The Regional Government of Madrid begins its ‘100 Days of Solidarity’ in Metro’s Centenary celebration, taking a position against gender violence

Metro de Madrid employees demonstrate their support to the No Mercy Movement against gender violence, by lending their image to a photo exhibition which open today in Metro’s Engine Shed, marking the start of the ‘100 días solidarios’ (100 Days of Solidarity) campaign, one of the activities organised by the Regional Government of Madrid to celebrate Metro’s first one hundred years.

Metro de Madrid’s CEO, Borja Carabante, inaugurated today the ‘Angry Metro Workers’ exhibition, featuring 24 pictures in black and white of women and men, all Metro employees, in a reproduction of the exhibition that kicked off the No Mercy Movement, through which women politicians, athletes, singers and celebrities connected with the world of culture said “no” to gender violence and “yes” to equality.

Both exhibitions have been promoted by Katalina Mikhailova, creator of the No Mercy Movement, a photographic and musical plea against gender violence, together with Juan Carlos Vega, artist and photographer from Asturias who succeeded in capturing the strongest stance of a number of celebrities and, now, of Metro employees, against this type of violence. ‘Angry Metro Workers’ will remain open up to 25 November: Thursdays, from 9 am to 1 pm; Fridays, from 9 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 am to 2 pm.

This initiative, which coincides with the celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, is the first action organised by Metro within the framework of the ‘100 Days of Solidarity’ campaign, with which the company seeks to mobilise customers and employees alike and unite them in actively supporting a range of social causes, from November 2018 to October 2019, coinciding with the Centenary celebrations of the Metro network.

The company is thus setting in motion a solidarity initiative which will bring together 30 NGOs for participating in awareness-raising, volunteering and fund-raising activities, as well as membership drives, in the Metro network. In this way, Metro de Madrid’s Social Line is also a leading player in the Centenary celebrations, as an example of the evolution of the  company which, in its close to 100 years of existence, has demonstrated its capacity and willingness to provide a response to social needs.

Metro de Madrid’s ‘100 Days of Solidarity’ will boost the projects set in motion by a wide range of entities representing various social causes connected with the Social Line, such as: social inclusion and respect for diversity, health and support to vulnerable groups or groups at risk of social exclusion, including minors, people with disabilities, the elderly, women and young people.

All of this is for the ultimate purpose of providing a response to the objectives of the company’s community involvement programme, which works to further inclusion through transport and to support the economic and social development of those who need it most.

This is a campaign with which Metro de Madrid wishes to surpass the figure of ‘100 Days of Solidarity’. For this purpose, as it has already been doing on a routine basis in the  framework of its community involvement programme, Metro will make key resources of the  company available to not-for-profit entities and social causes, such as used goods and materials (through donations), Metro services, the experience, expertise, talent and time of its employees (through volunteering activities), as well as spaces in the Metro network for the  dissemination of the various causes, taking advantage of its extraordinary potential as a channel of communication.

Metro’s facilities are an ideal scenario for organising community involvement activities, as they have extensive spaces -strategic and highly visible- distributed throughout the city of Madrid and 11 other towns; as well as several channels of communication and dissemination (such as Canal Metro), the social networks or its own  website, capable of reaching millions of people. 

BENEFICIARY ENTITIES

The entities selected for participating in this solidarity event work in a number of social causes. The campaign starts with the exhibition against gender violence, in conjunction with the No Mercy Movement, and will continue in December with ‘The Wish Tree’ initiative, by taking gifts to children and young people residing in sheltered centres operated by the Regional Government of Madrid or belonging to associations working with low-income families and with the elderly.

Starting in January, actions in support of research and the fight against childhood cancer will commence, working together with El sueño de Vicky, Unoentrecienmil and the Asión association, which join forces with Juegaterapia in their determination to entertain child patients during their hospital stays. 

The following entities will complete the company’s collaboration in the field of health: the ADELA association, Asociación de Trastornos del Espectro Alcohólico Fetal, Asociación Hemiweb, X-Frágil, Andrés Marcio and Unidos por la Médula.

During December, particularly, and throughout the entire campaign, volunteering will be encouraged in conjunction with Fevocam, and there will be awareness-raising activities related to causes in the field of inclusion with the actions scheduled with Asociación Realidades, Fundación Esfera, Fundación A la Par, Fundación Balia, Fundación Alas Madrid, Fundación Adecco, Integra and Amigos de los  Mayores, Plena Inclusión, Down España; and there will also be room for development cooperation with Entreculturas and Inakuwa.

Metro’s Social Line has cooperated in more than 450 projects since its creation, with an average of 75 per year and with more than 400 not-for-profit entities. In the framework of this programme, Metro has carried out more than 80 volunteering activities with company workers, with Metro volunteers dedicating nearly 3,500 hours of disinterested work, with the collaboration of close to 250 employees.