The “Commerce and Schools” experience is presented at the conference on ”The right to an Educating City”

• Barcelona is hosting a conference during the International Day of the Educating City, on Wednesday, 30 November

On Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 November, Barcelona is hosting a conference on “The Right to an Educating City”, on the occasion of the International Day of the Educating City on Wednesday. The conference will include a presentation of the “Commerce and Schools” experience, promoted by the Department of Commerce, as part of the “Life-long Training” programme, concerning several municipal projects.

Starting on Wednesday 30 November, under the slogan “The Right to an Educating City”, the conference will feature a presentation and debate on several municipal initiatives which focus on the city's role in education. The Thursday session includes a symposium entitled “The Collective Right to Education”. The conference will be held at the offices of the Barcelona Bar Association.

“Commerce and schools” promotes knowledge of the city's cultural, social and historical environment through local commerce and it aims to instil a critical and responsible consumer culture in people from a very young age. With the collaboration of retailers and schools, the programme provides information about Barcelona's commerce and fosters a reconsideration of the commercial model, so that young people and children (from 3 to 20) can assimilate the concept of consumerism in a critical and responsible way.

Activities with students and retailers

Activities include guided tours, geocaching games (which bring together iconic shops and students through technology), practical consumer workshops organised within the establishments themselves and the creation of bookmarks for subsequent distribution among the general public. They showcase various professions, with the aim of awakening vocations, ensuring diversity of commerce is appreciated and fostering responsible consumption and active participation among city residents.

The educational experience promoted by the Department of Commerce is turning establishments into educational venues, promoting inter-generational interaction with the various players involved and showcasing a city model. At the same time, it is also a project the promotes inclusion and the creation of opportunities.

Barcelona experiences

The conference will also focus on a series of practices developed by Barcelona City Council. It will therefore be introducing projects such as “Mentoring +40” (to help people over the age of 40 to find work, with guidance from tutors) and “Meeting Point”, a social and educational library project.