Costa Blanca

Elche celebrates the Diversa 2025 Festival with a week of culture, inclusion, and LGBTI+ visibility

A new incarnation of the Diversa Festival, a cultural and social event that has become a benchmark for LGBTI+ visibility in the province of Alicante, will be held in Elche from May 16th to the 24th. The festival, which is presented under the motto “More visible, more possible,” is organised by the City Council through the Departments of Social Action, Culture, and Youth. This motto embodies the festival’s characteristic spirit of inclusion and diversity.

The Diversa 2025 Festival programme encompasses a variety of events, such as panel discussions, theatre, film, athletics, live podcasts, and concerts, all of which will feature notable artists and personalities. Diversa has experienced substantial growth since its inception in 2009. The 2024 edition attracted over 4,200 attendees, a 20% increase from the previous year, as indicated by city council data.

Celia Lastra, Councillor for Social Action, underscored that “this festival is not merely a celebration; it is a social transformation tool that enables us to coexist with empathy and respect, thereby reinforcing the principles of diversity and integration.”

The Congress Centre, the Odeón Cinemas, the Sports City, and the L’Escorxador CCCE are among the venues that will hold the events. The latter will host a significant portion of the activities. This year, Miguel Hernández University (UMH) is also participating through its Vice-Rectorate for Culture, Equality, and Diversity.

On Thursday, May 16th, the programme will commence with a panel discussion featuring Choriza May, a well-known drag diva who is recognised for her involvement in Drag Race UK. The Espai Escènic del Escorxador will host the event at 8:00 p.m. Admission is free.

The horror classic Scream (1996) will be screened at 12:00 p.m. at the Congress Centre on Friday, the 17th. Cristina Alcázar and Carla Pulpón will be broadcasting the podcast “Cover Lo Sera Tú” live at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, the 18th, at the Escorxador. Tickets for this event, as well as the other paid performances, are priced at 5 euros and can be obtained from the Gran Teatro box office or the Vivaticket platform.

The Congress Centre will host a discussion on the cultural memory of the LGBTI+ community at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, the 23rd. The Sports City will host a sports day with Dimove at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, the 24th. In the afternoon, the theater-cabaret “The Night of a Thousand Marinas” will be performed at 7:30 p.m.

Natalia Lacunza, a finalist on Operación Triunfo and one of the most influential emerging artists on the Spanish music landscape, will be performing at the festival’s closing ceremony. The festival’s inaugural speech will precede the concert, which is scheduled to commence at 10:00 PM on the Escorxador terrace.

Elche reiterates its dedication to the rights of the LGBTI+ community through this initiative, which provides a platform for expression and commemoration that is accessible to all citizens.

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Related Topics:2025 Alicante Community Council Elche Province Social University

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Costa Blanca

Elche renews the five blue flags on its beaches

The five Blue Flags at Arenales del Sol, Carabassí, El Altet, La Marina, and Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo have been renewed by the Elche City Council.

Tourism Councillor Irene Ruiz expressed her enthusiasm for the awards’ renewal, emphasising that “Elche’s beaches are the stars once again this year.” She also emphasised that this distinction underscores the quality, management, services, and safety that all of the beaches provide.

Annually, the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) awards blue flags as one of the quality and environmental certification distinctions. This designation is based on a variety of criteria, including environmental management, water quality, swimmer safety, beach services, and environmental information and education.

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Costa Blanca

The towns with the highest crime rate in Alicante province

Although the Ministry of the Interior’s most recent data indicates a slight decrease in crime in Spain during 2024, the Crime Report also documents an increase in certain serious crimes, including intentional homicides and completed murders, which have increased by 4.5%, and sexual assaults with penetration, which have increased by 6.7%.

In comparison to the conventional crime rate, this amounts to 41.0 crimes per thousand inhabitants. Additionally, the report offers a detailed analysis of the various offences and the number of reported cases in each municipality. Statistics in the province of Alicante set it apart.

In 2024, the city of Alicante in the Valencian Community province was the municipality with the highest crime rate, with a total of 20,577 cases recorded. Following it are Torrevieja with 8,337, Elche with 8,132, and Benidorm with 5,167. Nevertheless, it is crucial to bear in mind that the provincial capital has a significantly higher population than the remainder of the municipality.

Kidnapping is one of the most egregious crimes in this region. In the province of Alicante, there were 8 of the 13 cases that occurred throughout the Valencian Community. Alicante reported three cases, Benidorm reported one, Calp reported one, Pilar de la Horadada reported one, Crevillent reported one, and Torrevieja reported one.

The province reported a total of 1,145 cases of narcotic trafficking. Last year, Benidorm reported 171 cases of this form of crime, making it the second most notable town after Alicante, which reported 352 cases. There are also villages and cities where fewer than 10 cases have been reported, including Calp (2), Ibi (3), Sant Joan d’Alacant (4), Novelda (4), Villajoyosa (6), Almoradí (7), Mutxamel (7), Alcoy (8 cases), Petrer (8), and San Vicente del Raspeig (9).

The province has a total of 1,008 transgressions against sexual freedom, as listed in the Interior Ministry report. This category encompasses sexual assault and abuse that involves penetration, with a total of 222 cases reported last year. Villena, Petrer, and Ibi are among the municipalities that have not recorded any cases. However, Alicante, Elche, and Benidorm have higher numbers: 52, 30, and 19 cases, respectively.

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Torrevieja will celebrate the Europe Day Gala tomorrow

A special Gala to commemorate Europe Day 2025 is being organised at the International Auditorium by the Department of the Presidency and the Department of International Residents of the Torrevieja City Council. The Torrevieja Symphony Orchestra Ensemble will be responsible for the institutional portion of the event, which will include the European Union anthem. Additionally, the Gala will feature performances by several local performers, including Zhanel and the group Sincopa (all from Ukraine), who will entertain us with Eurovision songs. Siempre Disco Remember will conclude the Gala, featuring a medley of tracks from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

The 7:30 p.m. gala is scheduled to take place at the Torrevieja International Auditorium this Friday, May 9th. Tickets are available for free with an invitation and can be reserved and downloaded from culturatorrevieja.com.

The Torrevieja City Council will provide a complimentary transport service from Calle Faleria to the International Auditorium, which will depart at 6:30 p.m. and return at the conclusion of the event.