'Valladolid Mission Ambassadors: A commitment to the present and the future’ is the title of the two days that the Valladolid City Council will dedicate to the Climate Mission, on the 15th and 16th of November.

On Friday 15th, the Mayor of Valladolid, Jesús Julio Carnero, will gather for the first time in the City Hall almost 150 entities that have joined the Valladolid Mission, a zero emissions city in 2030. 

And on Saturday 16th, the concert ‘Solidarity Challenge’ will raise funds for the Spanish Cancer Association in Valladolid. It will take place at 20:00h, in the Cúpula del Milenio, with Cristina Ramos, winner of Spain Got Talent, La Voz México and TOP 5 in America's Got Talent, and with David de María, as guest artist. Tickets will cost 10 euros and can be purchased at Calle Claudio Moyano, 26 (bajo), Valladolid.

Together with the mayor, Artemio Domínguez, president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Valladolid, and Narciso Prieto, Director of Communication and Institutional Relations at Caja Rural de Zamora, the concert’s sponsor, presented the event.

The mayor expressed his gratitude for the commitment of all those contributing their efforts to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. He noted, “Achieving zero emissions by 2030 is undoubtedly a great ambition, but it is the only path to becoming stronger in the face of climate change and a goal that can only be achieved if the aim is shared across the entire city. We have always been clear that this is a mission for the whole city, not just the City Council. That’s why it’s essential to involve everyone. This Climate Mission is a ‘Mission of everyone and for everyone.’ That is why it is both an achievement and a source of pride as a city that this program already includes nearly 150 entities from Valladolid’s productive, associative, academic, and institutional sectors as the foundation for the Valladolid Mission city platform.”

Connecting with citizens to encourage their involvement in achieving a carbon-free city is a crucial step forward. In this regard, the mayor stressed that “it is essential to communicate the Valladolid Mission to all our citizens more clearly, because this challenge is for all of us, and we need to convey the goals and objectives to which the city of Valladolid has committed itself and in which we all have the ability to take action.”

Mission Planting Event

In fact, on the morning of November 16th, a “Mission Planting” event has been organized as an open initiative for citizens and volunteers, where ambassadors will plant seeds as the beginning of a municipal urban forest dedicated to the people of Valladolid. The designated area is a tree-planting plot near the Pisuerga River; the meeting point for this initiative will be at the intersection of Londres and Olimpiadas streets.

Why a Benefit Concert with the AECC?

It should be noted that some environmental consequences of climate change are associated with an increased risk of developing this disease. 

Air pollution is considered responsible for up to 14% of lung cancer cases worldwide and is regarded as one of the leading causes of cancer after tobacco. 

There is also evidence of the relationship between air pollution and its impact on people affected by cancer.

Mission Ambassadors Day

Friday will be dedicated to the Mission Amabassadors, including key figures who have driven the European Horizon Missions program, such as Kirsten Dunlop, who leads EIT Climate KIC, and Julio Lumbreras, co-director of the CitiES2030 platform, which coordinates the seven mission cities in Spain.

In this first gathering of ambassadors sharing a common goal, discussions will also address funding opportunities to decarbonize the city, with representatives from the banking sector, as well as the importance of joint and team-based communication, led by journalist Jesús Álvarez. Raising awareness and sensitizing society about the importance of sustainable growth that respects economic, social, and environmental aspects is a key step to strengthening this European mission.