Francesca Rodrigo Aragón Declaration

Francesca has recently retired after serving as director of the Margarita Salas Senior Citizens’ Centre.

The right to a walkable, cared-for and lively city centre.

Proposed urban right
Everyone has the right to move safely on foot through the city centre, to find streets designed for rest and social life, and to live in a city that cares for its local shops, public spaces and collective memory.

In a city that can be crossed on foot, many people should be able to walk to run errands, shop, visit public facilities or meet others. Yet the constant presence of vehicles in too many streets reduces safety and comfort for pedestrians, especially for older people and for those who need calm, accessible and safe routes.

Cities change and evolve, but not every change is experienced as an improvement. More pedestrian streets can support everyday life, reduce dependence on cars and give space back to people who walk. At the same time, the closure of local shops raises concerns about the vitality of the city centre and the ability of the city to support small businesses.

Right to erradicate:
Reduce the dominance of traffic in the city centre. Limit streets where vehicles take priority. Make walking a normal, safe and healthy way of moving through the city, rather than an experience shaped by risk.

Right to protect or care for
Protect the city centre as a place of everyday life. Care for local commerce, pedestrian routes, existing public elements — such as bins, benches and resting places — and the memory of places that have been part of shared life.

Right to introduce:

Add more pedestrian streets, stronger public awareness about caring for shared spaces, and more support for local commerce. The city does not only need new infrastructure; it also needs people to see, value and care for what already exists.

Puertollano Declaration wording:
Cities should guarantee walkable, safe and cared-for urban centres, where reducing traffic, supporting local commerce and maintaining public space are part of just adaptation policy. Walking, resting, shopping nearby, meeting others and remembering shared places are also forms of urban resilience.