UAB is awarded with the ‘Q de Festa!’ badge

02/11/2018

The ‘Q de Festa!’ badge is a project by the Generalitat de Catalunya’s Sub-Directorate General for Drug Addiction that gifts music and dance events with a distinguishing badge when they have resources and services that are related to health and wellbeing.
 
This entails that university must offer a minimum service during its celebrations, such as providing information material about health and drug intake, precautionary information related to alcohol intake and driving and about near means of public transport; training the Staff and raising awareness on prevention and reduction of risks; and making sure everyone has access to fresh water and prophylactic dispensers. Many of these conditions were already being carried out in past editions through the FAS Health Programme. FAS offered information, prevention and awareness for risk reduction during every Festa Major with the collaboration of Creu Roja Juventut’s SOM.NIT programme. This year, FAS will not only have a fixed information point with materials such as breathalyzers and condoms but also a group of Health Agents who will walk around campus to clear up any doubts about drugs and sexuality. Furthermore, the closing time has been extended to 9 p.m.
 
Moreover, university will have a ‘Violet Stand’, an information point with counseling for possible victims from sexist assault during the celebration. This stall will be managed by the Observatory for Equality.  
 
Advantages of being FestaQ!
 
Being part of the ‘Festa Q!’ community allows establishments and festivals to benefit from a series of free services as well as materials related to the project’s basic services (display cases, information leaflets, etc); training workshops on prevention and risk reduction and a support and continuous counseling service to sustain the project.
 
Moreover, in regard to public dissemination, FestaQ offers a website where they promote and give information about the entities that have the badge; a strategic communication and social network plan specialized in nightlife; and lastly the presence in the European Network for Safer Party Labels as members. This network binds together entities and festivals all across Catalonia and other European cities that also offer added services in regard to nightlife quality such as Paris, Brussels and Zurich.
 
Badge award ceremony
 
The university received the ‘Q de Festa!’ badge in a ceremony that took place in Sala Teatre de la UAB on 5 November at 10 a.m. The ceremony involved the participation of Margarita Boix, UAB’s Rector: Sara Moreno, Vice-Rector for Students and Employability; Joan Colom, Drug Addiction General deputy director; and also representatives from student stalls and the UAB’s Health Commission.
 
Colom firstly highlighted that “FM2018 is the first ‘Q de Festa!’ badge awarded to a university event” and that “this programme aims to share the different nightlife agents to create a safer, healthier and more attractive space”. He finished his speech by announcing that “university is a great environment to promote drug consumption prevention programmes.”
 
Lastly, Margarita Arboix, UAB’s rector, wanted to express her gratitude to everyone who makes sure that Festa Major is carried out in a “quiet and organized” manner. She also highlighted UAB’s role as an “essential piece in helping refugees” in relation to the event’s slogan ‘UAB shelters’ and the two year anniversary of the FAS Shelter Programme, which shelters refugees in UAB.