Convivencia is a community program — social, educational, and cultural — that creates accessible spaces where people of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds can meet, learn, and build real trust: local residents, migrants, refugees, newcomers to Spain, students, young people, families, and children, all together, not in separate spaces.

Valencia is a diverse city, but diversity alone doesn't guarantee people actually live well together. Many newcomers struggle to learn Spanish, build new relationships, and take part in local life; many long-time residents, in turn, have few chances to connect with other cultures. Convivencia exists to create simple, regular, accessible opportunities for that to change.

Objective

To foster intercultural coexistence, social inclusion, language learning, and community participation, through spaces where local residents and people from different backgrounds can connect, learn, and collaborate as equals.

Who it's for

• Newcomers to Spain, migrants, and refugees
• Local residents
• National and international students
• Young people, families, and children
• Older adults
• Volunteers, associations, and community groups

Convivencia isn't a project aimed only at migrants — its value lies in bringing people with different experiences into the same space.

What we do

• Language Café — an informal space to practice Spanish, English, Arabic, and other languages.
• Spanish in Community — conversation sessions for newcomers to practice Spanish alongside volunteers.
• Flavors of the World — cooking and sharing recipes and food stories.
• Stories of the World — personal, family, and cultural stories.
• Film and Dialogue — screenings with participatory discussion.
• Art and Crafts — hands-on workshops led by participants and collaborators.
• Music of the World — sharing music, instruments, and songs.
• Teach Me a Word — each participant shares words and expressions from their own language.
• Human Map of the World — a participatory picture of the community's diversity.
• Intercultural Games — cooperative activities to help people get to know each other.
• Family activities — designed for children and families, for coexistence across generations.

Languages

The three main languages are Spanish, English, and Arabic. The project is also open to French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Valencian, and any other language participants bring with them — linguistic diversity is a resource for the project, not a closed list.

How it unfolds

• Preparation — planning, outreach, finding collaborators and volunteers, and setting up the Spanish-learning community.
• Month 1 — Getting to know each other — first gatherings: Language Café, Spanish in Community, Human Map, intercultural games.
• Month 2 — Sharing — Flavors of the World, Stories of the World, art, music, and language exchange.
• Month 3 — Building together — Film and Dialogue, family activities, evaluation, and gathering ideas for what comes next.

Expected impact

• More confidence using Spanish and greater everyday communication skills
• New relationships and social networks, and less isolation for people who've just arrived
• More contact between local residents and newcomers, and new volunteer networks
• Greater mutual understanding across cultures, and fewer prejudices
• Spaces where different generations share activities and experiences

Want to volunteer with Convivencia?