Por Redaccion 
The Minister of Social Inclusion, Youth, Families, and Equality, Loles López, and the Mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita del Cid, have signed a protocol to position Andalusia as a destination of reference for the development of social events aimed at combating gender stereotypes and promoting diversity, equality, and respect for the LGTBI community.
At the signing of the agreement, held at the ‘Isabel Manoja’ Community Development Center in the municipality of Torremolinos, representatives of the LGTBI entities of Torremolinos were present in addition to the Minister and the Mayor.
The agreement between the Junta and the municipality of Malaga was carried out within the framework of the International Day against LGTBIfobia, commemorated on May 17th. After signing the agreement, the LGTBI entities of the municipality read a manifesto in defense of the rights and dignity of all individuals, which was supported by the Andalusian Government and the Torremolinos City Council.
During her speech, López expressed her conviction that Andalusia, and Torremolinos in particular, «must be a reference point for hosting events that promote the values of diversity, respect, and equality, enriching society’s coexistence.»
In this regard, she highlighted the essential work of LGTBI community entities and emphasized that «they understand the real problems and the path to finding solutions.» She asserted that «it’s not about locking ourselves in an office but letting ourselves be guided by those who experience this reality up close.»
The Minister recalled that the Andalusian Government, in collaboration with the community, has developed the Protocol for the social inclusion of LGTBI individuals, the first Equality and Non-Discrimination Strategy for this community, as well as awareness and training campaigns.
The Minister of Social Inclusion also highlighted that the 5th edition of the International LGTBI Congress of Andalusia in Torremolinos will be held on June 4th and 5th, with the municipality being designated as a permanent venue. This event will have the theme ‘Andalusia: Land of equality, freedom, and diversity’, aiming to find joint solutions to ensure full respect and protect the right to affective-sexual diversity and gender identity.
Through these initiatives, Loles López stated that the Andalusian Government seeks to «address the real problems of the community, reinforcing the value of diversity and the need for respect and equality.»
«This is about people, and our life partners do not define us, but our hearts. This is about being equal, free, good people, and, above all, happy,» concluded the Minister.
The Mayor of Torremolinos expressed gratitude that this protocol was initiated from Torremolinos: «We do it with pride, but also with the responsibility to know that it is necessary to defend values such as diversity and freedom.»
In this regard, Del Cid recalled that the City Council recently announced the creation of a board to combat hate crimes and all those attacks affecting sexual, cultural, or religious diversity.
«We must demand excellence from those administrations that have greater responsibility and more resources in security matters. Not because of the work and dedication of their staff, to whom I always appreciate their support, but because it is important for them to have more human and material resources,» she concluded.
After signing the protocol and reading the manifesto, the Minister and the Mayor of Torremolinos, along with other authorities and entities present, moved to the Town Hall of the municipality, where they unveiled the ‘Free from LGTBIfobia Space’ emblem plaque, through which the Junta highlights those Andalusian environments that represent peaceful spaces for LGTBI individuals.