word about the campaign on social media and among their friends and family, in order to mobilise people from all over Spain and allow increased resources to reach the affected people.

Sending support, strength, and solidarity to the people of Venezuela during this difficult time

The Cartagena por la Caridad charity sends out a message of strength, hope, and support to the people of Venezuela, and has shown its solidarity with those that have been injured, lost their home, or lost a friend or loved one. With the “Eternal Grandparents” project, the organisation is giving residents of the Costa Calida a chance to directly help vulnerable people affected by this devastating tragedy.

The charity was also one of several to have recently participated in the Route of the Fortresses race, an annual sporting and solidarity project that this year managed to raise a whopping €62,000 for various charity projects across the municipality and beyond.

Murcia schools are cracking down on cases of bullying, and soon children in schools all across the region may see a more strict disciplinary plan enforced in their classes. The regional government has approved a new decree on school coexistence, which will aim to restore respect and order in the schools and institutes of Murcia.

Rising cases of classroom disruption and bullying

According to statistics compiled by the Observatory of School Coexistence, last year, 54 cases of bullying were confirmed in the Region of Murcia, out of a total of 640 reports or suspicions of bullying across all the region’s schools. Moreover, it was found that teachers lose around 20 per cent of class time trying to maintain order, which is time that the students could be spending learning and indicates a significant discipline problem in some schools, according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey.

Strict zero tolerance punishments for offenders

The new decree proposed by the Region of Murcia’s government involves a tightening of the disciplinary regime against students who bully others or disrupt the classroom environment. To be specific, the law outlines a “zero tolerance” policy against bullying, and will take action against students who harass others, including transferring the student to another school or even permanently expelling them. 

According to Regional Minister of Education, Víctor Marín, the message is clear: “Those who bully cannot remain in the same environment as their victims.”

These disciplinary actions will be taken towards students who exhibit behaviours including disobedience, misconduct, insults, threats, or aggression, with the severity of the punishment depending on the severity of their conduct.

Students who interrupt class, use a mobile phone in class, are generally disobedient, or are inconsiderate will also be reprimanded. Other, more serious offences that will be cracked down on include threats, expressions of hatred, harassment, aggression, or theft.

Expanding supervision and restoring teacher authority

These new regulations will also be enforced not only in classrooms, but also in school cafeterias and buses, places that do not have the same levels of supervision.

As for the teachers themselves, Minister Marín stated that “teachers have the authority to monitor what happens in the classroom. Therefore, they can act immediately in the face of inappropriate behaviour and can directly remove a student from the classroom to stop conduct that disrupts the school environment.”

With these new regulations, Murcia educational officials aim to reorganise and reinstate values, protect victims of bullying, support teachers, hold students accountable for their actions, and above all, ensure that classrooms remain a place where there is respect, safety, and learning.