Sustainable holidays

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Healthcare cooperatives and social medicine magazine | No. 17 – JULY 2024

C o m pa r t i r NUTRITION

Food and drink to keep us hydrated during the summer

COOPERATIVISM

SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAYS How to travel in a way that respects both our health and the environment

What is the impact of the social economy in Spain?

DESTINATIONS

Marseille: cuisine, coves and museums in the capital city of Provence

Staff

Compartir Healthcare cooperativism magazine www.compartir.coop compartir@fundacionespriu.coop Editorial board: Dr. Ignacio Orce, chairman of the Fundacion Espriu and Assistencia Sanitaria Dr. Enrique de Porres, CEO of ASISA-Lavinia Teresa Basurte, former chairwoman of the Fundacion Espriu Dr. Oriol Gras sponsor of the Fundacion Espriu Dr. Carlos Zarco, General Manager and sponsor of the Fundacion Espriu

Publication: Factoría Prisma Diagonal 662-664 08034-Barcelona Tel. 639 213 710 www.factoriaprisma.com Manager of Factoria Prisma: Angi González Vives Coordination: Laura Martos Design: Xavi Menéndez Printer: Centro Gráfico Ganboa SL Legal Deposit: B-46099-2003 ISSN: 2488-6394 ISSN (Internet): 2696-3833 Fundación Espriu Av. de Josep Tarradellas, 123-127 4.ª planta 08029 Barcelona Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena, 12, 3.ª 28027 Madrid NIF: G-59117887 Tel.: 934 954 490 fundacionespriu@fundacionespriu.coop www.fundacionespriu.coop

Constituida en 1989, la Fundación Espriu integra las entidades que practican el modelo sanitario cooperativo creado por el Dr. Josep Espriu: Autogestió Sanitària, SCIAS, Lavinia y ASISA, que forman el Grupo Assistència y el Grupo ASISA.

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Summary

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MEDICAL NEWS A review of the key points dealt with at the 77th World Health Assembly, held in Switzerland.

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HEALTH IN THE SUMMER Jet lag can prevent us from fully enjoying a trip. Why does it appear and how can we alleviate its effects?

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NUTRITION

HEALTHCARE COOPERATIVISM

IN DEPTH

In addition to water, we discuss which foods and drinks can help us to keep hydrated during the summer.

Seminars, assemblies and anniversaries are the stars of the latest events held

by Assistència Sanitària and ASISA.

In view of the consequences of mass tourism, we analyse what a sustainable, environmentally-friendly holiday should be like.

Editorial

The responsibility of looking after our surroundings With the arrival of the holiday period

a chance to disconnect, relax and explore new horizons opens up before us. Within this context, tourism has become consolidated as one of the main sources of leisure, giving us unforgettable experiences and moments of discovery.

However, this practice also sets forth an inescapable challenge: its impact on climate change.

Global warming, loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystems are realities that are calling us to act urgently. And travelling, although enriching, can have a negative effect if it is not carried out in a conscious way.

In this issue, we present an exhaustive report on how to travel in a responsible way, offering strategies and advice to ensure that these adventures do not become a burden for the planet. You will also find a series of articles focused on guaranteeing a healthy summer, with techniques to prevent jet lag when travelling or a guide to essential food and drinks to keep our bodies hydrated.

The section devoted to the cooperatives emphasises our associates’ most recent achievements and events, which are essential in the promotion of a fairer and more sustainable economy. With the holding of the World Cooperatives Day on the 6th of July, we have a unique opportunity to discover more about their impact and work around the world.

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DESTINATIONS

TRENDS

With a railway line connecting Spain and France, we visit the hidden corners of the renewed, picturesque Marseille.

We will revisit the graphic novel Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, awarded with the 2024 Princess of Asturias Prize.

Finally, we propose a selection of books, series and festivals for this season, as well as a suggestion for a trip to a nearby destination that will captivate you due to its beauty and authenticity.

This summer, we invite you to travel consciously, to appreciate local places and to enjoy in a responsible manner.

Carlos Zarco

General Manager of the Fundacion Espriu

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Current news

Skin NTDs, an app created by the WHO to detect skin diseases

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t the end of April the results were published of the first use of the application Skin NTDs, a project funded by the WHO and led by the researcher Carme Carrión that seeks to contribute to controlling tropical skin diseases that particularly affect countries with low income per capita.

The results were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research and they seem to show a clear advance in the implementation of digital tools, designed above all, for regions where specialities such as dermatology are not present. This application seeks to aid healthcare professionals to improve their knowledge regarding twelve tropical diseases that are currently overlooked and another twenty-four common skin diseases.

Olive oil consumption, related to a lower risk of suffering from dementia Consuming at least half a spoonful of olive oil per day is associated with a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia in comparison with those who do not usually consume this food. A study led by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reached these conclusions, examining two groups of North American health professionals and associated the consumption of this food with certain significant benefits for long-term brain health.

The researchers also indicated in the study that olive oil has already previously been associated with a lower risk of heart diseases, in addition to exercising a protecting effect against age-related cognitive deterioration, thanks to its link with monounsaturated fatty acids.

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World Blood Donor Day World Blood Donor Day is held on the 14th of June is aimed at making the world population aware of the importance of donating blood to contribute to the health of those people who need transfusions.

The birth of Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian biologist who discovered and typified blood groups and who received the Nobel Prize for Medicine for this in 1930 is commemorated on this day.

Currently, approximately 118.5 million blood donations are carried out around the world. 40% come from high-income countries, where 16% of the world population live.

and it

Inspiring quotes

“Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity” Plato, philosopher

The first part of the study involved the participation of around fifty professionals carrying out field work in Ghana and Kenya. The evaluation of the application’s new features is based on artificial intelligence, a significant change in the analysis that aids the identification of the diseases using two algorithms that work based on photographs.

The application is aimed at recognising twenty-four common skin diseases.

“Up to now the application, which in all cases has been conceived as a training tool for professionals and not as a medical diagnosis device, had a logical algorithm that used a list of signs and symptoms; with artificial intelligence it is hoped that the results allow additional information to be obtained based on each patient’s lesion,” the researcher explains.

Tobacco consumption has dropped in recent years, although it continues to be a threat to health

In Spain, with the goal of reducing the prevalence of smoking and minimising the environmental exposure

These are the most important resolutions dealt with at the new edition of the WHA, held in Geneva (Switzerland) between the 27th of May and the 1st of June:

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Health and climate change. The Health Assembly requests priority to be given to health considerations within the national and international regulations on the climate, as well as backing countries in the creation of heath systems that can stand up to the climate and that have low carbon emissions.

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Transplants. Through the increase in availability, ethical access and supervision of the transplanting of human cells, tissues and organs resolution, promoted by Spain, the WHO is urging the Member States to expand transplant therapy of organs, tissues and cells, in particular, developing the donation by deceased people in order to reach their maximum therapeutic potential.

As indicated by the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Health, tobacco consumption in Spain has gradually been reducing in recent decades by up to 22.1%, according to the European Health Survey of 2020.

Last year, the WHO published a report on the world epidemic of tobacco use, where the organisation indicated that, currently, over five and a half million people live in countries where at least some of the steps for tobacco control promoted by the Organisation have been introduced. For example, around 79% of the countries belonging to the WHO have introduced warning labels on cigarette packets, or 34% have implemented bans regarding tobacco advertising.

Five key points of the 77th World Health Assembly

3 of the emissions, the Council of Ministers approved a plan that will be implemented during the current legislation (2024-2027).

The interventional plan will pursue aims such as the banning of single-use devices related to tobacco, increasing smoke-free areas to protect the right to breath or incorporating pharmaceutical benefits for medicines that are suitable for treating tobacco addiction.

Mental Helth. The delegates approved a strategy for 2025-2028 emphasising topics such as climate change, aging, migration, pandemic threats and equality and that is adapted to an era marked by geopolitical, scientific and technological change.

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Resistance to antimirobials(RAM). The resolution included four priorities to face up to drug-resistant bacterial infections in the human health sector between 2025-2035, with particular attention on prevention and treatment of infections.

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Social participation in primary healthcare.

The Member States have agreed on a resolution that paves the way for people and communities to be able to make their opinion count more categorically in the decisions that affect their health and wellbeing.

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Health in summer

JET LAG:

why it happens and how to avoid it ‘Jet lag’, also known as circadian rhythm disorder, occurs when our internal clock, which is synchronised to the time zone we live in, becomes maladjusted due to a longdistance journey.

By María Pérez

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ur bodies are ruled by the circadian rhythms, which regulate the physical and mental characteristics that we experience over a 24 hour cycle. They are controlled by a small area in the brain and one of its main tasks is to manage the sleep-awake cycle in accordance with the sun’s journey; they also rule our appetite, along with kidney and hormone functions such as melatonin and cortisol. Jet lag occurs when there is an imbalance between the internal and external factors due to crossing, normally, two or more time zones in a very short period of time. Our bodies cannot process this change quickly enough and it can take between two and six days to adapt to the new destination.

Each person’s circadian cycles are different and their response to jet lag will depend, amongst other things, on how easily they go to sleep or their resistance to sleep deprivation. Each person’s sensitivity to light is also an influential factor, as well as the choice of their destination.

Passengers travelling towards the east will be more likely to suffer from jet lag. This is due to the fact that when we travel towards the west, the body has to remain awake longer than normal. Most people have less trouble staying up all night than getting up early, that is to say, they already start out from a cycle that is extended beyond 24 hours. Other factors that increase the likelihood of suffering from jet lag range from the passenger’s age to the frequency of travelling and of course, the more time zones that are crossed, the greater the jet lag.

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Possible symptoms of jet lag Depending on each person, Jet lag symptoms may be better or worse, in some cases experiencing one, several or none of the following: • Alterations in sleep patterns: Difficulty in going to sleep or waking up; interrupted sleep or fatigue during the day.

• Lack of concentration: A decrease in physical and mental performance.

• Digestive problems: Constipation, diarrhoea or vomiting, a decrease in the appetite.

• Mood swings: General malaise, irritability, stress or sadness, a decrease in attention-span and alertness.

• Dehydration: Headaches and excessive sweating.

How can the effects of jet lag be mitigated?

Before flying

During the flight

Once at your destination

Plan the journey: Several factors must be taken into consideration in order to try to mitigate the effects of jet lag, such as knowing each person’s chronotype, the original and destination time zones, the time of the flight and where you are flying to. If you are travelling for work or for an event, it is better to arrive a few days beforehand to give your body time to get used to the new time schedule.

Try to adapt yourself to your new time schedule: If it is daytime, try not to sleep until you reach your destination. If you land in the morning and it has been a night flight, try to sleep during the trip. If you find it difficult to sleep on planes, earplugs and a face mask might help. It is also advisable to adapt your mealtimes as much as possible.

Take into account your exposure to light: This is the most influential factor in the circadian cycles, as it is in charge of guiding the body, informing it of whether it is day or night-time. It is important to control exposure to it to help our internal clock to readapt itself.

Start to adapt yourself: Start the journey without any lack of sleep, resting sufficiently in the days before the trip.

Before leaving, change your watch to the new time zone. It is a good idea to start changing sleep and meal times a few days before travelling.

Look after your body: There is very little humidity in plane cabins and this can make the effects of the time schedule imbalance worse. Make sure you are well hydrated and avoid caffeine and alcohol, as well as other stimulating drinks. Stand up every now and again and walk along the aisles; this will help your circulation and oxygenate your muscles properly.

Also take advantage of resting as much as you can and avoid foods that are difficult to digest.

Control what you eat: If you are prone to suffering from stomach pain, it is better to eat small, light meals.

Melatonin: It plays a key role in the management of your body’s biorhythms and therefore exposure to strategic light can help to get to sleep, as it is a hormone that the body generates when it detects darkness. If jet lag still prevents you from sleeping, you can take melatonin supplements before going to bed, after consulting your health specialist.

Shower at your stopovers: If your flight is not direct, you can shower at the airport; this will help you to fight the effects of tiredness.

In short, although the effects of jet lag are temporary, they can cause great discomfort and can affect the start of your holiday.

Therefore, it is worth taking note of their importance and reading up on them, getting ready before embarking on transoceanic flights to minimise their effects and enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Psychology

Signs to show whether you are a

HELICOPTER PARENT

Overprotecting children can end up being counterproductive and make them not very self-sufficient and frightened. These are the risks of acting as helicopter parents.

By Ángela Zorrilla

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ore than once, you surely will have seen a parent running after their child to make sure they finish their sandwich or a mother becoming involved in a conflict with a classmate.

And how many teenagers don’t have the chance to get their school bags ready because this has already been done?

These are typical behaviour patterns of so-called helicopter parents, a term that appeared over a decade ago in the book You are not special by the teacher David McCullough.

It is clear that being a parent is not easy and that, from the moment the children are born, the adults have more worries and fears. Learning to live with them and not passing them on to the children is essential to help with their growth, because otherwise, the children would be overprotected. But, why has this trend appeared now? Anxiety, insecurity and a lack of time are amongst the main ‘guilty’ parties for the increase in this kind of parental control.

Overprotecting is disabling

“Although at times it is difficult to believe it, overprotecting our children is not good for them – or for the parents, but rather it is a synonym of disabling them, according to Enric Soler, an associate professor for Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC).

These helicopter parents love a great deal, “but they behave in an excessively controlling way,” the educational psychologist Sylvie Pérez explains, a professor in Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies at the UOC. She believes that this overprotection shows “a great need for permanent control.” And it appears in all environments. “If something goes wrong, the teacher must be changed. If the child doesn’t manage to do their homework, it means that the work has been set badly,” she indicates.

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Conversely, it is essential for children to learn to manage conflicts, sort out problems and seek out solutions for themselves. “We cannot expect a child to grow up healthily without allowing them to be wrong, face up to challenges or situations that are more painful for the parents than for the child themselves,” Soler adds.

Being a child of helicopter parents

Acting as helicopter parents, in the long-term, marks the character of the children and the fact is that, over time, they become people who are dependent and frightened. Helicopter parents are, according to Enric Soler, “factories of useless children” who manage to make children into infants and slow down their development. This is translated into the fact that in the future they will have problems when making decisions or facing up to conflicts.

Finally, this extreme protection brings a high level of intolerance to frustration along with it. Frustration which, in the opinion of both experts, is beneficial. “If we constantly prevent them from doing things and these coming out badly because we haven’t helped them, they will not become self-sufficient,” Sylvie Pérez comments.

Three situations that must be avoided 1. Acting as a personal secretary and placing obstacles against their independence. The key lies in

avoiding extremes. That is to say, not being excessively permissive, but also not excessively controlling. It is important to encourage children’s independence and to prevent certain behaviours, such as remembering the date of an exam.

2. Passing on our fears and not teaching them to manage problems. The experts also

recommend not increasing children’s fears. It is fine to verbalise fears, but always while teaching them how to get over them. That is to say, it is advisable to pass on not only a concern, but also the tools to manage it.

3. Forgetting rest and the relationship with your partner.

Overprotection generates wear and tear as it tries to exercise control over everything. For this reason, another recommendation is to try to distance yourself from this overprotection to ensure that your children move forward.

And if they don’t, see where they have failed in order to try to help them.

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Nutrition

HYDRATION IN THE SUMMER:

Way beyond just drinking water

Exposure to the sun and the increase in physical activity that usually accompanies the arrival of good weather make the urgency of replacing lost liquids more important, and drinking water alone is not enough. Which other foods can be beneficial for us?

By Sofía Campmany

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he summer brings with it not only longer, warmer days, but also the inevitable need to keep ourselves hydrated. A good hydration goes beyond simply drinking liquids; it involves a broader understanding of how our eating habits can affect the general condition of our organism, including the need to ingest both liquids and foods that that include them.

A lack of hydration can lead to a state that causes fatigue, headaches and muscle cramps 10

Compensating for the loss of liquids is essential to maintain our wellbeing, particularly during the hot months, when we increase the loss of water through the skin, breathing and sweating. In addition to regulating our body temperature, correct hydration aids the transport of nutrients and the elimination of waste from the body. On the other hand, the lack of liquids in the body can lead to a state of dehydration that causes a series of symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches and muscle cramps.

According to experts in nutrition, dehydration can have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. In addition to the abovementioned symptoms, dehydration can cause irritability, a drop in concentration levels and reduced physical and mental performance. Therefore, it is crucial to keep ourselves properly hydrated, particularly during the hottest months of the summer, to prevent these adverse effects and guarantee that all our body functions work optimally.

Practical advice for good hydration In addition to trying out new hydration options, here is some practical advice to guarantee your hydration levels this summer: 1. Listen to your body: Drink water regularly, even if you are not thirsty. Keep a bottle of water with you all the time and take frequent sips to keep your body hydrated and cool.

2. V ary your drinks: Experiment with other hydrating drinks such as sugar-free iced tea or natural fruit water to keep yourself hydrated in as tasty way as possible.

3. P rotect your skin from the inside: In addition to applying sun screen, make sure your skin is hydrated from the inside out by eating water-rich foods such as watermelon, cucumber and melon.

Healthy alternatives for drinking more water Prepare some of these creative options to hydrate your body in a healthy, tasty way:

• • • It is essential to take into account that hydration requirements may vary according to gender and other individual factors. For example, according to the Institute of Medicine of the United States, the intake of liquids recommended for women is approximately 2.7 litres per day, while for men it is approximately 3.8 litres per day. These recommendations may vary according to age, the level of physical activity or environmental conditions, amongst other factors.

Fruit and vegetables: our greatest allies

Sugary drinks, soft drinks and processed fruit juices can increase the loss of liquids

In addition to drinks, many foods have a high water content and can contribute significantly to our daily liquid intake. Fruit such as watermelon, melon, strawberries or oranges and vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce are all excellent options for keeping hydrated.

These foods do not only provide water, but also the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are essential for our health. For example, oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C,

C ombine lemon with basil or strawberries with mint and add them to a jug of water and ice to create delicious, refreshing drinks that will help you to cope with the summer heat.

Mix fresh fruit with green-leafed vegetables – spinach for example, adapts perfectly to the flavour of the fruit, and a touch of honey or ginger to obtain a drink that will give you a boost of energy and vitality.

M ix coconut water with pineapple, mango or passion fruit juice for a drink that is rich in electrolytes that will counteract the negative effects of sodium in your body and will relax your blood vessels.

while green-leafed vegetables, such as lettuce, are rich in magnesium and potassium.

But take care! It is important to take into consideration that some foods and drinks could have the opposite effect and contribute to dehydration if they are taken in excess.

This is the case of sugary drinks – fruit ices, ‘horchatas’, ice-cream milkshakes, soft drinks, processed fruit juices and foods that are rich in salt, saturated fats or added sugars, which can increase the loss of liquids in the body. The high sodium content in processed foods can unleash dehydration if this is not compensated with a correct liquid intake. This means it is essential to moderate consumption and give priority to healthier options.

In contrast, by taking advantage of foods and drinks that are rich in water, we can keep our body cool and energised even on the hottest days. Remember to be aware of your food choices and give priority to healthy options that help us to maintain an optimum water balance.

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Emergencies

How to know which insect

HAS STUNG YOU O

ne of the feelings that are repeated most in the summer is that of discovering insect bites on your skin. Soreness, itchiness, red skin and one or several lumps that give the game away. However, it is just as common to realise that we don’t know exactly which insect is the culprit. Here, we explain the main differences in order for you to find out.

Mosquito. This is the most common bite in spring and summer. It usually looks like a round or oval-shaped welt, with a head in the centre.

Wasp. Its main characteristics are the significant pain and stinging during the first days. The area around the sting becomes swollen and red, leaving an isolated spot at the centre.

Bee. Very similar to a wasp sting, bees leave a stinger behind in the skin that must be removed. It is important to scrape it off instead of removing it with tweezers, as this could make the poison sac that is still inside the skin burst Ants. Although they do not sting as such, they bite and several of them can do this at the same time. The skin reacts with a small reddened rash, often with spots of pus, similar to a blister.

Bedbug. They bite in groups; therefore they are recognised due to leaving an area of the skin marked with many reddened rashes, often in a zigzag shape.

They usually itch intensely. They are found in furniture, mattresses or sofas.

Flea. These are similar to bedbug bites and they appear in groups, although in a smaller quantity (three or four bites in a straight line). They appear more frequently on the lower part of the legs and in humid areas of the body, such as armpits or the scalp.

Spider. There are usually two bites close together, which as in the other cases, reddens the area around them. They usually take longer to heal than bites or stings by other insects.

Tick. Their bites are deep red and can cause rashes and a burning feeling.

We can find the tick’s body hooked into our skin, in which case it must be removed delicately with tweezers. They usually bite in the warm, damp areas of the body.

Take care with the symptoms!

Although most bites and stings are harmless, the transmission of diseases or any allergic reactions that they might cause must be taken into account.

We must consult a doctor if the inflamed area around the sting or bite spreads a great deal or if welts appear in other areas of the body. A high temperature is, under no circumstances, a normal symptom. If the area is very inflamed, hard, red and hot, or it hurts, it is possible the bite or sting has become infected.

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Compartir 13

Cooperatives and social medicine

HLA Universitario Moncloa is celebrating its 30th anniversary HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa has extended its installations, aimed at multiplying its care capacity and improving the services that it offers.

HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa (Madrid) celebrated the central event commemorating its 30th anniversary at the Prado Museum, bringing together representatives from the healthcare sector, the public administration, the private sector and cultural society, along with executives and those in charge of the ASISA Group. Almost three hundred people, amongst whom the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida and the chairman of the ASISA Group, Dr, Francisco Ivorra attended a private visit to the art gallery’s collection.

During his speech, the Mayor of Madrid emphasised the contribution made by HLA Universitario Moncloa to Madrid healthcare and recalled that the centre “is a pioneer hospital, because it was the first of its kind built in Madrid and even 30 years ago, it wasn’t afraid to face up to challenges that were unknown at that time.

HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa developed its project starting out from the point of view of excellence, talent and the search, always, for the best healthcare. To do this, it is essential to rely on the best technical resources, but also, and above all, on the best professionals. HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa has made personali-

From left to right: Dr. José Vicente Rull, manager of the HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa; Valeriano Torres, CEO of the HLA Group; Dr. Luis Ortiz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa; José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid; Pilar Trinidad Núñez, Sub-delegate of the Government in Madrid; Dr. Francisco Ivorra, Chairman of the ASISA Group; Carmen Casado, Head of Nursing at the HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa; Dr. Carlos Zarco, Medical Director of the HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa.

sed care one of its distinctive features: the complete renewal of its installations will now allow the hospital to give better care to its patients.”

Dr. Ivorra underscored “the commitment of HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa to quality and to the search for excellence to become consolidated as one of the important benchmark centres for private healthcare in the Community of Madrid, a region that has one of the best and most advanced healthcare systems in the European Union. The new installations will

allow us to continue moving forward in this commitment, growing, innovating and implementing new technologies to lead the response against the great challenges facing our healthcare system.” Opened as a clinic in December, 1993, HLA Hospital Universitario Moncloa is currently the centre with the largest capacity for healthcare belonging to the Hospitalario HLA Group, which groups together the hospitals and medical centres of the ASISA Group, and one of the benchmark private centres in the Community of Madrid.

The HLA Group opens its first medical centre in Extremadura The HLA Hospitalario Group is continuing its expansion strategy with the opening of its first medical centre in Extremadura, the HLA Centro Médico Cáceres, in which it offers care in over a dozen different specialities. The new medical centre has a strategic location at Avenida Clara Campoamor, 11 and it covers two floors, with a total surface area of over 1000 m2.

Façade of the HLA Centro Médico Cáceres, the first medical centre belonging to the HLA Group in Extremadura.

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The new medical centre offers care in the main medical specialities, amongst which are family medicine, cardiology, sports medicine, pain treatment, general surgery or the digestive tract.

It also has an operating theatre fitted out with the latest technology for outpatient surgery.

“HLA Centro Médico Cáceres, the first belonging to the HLA Group in Extremadura, represents our commitment to continued growth and increasing our activity. In recent years, we have invested over 300 million in the opening of new centres and in the latest technology for our hospitals, as well as on the development of top level teams of professionals,” Valeriano Torres, the CEO of the HLA Group explains.

The ASISA Group consolidates its ESG strategy With these new steps, the ASISA Group is pursuing the goal of becoming carbon-neutral in 2025.

The year 2023 has been crucial for the consolidation of a sustainability culture within the ASISA Group and the integration of the ESG values in its business strategy.

This mission is upheld by the provision of an excellent service, the impetus and care of the employees, as well as the efficient use of the resources and the reduction of its carbon footprint.

In this context, the ASISA Group has managed to move forward in the development of its 2023-2030 Sustainability Plan. This road map outlines the group’s commitment to decarbonisation and sets 2025 as the deadline year for becoming a carbon-neutral company. The company’s commitment is completed its support to training and research through sponsorship programmes, the extension of alliances with leading bodies on the subject of sustainability and sustainable development, different social causes and the promotion of healthy living habits. The goal is to continue moving forward and adapting in a flexible, transparent way to the new regulations and legislation.

The solar panels on the HLA Clinica Internacional Barcelona contribute to the goal of 99.84% of the electricity used by the ASISA Group coming from 100% renewable sources.]

ASISA Vida offers 15% discount to healthcare professionals ASISA Vida will apply a permanent 15% discount to new insurance policy holders who are healthcare professionals and who contract ASISA Vida Tranquilidad or ASISA Vida Tranquilidad Protección Hipoteca. To access this promotion, policy holders will only have to present their accrediting qualification as healthcare personnel.

This new commitment by ASISA Vida is framed within the company’s Promotional image of ASISA Vida’s new commitment commercial strategy to consolidate to healthcare professionals. itself as the benchmark insurance company in the protection of people and families, differentiating itself due to its closeness to clients and its capacity to adapt to their habits and requirements.

Accordingly, ASISA Vida maintains other commitments, such as applying a permanent 15% discount for large families or blood donors who contract ASISA Vida Tranquilidad.

Generation Z and Millennials are leading debates about mental health Millennials (born between 1981 and 1993) and generation Z (born between 1994 and 2010) are leading conversations on social media in Spain regarding mental health after the pandemic, as is indicated in the report by the HLA Group: How do different generations talk about mental health?

Amongst the report’s conclusions, the greater implication of the younger generations in the public debate about mental health stands out: 65% of the total conversation volume on social media on this topic was generated by millennials and generation Z, who talk almost 54% more about mental health than older people (generation X and baby boomers.) Regarding the contents, although these vary in terms of the age group, the most outstanding topics are mental health as a general concept, depression and deterioration of mental health, anxiety and stress, the search for help and professional support, eating disorders, and the link between mental health and suicide.

A comprehensive programme to support women during the menopause ASISA has started up a comprehensive programme regarding the menopause, aimed at offering information and access to specialists for women who are facing this stage in the lives.

This programme is accessible through the ASISA blog and policy holders will be able to access appointments with specialised medical professionals through the app, Chat

Médico, integrated into Asisa LIVE, the insurance company’s telemedicine platform.

The ‘Programa Integral Menopausia ASISA’ (ASISA Comprehensive Menopause Programme) is aimed at providing women with the tools and knowledge necessary to face up to the menopause, in order to make this transition easier and more empowering for everyone.

The ASISA Comprehensive Menopause Programme allows access through ASISA’s app Chat Médico to information and professionals to resolve any queries about the menopause.

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Cooperative and social medicine

Assistència Sanitària is renewing its medical team and its services Four reference deadlines have been established and the medical team has been extended.

In an unprecedented initiative in the health insurance sector, aimed at streamlining the care, Assistència Sanitària has developed a new medical team that allows the insured population greater capacity to be able to decide when they want access to the consulting rooms and services. Therefore, four reference deadlines have been established for appointments – less than ten days, less than one month, less than two months and over two months, to ensure that there are more options available in the choice and it is better adapted to individual requirements.

At the same time, Assistència Sanitària’s medical team has been extended, giving visibility to all the medical professionals who are working in each of the consulting rooms and centres that provide healthcare for the insured population.

The transformation of the medical team offers transparency and freedom of choice to the people who place their health in the hands of

The number of master and postgraduate student candidates has increased by 60% in this 2023-24 school year. Since the creation of the programme, which has now reached its 16th edition, 4,300 applications have been received. The initiative’s aim is to improve the healthcare system through the continuous support for the training and professional development of students, committed to excellence and innovation.

Assisport is teaming up with the federations in the interest of athletes’ health

Assistència Sanitària and it also intends to encourage accessibility to the medical services and fairness in the distribution of the work amongst the doctors. It is an initiative in line with the essence of an organisation of doctors who understand medicine, placing the patient at the centre of the activity and that is based on freedom of choice and quality.

SCIAS is holding its general assembly as a cooperative On the 15th of June this year, the Ordinary General Assembly of SCIAS took place in Barcelona, which was attended by the people forming part of the cooperative (with equal participation), to give sense to the healthcare cooperativism model of which it is an example. Prior to this, between the 27th of May and the 6th of June, the associates chose the representatives and the appropriate preliminary agreements were reached according to the corresponding boundaries and sectors.

This time led by the out-going chairwoman of the cooperative, M. Àngels Font, the main functions of the General Assembly involved reviewing the overall management, distributing any surpluses, approving the annual accounts, choosing the new members of the Governing Board and other bodies and if such is the case, modifying the articles of association or different regulations.

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333 students apply for grants from Assistència

Assistència Sanitària’s sport medicine centre provides all insured parties over the age of 6 years with an annual federative checkup to obtain their sport aptitude certificate. The complete check-up includes the clinical notes and medical evaluation, systematic examination using devices,

an electrocardiogram, a stress test and echocardiogram (when indicated), a visit to the sport cardiology department in the case of heart pathologies and the final medical-sporting report.

The Hospital de Barcelona holds the first edition of ‘La Milla’ by the Assistència Group In commemoration of the 35 year anniversary of the opening of the Hospital de Barcelona, on Saturday, the 1st of June the first edition of ‘La Milla’ by the Assistència Group was held, a charitable leisure-sports day framed within the ‘Together is Better’ project. Over 125 people from the main companies forming part of the group, as well as their family members, followed,

Assistència Sanitària, a supporting member of the Association of Actuaries of Catalonia This collaboration guarantees access to training actions, as well as work opportunities and access to the association’s job pool.

On the 14th of May, coinciding with Insurance Day, the incorporation agreement was formalised by Assistència Sanitària as a new supporting member of the Association of Actuaries of Catalonia (AAC).

Monica Pujol, the Executive Director of Assistència Sanitària and Victor Molina, an insurance Actuary from the company took part in the event, along with Marisa Galán, Chairwoman of the Association of Actuaries of Catalonia and Diego Almendáriz, Manager of the Association.

The collaboration alliance with Assistència Sanitària, in its capacity as a supporting company of the Association of Actuaries of Catalonia, means a close, active relationship between both institutions. It guarantees the promotion, collaboration and participation in training actions, access to all of them – both for actuaries and for other professional profiles, and the preferential intervention as speakers. Likewise, work opportunities and priority access to the job pool and to all the events and conferen-

Attendees and organisers of the first edition of ‘La Milla’ by the Assistència Group.

The seminar took place at the Hospital de Barcelona, where the latest aspects on orthopaedics and traumatology were tackled.

Over seventy participants in the 8th seminar on orthopaedic surgery and traumatology From left to right: Diego Almendáriz, Manager of the AAC; Marisa Galán, Chairwoman of the AAC; Monica Pujol Executive Director of Assistència Sanitària and Victor Molina, Insurance Actuary from Assistència Sanitària.

ces offered by the Association is assured, as well as the collaboration and reception of its publications.

The backing, assessment and collaboration of the supporting members of the Association of Actuaries of Catalonia – a group which Assistència Sanitària has joined with this agreement, means a benefit not only for the actuaries, but rather for all the professionals who work in the insurance sector.

either running or walking a circular circuit around the building in streets as emblematic as the Avenida Diagonal.

niversary of the Hospital de Barcelona, which was postponed five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was designed to minimise the impact on the environment, with waste and inconvenience reduction steps for the residents, as well as to promote healthy habits. At the end of the trial, Maria Àngels Font, Chairwoman of SCIAS, gave a short speech of thanks, recalling the an-

Following this, a cheque containing the collection from the inscriptions to ‘La Milla’, for a total of 1,450 euros was handed over to the Ateneu Sant Roc foundation, the organisation that won the vote which had previously been carried out amongst the personnell of the group.

The seminar, aimed at professionals in traumatology, radiology, podiatry, rheumatology, sports medicine, rehabilitation, physiotherapy or nursing, brought together over seventy prestigious specialists on the 10th of May at the Hospital de Barcelona, to tackle the latest aspects regarding ankle instability, both lateral and medial, syndesmosis, subtalar joints and associated pathologies.

The 8th edition of the seminar on orthopaedic surgery and traumatology continued with the work of previous editions and forms part of the centre’s educational programme, designed for the promotion of health and up-dating of medical knowledge.

The Hospital de Barcelona and Som Prematurs join their efforts in neonatology The Hospital de Barcelona, a benchmark in private healthcare for mother and child care and neonatology, and Som Prematurs, an association devoted to supporting families and professionals affect by prematurity, have reached a collaboration agreement that includes a series of actions aimed at improving the care and support in this area.

One of the most prominent initiatives is the start up of incubator on-site accompaniment, which will allow the members of Som Prematurs to offer emotional support and information to the families, both during time their babies stay in the neonatology unit and after their hospital discharge. This accompaniment is a commitment to care centred on development and the families and the recognition of the figure of the expert patient as a catalysing element for health and empowerment.

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Cooperatives and social medicine

Building a better future for everyone

to a more sustainable and inclusive economy. Additionally, as companies that are deep-rooted in the territory, cooperatives boost local innovation and community development, tackling specific problems in an effective way.

International Cooperative Day emphasises the positive impact of these organisations

Globally, cooperatives play a crucial role in the economy. According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), over on thousand million people are linked to cooperatives that generate over 250 million jobs all over the world, in sectors as different as health, farming, insurance or banking.

International Cooperative Day, which is held every year on the first Saturday in July, has a special meaning in 2024, as the topic chosen is “Cooperatives are building a better future for everyone.”

The celebrations and events that take place all over the world on this day, which is held on the 6th of July, show the positive, long-lasting impact of cooperative companies in the creation of fairer, more inclusive and more sustainable societies.

their services or work in them. Unlike traditional companies, their priority does not lie in maximising profits, but rather to meet the needs of the cooperative members and contributing to the wellbeing of the community in the development of their activity. It is a business model centred on people and in line with a series of principles and values agreed upon internationally that ensure a responsible action in the social, economic and environmental areas.

Cooperatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who are usually the same people who use

This year’s topic underscores the cooperatives’ capacity to build a better future, emphasising their contribution

HEALTHCARE COOPERATIVES AROUND THE WORLD

Uganda Moses Okello lives in Oyam, a rural area in northern Uganda where malaria habitually wreaks havoc. Some time ago, his entire family became ill in the same week. Fortunately, they got better, but the healthcare bill reached 300,000 shillings, around 75 euros. In order to be able to pay this, they would very likely have had to sell some chickens or a goat.

However, Moses forms part of a health cooperative that took charge

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The celebrations and events are held every year on the first Saturday of July.

of a large part of the debt and allowed him to keep his animals, which are essential elements in his family economy.

In Bushenyi, in Western Uganda, Richard Namara was not as lucky. He and his wife became ill and they had to get into debt that was way beyond their means in order to face up to the medical expenses. Over time, they discovered that there was a health cooperative in their region and they joined it. Thanks to the cooperative, their three children were born in a hospital with the necessary healthcare and without the need to apply for a loan.

International Cooperative Day, and specifically this year’s event, is an opportunity for cooperative members to celebrate their achievements and reflect on their future challenges. Events, conferences and awareness campaigns all around the world will revolve around the essential role of cooperatives in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the construction of a better future for everyone.

Cooperatives from all over the world have been celebrating Cooperatives Day for a century, but it wasn’t until 1995, the centenary of the ICA, when the General Assembly of the United Nations officially proclaimed it and established its annual holding on the first Saturday of July.

The social economy in Spain The report The social economy in Spain in figures offers a detailed analysis about the state and evolution of the social economy in the country. This document, launched by CIRIEC-España and backed by the Ministry of Work and Social Economy, presents data that is up-to date as of the 31st of December 2019, following the outlines established by the Social Economy Law. This report emphasises some of the key figures and conclusions, underscoring the importance of this sector for the Spanish economy and society.

The social economy in Spain covers a wide variety of organisations, including cooperatives, labour companies, insertion companies, special employment centres, mutual societies, associations, foundations and social companies. As a whole, these organisations play a crucial role in the generation of employment, social inclusion and sustainable development.

Cooperatives are a fundamental part of the social economy in Spain, with a considerable presence in sectors such as healthcare, farming, industry and services. The agrifood cooperatives in particular, have shown themselves to be an effective tool for rural development and sustainability. The labour companies, characterised by the participation of the workers in the company ownership and management, have a significant contribution to labour stability and social cohesion. The insertion companies and the special employment centres concentrate on the work integration of people at risk of social exclusion and disabled people, respectively, providing stable, decent employment.

Although Uganda officially has public health services – in theory without any cost for citizens – the reality is that the resources are usually very scarce and the waiting lists never-ending.

For this reason, every day more Ugandans are joining together, forming cooperatives through which they share the financial risks associated with medical treatments. The cooperative acts as a community fund that manages the members’ dues and negotiates with the healthcare workers and the

The report may be consulted using the following link:

The report ‘The social economy in Spain in figures‘ is a document launched by CIRIEC-España and backed by the Ministry of Work and Social Economy.

hospitals, reaching agreements to take care of their members.

Currently, there are 18 healthcare cooperatives registered with 35,000 members.

The American cooperative HealthPartners, in collaboration with the American agency for cooperation with development, introduced the cooperative health insurance model in Uganda over 20 years ago. Currently, it is a deep-rooted model in the local community and that has considerably improved public health.

The report reveals that the social economy represents a significant percentage of the national GDP and total employment in Spain. The social economy organisations contribute 10% of the GDP in Spain, highlighting their economic relevance. This sector generates employment for approximately 2.2 million people, which represents 12.5% of the total employment in the country. It is particularly relevant in regions with high unemployment rates, where these organisations are often the main source of work. The insertion companies and the special employment centres play a vital role in the integration of vulnerable groups, offering job opportunities for over 140,000 people.

In spite of their achievements, the report also identifies several challenges, such as the need to improve access to funding and to encourage the expansion of small companies, for example, by promoting the creation of second degree cooperatives and other forms of integration to increase their scale and efficiency.

The research shown in the report is characterised by the fact that it is the first time that the data for all the agents forming the social economy aggregates are presented, including market producers and others who are not in this category. To do this, a powerful group of researchers who are experts in social economy from nineteen universities have been mobilised.

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In depth

Holidays that are more

RESPONSIBLE

To fight against climate change, we need to change from a mass tourism model, based on consumption and exploitation of the landscape and resources, to other alternative ways, which are more environmentally-friendly.

By Enric Ros

With the arrival of the summer,

come the holidays. As happens every year, Spain will see the number of its visitors increase – even more, over the next days and weeks. But this is nothing new; although it might seem that the mass tourism model is a part and parcel of the globalisation era, the truth is it started out with a bang in the nineteen sixties. At this time, the Minister for Information and Tourism, Manuel Fraga launched the famous slogan Spain is Different to encourage the international community to discover our country. Since them, it seems that the phenomenon (which is also occurring with intensity in many other places), has increased in leaps and bounds, with the unavoidable consequences that it means for the fight against climate change.

Fortunately, a growing number of people are thinking about other, much more environmentally-friendly ways of enjoying their holidays. As the researchers Marta Nel-lo and Claudia Llanes explain in their essay Ecoturismo (Ecotourism) (UOC, 2016), many citizens “want to take part in recreational, sporting and adventure activities, in addition to discovering the history, nature and wildlife of the areas that they visit.” The old model of “passive” tourism (those who prefer to lie on the beach without paying any attention to

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the natural or cultural wealth around them) or what we could call “intrusive” tourism (because it leaves a negative footprint in the places visited) must be changed over to active, respectful travellers.

The ‘allocentric’ visitor

This change of model will be accompanied by the need to avoid the most saturated places. The specialist in tourism models Stanley C. Plog talks about an “allocentric” visitor, who wants to live new experiences in non-touristic areas. This does not only imply a series of benefits for the ecosystem, but it also has a redistributive effect for the economy. As indicated by Nel-lo and Llanes, this so-called “alternative tourism” involves a more harmonious relationship with the environment; respect and conservation of the nature and culture of the regions visited; support for small responsible businesses and local communities, or the enjoyment of significant, less standardised experiences.

The new tourism model must be active and respectful

Four new models of alternative tourism There are different ways of getting away from the expected directives of mass tourism. Marta Nel-lo and Claudia Llanes mention four fundamental options: ecotourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism and rural tourism. All of them share characteristics such as “low social, cultural and environmental impact; the small number of visitors managed; the fact of being models that are highly respectful with the socio-environmental surroundings and their inclusion in the practices of sustainable tourism.”

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In depth

What can we do to make our holidays

REALLY SUSTAINABLE? Although the public administrations should play an important regulatory role, we, as citizens, must take the first step towards making our holidays less harmful for the environment, by making the right decisions.

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We talked

to Miguel del Reguero, a biologist who specialises in ecotourism and environmental education, to ask him what our goals are in order to enjoy some ecologically responsible holidays. In his opinion, the first factor to be taken into account is the distance covered to reach the destination. “In the same way that the best chefs prepare their dishes with zero kilometre products, we must start to talk about one or two thousand kilometre holidays.

We don’t have to discover the world on foot, as proposed by Unamuno, but we should realise that to be happy when travelling, we don’t have to go very far away,” he indicates.

Del Reguero points out that there are people who have become “collectors of exotic landscapes or of countries that are in situations of risk, and on the other hand, do not enjoy a setting such as ours, where we have almost everything on hand and that they can reach by train or public transport.”

At the same time, mass tourism has meant that there are territories “such as the entire coast, from Catalonia to Andalusia, which have been ecologically damaged in a virtually irreversible way.” Del Reguero defends the quality of our landscape, but in order to

conserve it, the public administrations must regulate the load capacity of these places in both time and space. This is particularly important in our country, given that 12.8% of the GDP in 2023 came from the tourism sector.

“Today we have seventeen different models of tourism regulations for the seventeen autonomous regions,” he tells us. “This means that there are national parks, for example, that have conserved their biodiversity very well and others such as the Tablas de Daimiel that have reached a more concerning situation.”

“In the same way that chefs prepare their dishes with 0 km products, we must start talking about one or two thousand kilometre holidays”

Plan of action Miguel del Reguero proposes a plan of action to enjoy a sustainable holiday: travel excessive distances and • Duseo not public transport wherever possible.

Discover how to enjoy everything offered by our nearby surroundings. hoose small-scale hotel products, • Cspread out over the area, in well-conserved natural areas and avoid the large hotel resorts. at the local cuisine rather than the globa• Elised catering proposals. activities that do not plun• Edernjoythesporting natural environment. void exceeding a human population • Adensity that could have a negative impact on the flora or fauna in a specific setting. we leave no “footprints” of • Mourakevisitsure(forthat example, leaving bags of rubbish hanging from the trees, thinking that an employee will come and collect them.)

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In depth

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Tourism, the environment

AND ABOVE ALL, HEALTH Holidays should contemplate a comprehensive view of human, animal and environmental health to prevent the transmission of diseases between different species.

During the COVID-19 pandemic we

were able to see the effects that our actions could have on the health of other people. At the same time, it forced us to reflect on a way of understanding life, where we took for granted that we could enjoy the right to a virtually limitless mobility for ever more. As Miguel del Reguero explains correctly “human health is closely linked to the biosphere, which is the living part of our planet. For this reason, we must manage to understand that we cannot be healthy without healthy flora or fauna.”

However, this does not mean that tourism should become an adversary of the natural resources. By contrast, the sector can make a positive contribution to the environment, if there is an effective collaboration between the public administrations and tourism companies. At the same time, it is obvious that some practices in the sector mean risks, such as the possibility of exposure and transmission of diseases or the degradation of the ecosystems. In view of this, a One Health approach is necessary, which proposes a comprehensive view of human, animal and environmental health.

safe distance between people, wildlife and pets in order to prevent the transmission of diseases between the different species. This takes on special importance when we come into contact with animals with the closest genetic relationship to us, such as large apes, with which we share over 98% of our DNA. For this reason, in the case of these animals, the recommended observation distance is usually between seven and ten metres.

It is also important to take into consideration animal behaviour and movements. We must respect the paths and observation areas indicated in order to not barge into migration routes, shelters or roosts.

“We must manage to destinations understand that we Rural Here we summarise the cannot be healthy fundamental points of the WTO’s proposals to contriwithout healthy fauna bute to the sustainability in environments with a natural or flora” ecosystem to be conserved:

Back in 2021, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) proposed a series of recommendations for a transition towards ecological travelling, amongst which a commitment to the wellbeing of the rural communities, the exploitation of the opportunities offered by technology and digitalisation or the development of sustainable practices all stand out. On an individual scale, the most effective step is to maintain a

• Tourism must take an active part in the

fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

• The governments of the different public administrations must promote so-called “smart destinations”, in terms of criteria such as accessibility and sustainability.

• The public administrations must join the Measuring of the Sustainability of Tourism (TSM) initiative, recognised by the Statistics Commission of the United Nations as the most effective way of calculating the environmental, economic and social impact of tourism.

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In depth

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Take the trouble to find good ecological and epidemiological information about the place we are going to visit. In the case of there being any alterations to our state of health, we must immediately inform either the authorities or the healthcare professionals.

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principles for looking after your health on holiday The holidays are a time for rest and revitalisation, but they can also have undesired consequences if we don’t take the right precautions.

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In general, our aim must lie in trying to disturb the wildlife as little as possible. We must take into account that the alteration of their habitat may cause animals to move (for example, to areas where they know that they can find food and waste, due to the presence of human beings), causing imbalances in the ecosystem and even the transmission of diseases.

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As animal watching involves risks of scratches, bites or more serious injuries, we must always remain at the correct distance and be well-informed about the behaviour of each species. We must also avoid making loud noises or sudden movements that could frighten or provoke them.

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We must be aware that our presence in a natural setting may contaminate the ecosystems and affect them on different levels, in addition to human health; for example, when we use detergents for washing clothes or we do not eliminate rubbish in the correct way (particularly, plastic or electronic waste.)

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We should always be proactive regarding questions of health, taking all the necessary precautions. Medical tests or vaccinations when necessary should be carried out prior to the holiday, in addition to knowing the action protocols for healthcare risk situations, having a first aid kit or a provision of medicines and relevant healthcare products for the place to be visited.

Types of ecotourist Professor Kreg Lindberg, a specialist in forestry resources, has identified four types of ecotourists with different degrees of implication:

The occasional ecotourist They choose a trip of this type accidentally, normally as part of a longer journey (for example, travelling to the Iguazu Falls).

The natural milestones ecotourist

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Suitble protection equipment must be available, such as face masks if we are in settings with a high exposure to wild animal excrement.

It is also essential to use insect repellent to prevent mosquito and tick bites, which can transmit diseases.

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We must use solar protection to prevent skin diseases when we are in nature. It is also advisable to use products that do not damage the coral reefs, that is to say, that do not contain ingredients related to the decolouring of the coral reefs.

This is a person who decides to travel to an ecotourism destination (a photography safari in Kenya or a visit to the Amazon jungle), but without a strong commitment to defending the environment.

The interested ecotourist They look for this type of journeys because they truly like to enjoy nature. They are ecologically aware and some knowledge about what should be done to make a positive impact on the environment.

The involved ecotourist This is a person who has a strong environmental vocation, who prepares their trip to learn or help in environmental conservation. Often they take part in research or solidarity projects (such as the cleaning of a certain area). They are convinced that it is possible to contribute to the conservation of the planet without having to stop travelling.

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Destinations

MARSEILLE

a bright, seafaring port Picturesque neighbourhoods, irresistible gastronomic proposals, enchanting coves and top level museums await you in the vibrant capital of Provence.

By Neus Duran

With 26 centuries of history behind it, the city has been completely renewed over the past decade

T

he new high-speed railway routes that in just a few hours take us to Marseille at a reasonable price are turning it into one of the best excuses to discover or revisit this always appealing city for a short holiday. With 26 centuries behind it, the most “carefree” of French cities oozes history and a multicultural nature. Bathed in the yellow light of Provence, it has a completely seafaring soul; it never lets us forget that we are at the feet of the Mare Nostrum.

The heart of the city is Le Vieux-Port. From the first light of day when it hosts the traditional fish market, it turns into a real hotbed, filled with traditional barges, yachts and tourist vessels passing through its streets, while streams of travellers and local residents throng its appealing restaurants and terraces.

The spectacular MuCEM symbolises the renewed Marseilles.

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The Vieux-Port is the true heart of the city; on the hill the Byzantine basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde stands out, looking out over some spectacular views of Marseille.

A short ferry ride takes to the Île d’If, where the castle-prison of the Count of Monte Cristo is erected.

A short way from the old port the historic district of Le Panier may be found, an instagrammable network of steep alleyways, full of colourful, Provencal façades, craft workshops, wine bars and attractive art galleries. Visitors must have a drink in one of the busy bars or the charming cafes in some of most outstanding squares, such as the Place de Lenche, the ancient Greek Agora or the Place de Moulins, at the highest point of the area, with some spectacular views.

it is worth making the trip to enjoy a swim and the landscape; snorkelling fans on the other hand, will find some of the most spectacular dives in the Mediterranean. On the horizon, opposite the city, the islands of the Frioul archipelago emerge, one of which houses the Château d’If, where Alexandre Dumas locked up the Count of Monte Cristo in his book. The fortress, which can be reached by a short ferry ride, is open to the public and visitors can slip through its dismal cells.

We will also find an amazing panorama from the highest point of the city, the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica. By foot, bus or tourist train, visitors can climb to this byzantine jewel in which the large amount of wooden boats hanging from the ceiling is astounding; they are offerings made to the Virgin by dozens of shipwreck survivors from all over the world.

MuCEM, a symbol of the new Marseilles

From the hill of La Garde, the attractive surroundings of the city may also be viewed, from L’Estanque to the National Park of Calanques, with its turquoise coves and steep cliffs. If you have time, Bouillabaisse, a tasty and traditional fish stew, is the most emblematic dish of Marseille’s cuisine.

Returning to the city, it is time to also discover the renewed face of Marseilles – driven by its naming as European Cultural Capital in 2013, by directing our steps to the cultural space J4. It is an ancient wall, reconverted into a hotbed of artistic proposals the flagship of which, without any doubt, is the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. With its impacting cube-shape and joined to the Saint Jean fort by a catwalk over the sea, it hosts all kinds of exhibitions and a busy agenda of concerts and events that it is worth consulting when preparing our trip.

But if anything will make travellers fall in love with Marseille, this must be its tasty cuisine, which brings together innovation with traditional recipes and French cooking with multicultural influences.

An essential dish is bouillabaisse, a fish stew traditionally prepared using the fish that is left at the bottom of the sailors’ fish baskets, which is served accompanied by croutons rubbed with garlic and with rouille sauce. As an aperitif, there is nothing better than a tapenade, anchovies with crushed olives, or the panisses fris, flour made of fried chickpeas.

Before saying farewell to the city, it is worth saving some time for last minute shopping; the emblematic Marseille soap, the typical wooden figures (santons de Provence), the traditional boat-shaped sweets or a bottle of Pastis will be perfect as gifts or souvenirs to keep the capital of Provence alive in our memories.

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Leisure

Jump, sing and vibrate:

THE FESTIVAL BUSINESS

Music festivals in Spain have an attraction that few other cultural events can reach. With an eclectic offer all over the different areas of the country, they not only allow many artists to be enjoyed over a few days, they also have positive effects on the economy of their sites.

By Joan Miquel Mas Salom

A

ccording to a study carried out by the OBS Business School, led by the professor Elena Mir, in 2023 the live music industry earned the scandalous figure of 578 million euros, meaning a 25% increase compared to the previous year. Spain has become, without any doubt, a world reference destination with regard to music festivals, reaching a position amongst the 15 main markets in this sector and everything is pointing towards the fact that this trend will continue to rise over the next few years.

Events such as Primavera Sound, the FIB Festival or Mad Cool bring together hundreds of thousands of spectators, who in spite of the price increase (48% between 2022 and 2023 on average) continue to buy tickets, up to six months beforehand.

A guide to the best festivals

Summer has arrived and you have decided to go to a festival; you don’t mind travelling and you have a wide range of musical tastes. Great! But there is one important problem: the festival offer is so extensive that it is overwhelming. You can’t decide which one is closest to your tastes, or which is the most sustainable. You don’t know if you prefer a macro event or a more discreet one. To make this decision easier, we have made a summary of the five best festivals, all over Spain and for all music tastes.

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Sónar If you like electronic music and can’t stop dancing until dawn, the Sónar festival is your ideal event. Held in Barcelona, it is considered to be one of the most innovative events and is known worldwide in the field of electronic and experimental music.

Founded in 1994, this festival has become a pilgrimage point for all the lovers of this genre, which year after year manages to attract thousands of people ready to let fly with their feet and their voices. Divided up into Sónar de Día (Daytime Sónar) and Sónar de Noche (Night-time Sónar), it offers a programme that combines concerts, DJ sessions, exhibitions and conferences.

The 2024 edition was held from the 13th to the 15th of June and this year it had international artists such as Kaytranada, Floating Points or Jessie Ware in its line up.

Mad Cool Resurrection Fest If there is traditionally an audience dedicated to live music, metal fans are without any doubt this group.

And the best metal, hardcore and punk festival held in Spain is the Resurrection Fest.

Located in Viveiro, Galicia, every summer the festival brings together thousands of fans, who congregate on the Galician coast to enjoy performances by both legendary bands and newcomers. In addition to the concerts, the Resurrection Fest offers camping areas, parallel activities such as skateboarding and art exhibitions, creating a vibrant, community atmosphere. In fact, beyond the quality of the music (which is amazing), once the festival has ended, the good atmosphere experienced is what every visitor remembers.

The 2024 edition took place from the 26th to the 29th of June and amongst its headliners were Avenged Sevenfold, Bring Me the Horizon, Sum 41 or Machine Head.

Mad Cool is the youngest festival on the entire list, holding its seventh edition this year. Even so, it has already become consolidated as one of the most important events on the music calendar in Europe. Held in Madrid, this festival attracts global audiences with its eclectic options, which include great names from rock, pop, indie and electronic music.

Although it might seem irrational, the mixture works. Because, in the end, we all go through times when we need danceable pop music and others when we want indie music to relax us. In addition to the concerts, Mad Cool offers a complete experience with areas for art, fashion and gastronomy.

The 2024 edition will be held from the 10th to the 13th of July and amongst its headliners will be Dua Lipa, Pearl Jam and The Killers.

FIB

Cruïlla Held in Barcelona’s Parc del Fòrum, Cruïlla has been characterised from its very beginnings by its musical and cultural diversity. In fact, the festival’s name itself appeals to this diverse nature, as cruïlla means ‘cross’ in Catalan. Integrating a variety of styles ranging from rock, pop and reggae to electronic music and hip hop, its line up reflects this spirit of fusion.

Beyond the music, Cruïlla stands out for its commitment to sustainability and innovation. At the 2023 edition, it was the first festival in Spain that used 100% renewable energy.

Music, sun and a beach party. This is the perfect description of the Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (FIB), one of the most long-standing and respected musical events in Spain.

Held in the coastal town of Benicàssim, every year this festival hosts thousands of people from Spain and abroad. Combining artists from all over, its focus on rock and indie music stands out, although it also leaves room for electronic music. The festival also includes a varied cultural programme, with activities such as film screenings, theatre and art exhibitions.

The 2024 edition will be held from the 18th to the 21st of July and its line up includes international artists such as Black Eyed Peas or The Libertines and prestigious Spanish indie groups such as Arde Bogotá or La La Love you.

The 2024 edition will take place from the 10th to the 13th of July and its international headliners are Avril Lavigne and The Smashing Pumpkins, although it also backs local artists such as Figa Flawas or Albert Pla.

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Trends

‘PERSEPOLIS’: a timeless portrait of the graphic novel

Twenty-four years after the launch of ‘Persepolis’, and with the short novel ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ still on the front shelves in bookshops, this year Marjane Satrapi has been awarded with the Princess of Asturias Prize for a career devoted to defending human rights and freedom.

By Laura Martos

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lways maintain your dignity and integrity.” These are the words (spoken by her grandmother) that travelled with Marjane Satrapi in 1984, from Teheran to Vienna. At that time she was 14 years old and in her country of birth – Iran, a war had just broken out that would change the entire nation forever more.

Her teenage years in Europe were also no bed of roses. Marked by the start of the repression experienced in Iran, in the West she had to fight against some significant challenges, including racism, loneliness and the lack of cultural identity.

In the year 2000, she published the graphic novel Persepolis, an autobiographical story of her childhood and teenage years in the transition between the regime of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the first years of the Islamic Republic. She wrote it in French – and not in Farsi, her mother tongue, because, as the author explains, she wanted to provide an alternative perspective for western people, who had consumed a distorted version, of what she had experienced as the revolution of her country.

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Don’t miss…

‘Embroideries’ (2003) Embroideries is an intimate, humorous story about the conversations held between Iranian women. The story develops at a family get-together in Teheran, where a group of women from different generations come together to have tea and chat while the men take an after-lunch nap.

‘Chicken with plums’ (2004) The plot develops in 1958 and starts when Nasser Ali Khan discovers that his tar (a Persian musical instrument) has been destroyed. Unable to find an instrument that can replace it, Nasser Ali decides to die. The story follows the final eight days of his life while he waits for death, recalling his past and reflecting on his decisions and relationships.

‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ (2023) Aimed at telling the story of Mahsa Jina Amini, Marjane Satrapi has brought together three specialists: the political scientist Farid Vahid, the reporter, Jean-Pierre Perrin and the historian Abbas Milani, to which seventeen of the best talents in the comic world are added to create a graphic essay that commemorates the Iranian rebellion.

Although it is true that the evolution of the contemporary graphic novel after Alan Moore (with particular attention on V for Vendetta or Watchmen) allowed political and social topics to be explored with greater freedom to tackle the complexity and controversy that it grants them (Maus[1986], by Art Spiegelman or American Splendor [1996], by Harvey Pekar and Robert Crumb), the roots of Persepolis run particularly deep.

The story starts in 1980, the first year that the main character was forced to wear a veil to school. Little Marji sails through her intellectual curiosity trying to understand the social context that surrounds her, even leading her to hold conversations with God, who she curiously felt was physically similar to Karl Marx, and to break off her links with him on seeing his impunity in the face of the war. Through anecdotes about the active opposition of her family to the Shar’s government and their subsequent resistance to the rules of the regime- on a trip to Istanbul, her parents bought her some posters of Kim Wilde and Iron Maiden that they managed to get over the border sewn into the lining of a jacket – Marjane helps us to join together some pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that went beyond the war and concerns human rights, the difference between classes, religion and sexuality. And it is precisely in this way that the reader, however distant they are from the conflict, ends up feeling empathy with someone who, without wanting to, finds herself in the middle of a socio-cultural crisis that shakes up her entire life. A story which, in spite

of the characterisation, is far from being innocent, although certainly this is one of its great virtues.

The author

The work won the 2001 Angouleme Revelation Author Prize and the best Angouleme Script in 2002. In 2007, an animated film based on the graphic novel was premiered, directed by Vincent Paronnaud, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or and won the Jury’s Award at the Cannes Festival that year. It also won a Goya and was nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2008 Oscars.

Marjane has other titles that tell different tales inspired by real stories about life in Iran, such as Embroideries (2003) and Chicken with plums (2004). She has also directed films, such as The Voices (2014), a terror-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds, or Radioactive (2019), a biographical film about Madame Curie. At the end of last year she coordinated the graphic essay Woman, Life, Freedom, a tribute to the feminist rebellion that was started by the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, in October, 2022 for not wearing her veil correctly.

Marjane Satrapi

is an Iranian writer, director and illustrator.

She was born in Rasht on the 22nd of November, 1969 and has lived in France since 1994.

In 2024, with a new edition of Persepolis in bookshops, translated by Carlos Mayor (a perfect opportunity to revisit or discover the story), the author has been awarded the Princess of Asturias Prize for Communication and Humanities for being “an essential voice for human rights and freedom”, a recognition that she dedicated to all the young people who lost their lives during the war and who continue to fight for freedom.

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Disconnection

Did you know that ….?

The first operation with anaesthesia was carried out using laughing gas

Series

The Japan of the samurais Set in 17th century Japan, Lord Yoshi Toranaga resists his removal from the board of regents. While an alliance of corruption is formed against Toranaga, a mysterious European ship appears abandoned, close to a fishing village. The navigator John Blackthorne is found in it, a character who would go from being a foreigner to a samurai while he is used as a pawn in the Japanese fight.

Shogun. Miniseries (10 episodes). Disney+.

The ins and outs of 11M

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Although the first operation with anaesthetic was carried out by the surgeon John C. Warren and the dentist William T.G. Morton on the 16th of October, 1846 – in an event know as “the ether day”, a few years prior to this a gas had already been used with anaesthetic effects to alleviate the pain of medical operations.

A dentist called Horace Wells had also carried out this operation out.

Wells, a dentist from the city of Hartford, attended a conference in 1844, at which a medical student (Gardner Colton) wanted to show the effects caused by nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. Wells, on seeing that one of the participants had hit his leg and did not seem to feel any pain, believed that this gas could be a solution to alleviate

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his patients’ pain when he carried out extractions.

However, and in spite of the fact that Wells carried out several painless extractions, a chemist from the city warned him of the danger of using nitrous oxide. Amongst other questions, the lack of oxygen reaching the brain could cause fainting spells and even respiratory arrest.

Even so, Wells informed a former apprentice William Morton, of his advances, and he took him before a medical audience at the University of Harvard to carry out a demonstration, but the intervention was a complete disaster.

Morton continued to carry out some experiments on his own behalf, until he found another gas –ether, which, two years later and after several experiments with animals and humans, was found to work as an anaesthetic.

He gave it a public trial, in the same amphitheatre of the Harvard Medical School, with a patient who had a tumour on his neck. After inhaling the gas, the patient became unconscious and the operation was carried out without any problems.

On the 11th of March, 2004, the Madrid commuter train network suffered a series of terrorist attacks that killed one hundred and ninety people.

This adaptation of the book by Manuel Jabois shows the figure of Gabriel Montoya Vidal, the first person to be sentenced for the attacks after transporting some of the explosives from Asturias to Madrid.

Nos vemos en otra vida (We’ll meet again in another life).

Miniseries (6 episodes). Disney+.

A unique marriage John and Jane are a married couple of professional spies who do not know about each other’s secret profession. In a television adaptation of the film premiered in 2005 with the same title, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, it is presented as a romantic comedy and action film that will lead the couple to face up to different cracks in both their marriage and their work.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Season 1. Prime Video.

Brought together by loss In 2014, in Hong Kong the lives of three American women cross due to a family tragedy. Margaret, Hilary and Mercy are the stars of this series based on the novel by Janice Y.K. Lee that reflects on privileges, victimisation and blame.

Expatriadas (Expats). Season 1. Prime Video.

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