The Vice-counseling of Territorial Planning and Demographic Challenge of the Government of the Canary Islands has launched RETOFest 2026, a pioneering initiative designed to integrate the youth perspective into policies aimed at addressing the demographic challenge and territorial cohesion of the archipelago. The project is part of the Canarian Strategy for Demographic Challenge and Territorial Cohesion.
The RETOFest Congress will take place on November 19 and 20 in La Orotava, bringing together the finalist teams from the different islands. The call is open to students from Compulsory Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Vocational Training, and University Studies, who can submit proposals on the main demographic and territorial challenges of the Canary Islands. The registration deadline for educational centers has been extended to October 7 via the website retofestgobcan.org.
Elena Zárate, Vice-counselor of Territorial Planning and Demographic Challenge, explained that RETOFest aims for the response to the islands' challenges to be built "by counting those who will live the future." She emphasized the need to incorporate contributions from society, especially young people, so they can identify problems, propose solutions, and share them with other young people from all islands.
The mayor of La Orotava, Francisco Linares, highlighted the importance of hosting this event, which places young people and municipalities at the center of the debate on the future of the Canary Islands. He noted that the demographic challenge manifests differently in each territory, making the meeting of young people from all islands crucial for sharing experiences and needs.
Participants' proposals can be developed around five thematic axes: territory and sustainability; innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent; Canarian identity and culture; active and responsible participation and citizenship; and connection and mobility. Each center can present a team of up to four students in one of the four participation categories: ESO, Baccalaureate, Vocational Training, and University Studies.
An island jury will pre-select the best work from each island and category. Finally, 23 teams will travel to La Orotava to present their proposals to the regional jury. The Government of the Canary Islands will cover the travel, accommodation, and daily expenses for teams coming from other islands.
Daniel Gallart, Secretary General of the Union of Students of the Canary Islands (UDECA), encouraged participation, emphasizing that RETOFest allows students to research, debate, and defend their own proposals, ensuring their ideas reach policymakers.
The RETOFest 2026 Congress, which anticipates around 400 attendees, will include the exhibition of selected works, a university debate league, debate panels, training workshops, a collective mural, and a concert by young Canarian artists. First prizes will consist of a tablet for each member of the winning team.
