On March 25, 2025, the Auditorium of the Gregori Maians Library in Valencia hosted the seminar "Social Economy Initiatives for the Recovery of Villages Affected by the DANA"Organized by IUDESCOOP, the Faculty of Law and the Official Master's Degree in Social Economy of the University of Valencia, with the collaboration of the Cátedra de Empresa y Humanismo, CIRIEC-Spain and the General Directorate of Labor, Cooperativism, and Occupational Safety, the event brought together experts, representatives of public administrations, and social economy entities to discuss sustainable recovery strategies.
A day of reflection and proposals
Participants included Clara Viana, Dean of the Faculty of Law; Francisco Muñoz Murgui, Dean of the Faculty of Economics; Pilar Bernabé, Government Delegate in the Valencian Community; Andrés Lluch, Director General of Labor, Cooperativism, and Occupational Safety; and José María Ángel, Commissioner for the Reconstruction of the DANA (National Highway Administration). All agreed on the importance of collaboration between the public sector and the social economy to address the challenges of rebuilding after the tragedy that has so profoundly affected our region.
After the coffee break, several mayors from municipalities affected by the DANA, including the mayor of Paiporta, Maribel Albalat, and the mayor of Aldaia, Guillermo Luján, offered their firsthand accounts of the challenges faced and the actions taken in their communities, as well as their gratitude to the volunteers and all the organizations and third sectors that responded to the crisis. Moderated by Reyes Marzal, from the Department of Administrative Law, this session highlighted the need for institutional support and funding for reconstruction.
Social economy: an engine for reconstruction
One of the seminar's highlights was the presentation by María José Vañó, director of IUDESCOOP, who explained the key role of the social economy in the reconstruction of areas affected by natural disasters. Vañó emphasized the importance of the knowledge generated on platforms such as www.viviendacooperativa.es and www.powercoop.es, essential tools for assisting mayors in planning and implementing recovery projects.
The roundtable on experiences and proposals from the social economy brought together experts such as Vicent Duart (Registry of Cooperatives), Francisco Pérez Caballero (FECOVI), and Montse Llorca (Cohabitem), who shared success stories and innovative cooperative management models applicable to the recovery of affected communities.
Public-private collaboration and good practices
The final section of the seminar focused on public-private collaboration for reconstruction. Representatives from various foundations and organizations, such as the Colisee Foundation, New Feina Foundation and the Horta Sud Foundation They presented initiatives that have proven effective in other contexts, serving as inspiration for future actions in areas affected by DANA.
Finally, the closing ceremony was led by María José Vañó (IUDESCOOP), Gustavo Zaragoza (ILUNION-IUDESCOOP Longevity Laboratory), and Tomás González Cruz, director of Cátedra de Empresa y Humanismo, who highlighted the need to continue promoting policies based on the social economy for sustainable reconstruction.
