Costa Calida • Issue No. 2035 • 4 - 10 July 2024
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Moors & Christians Unexpected delivery Images: Santomera Town Hall
SANTOMERA’S Moros y Cristianos festival lit up the streets on June 29, drawing crowds to celebrate its rich cultural heritage. The event, declared of Regional Tourist Interest, featured a procession of around 1,500 participants. Starting from Adolfo Suárez Garden at 9.00pm, the parade wound through the streets, including Juan Carlos I Avenue, accompanied by traditional Moorish and Christian marches. Thousands of residents and visitors lined the route, eager to witness the spectacle. A new twist this year was the inclusion of Carthaginian and Roman troops, adding a historical flavour to the festivities. Music from the Euterpe Cultural Association and an enchanting Egyptian dance by Ricardo Giner’s ballet troupe added to the festive spirit. Santomera’s
Echoes of Moors & Christians.
Moros y Cristianos festival commemorates the clashes between Moors and Christians during the Reconquista era. This vibrant celebration symbolises the capture and subsequent Christian reconquest of cities. Local groups devote much of the year to preparing for the festival, culminating in spectacular para-
des and dramatic reenactments. The festivities last several days, processions where Christians, dressed in fur, metallic helmets, and armour, and Moors don ancient Arab attire, wield scimitars, take centre stage. This cherished festival, honouring the Virgin del Rosario, reflects Santomera’s deep-rooted traditions.
A 35-YEAR-OLD woman gave birth at a petrol station in Puente Tocinos, a district of Murcia, on Sunday afternoon June 30. The incident occurred on Avenida Miguel Induráin as she was en route to the hospital and went into labour. At 19.09, the Emergency Coordination Centre 112 of the Region of Murcia received a call alerting them of the situation. Emergency personnel provided instructions over the phone while dispatching an ambulance with medical staff. The baby was born during the call. A Mobile Unit from the 061 Emergency and Urgency Management arrived shortly after. They stabilised both the mother and the newborn before requesting an additional ambulance to transfer them to Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital in Murcia.
Image: Shutterstock/ Milana Gutesa Bozo
Petrol station birth in Murcia.
THE Union of Professionals and Small Self-Employed (UPTA) predicts that the Murcia region will need 4,000 more self-employed foreigners over the next five years. Currently, there are 10,180 international self-employed workers registered in Murcia, which is a 41 per cent increase over the last 10 years. According to Eduardo Abad, the president of UPTA, industries like retail, hospitality, agriculture, transportation, construction, and domestic services will be
Image: Ground Picture
Foreigners welcome
ENTREPRENEURIAL NEEDS: Murcia.
particularly in need of these workers. Abad recently met
with Pilar Cancela, the Secretary of State for Migrations, to discuss
simplifying the process for foreigners who want to start their own businesses in Spain. He emphasised the importance of welcoming international entrepreneurs and moving away from xenophobic attitudes. This initiative aims to boost Murcia’s economy by attracting more foreign entrepreneurs to contribute to key sectors. UPTA’s proposal reflects ongoing trends and aims to ensure that Murcia can meet its economic and labour needs in the coming years.
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