The “Pensar Soto” initiative is presented as a space for collective reflection for Soto del Real residents to define their town's vision for the next twenty years. This meeting, promoted by the City Council, seeks strategic planning to avoid improvisation and foster sustainable and human growth. The motto “Thinking together today about the town we want tomorrow” underscores a public management philosophy based on transparency and active listening, especially valued by citizens who have witnessed the town's evolution.
To stimulate debate, the event will feature Enrique Ruz, an expert in urban transformation. Ruz will share successful solutions implemented in other cities, addressing how they have managed to balance economic progress with environmental protection and social cohesion. His intervention will focus on international cases of sustainability and circular economy, then inviting attendees to apply these ideas to the reality of the Sierra de Guadarrama, discussing challenges such as mobility, housing access, and natural environment preservation.
What kind of town do we want ours to be in twenty years?
One of the most anticipated moments will be the round table bringing together the current mayor, Noelia Barrado, with her predecessors, José Luis Sanz and Juan Lobato. This intergenerational dialogue aims to offer a comprehensive perspective on the municipality's administrative and social trajectory, fostering institutional continuity and the sum of experiences for the common interest and the improvement of public services.
The participatory format of “Pensar Soto” will allow residents to express their concerns and suggestions directly to public officials and the invited expert. The City Council emphasizes the importance of everyone's participation, from merchants to retirees and new residents, to build a mosaic of ideas that combines modernity with Soto del Real's mountain essence. This process seeks to collectively build the municipality's future, laying the groundwork for balanced development.
The conclusions from this reflection day will feed into future municipal action plans, with the aim of anticipating challenges and ensuring that Soto del Real remains a privileged place to live. Topics such as digital transformation, water management, and leisure spaces for young people will be key to this long-term strategy. The call for April 24 is an invitation to citizens to be protagonists in building the municipality's future, demonstrating their commitment to the environment and collective well-being.
