Attractive territories: the family-friendly way 

Local territories are facing the challenge of attractiveness, and while there are parts of Europe losing population, business and future, there are areas that have to deal with shortage of housing, jobs and services.  

The focus on the wellbeing of families with children and youth can help municipalities to remain attractive and competitive: the alliance of private and public sectors, between administrations and companies can generate opportunities of development if they will be able to intercept and meet the needs of the community.

Dates:  Thursday and Friday 12-13 November 2026

Organized by:  ELFAC, European Network of Family-Friendly Municipalities, Future of Cities Coalition, MasFamilia Foundation (EFR), Municipality of Alcobendas

Dedicated to:

• Municipalities
• Companies 
• Family associations
• Experts 
• Policymakers

Venue:

Centro de Arte Alcobendas

Address: C. de Mariano Sebastian Izuel, 9, 28100 Alcobendas, Madrid

How to arrive in public transport: 

From Terminal 4 of Madrid Airport: Bus 827 (10 minutes) or Bus 828 (14 minutes) –  stop at Marquesa Viuda De Aldama – 2 minutes walking to the Art Center.

Metro: Line 10, station Marqués de la Valdavia (9 minutes walking from the metro station to the Art Center).

Accommodation: 

• Hotel Amura: offer for participants
• Eurostars Gran Madrid:: 10% discount promo code ELFAC06
• Eurostars Madrid Congress: 10% discount promo code ELFAC06
• Hampton by Hilton Alcobendas
• UVE  Alcobendas Hotel
• Hotel Miraflores
• Hostal Los Angeles
• Hostal Frontón

REGISTER NOW HERE!

AGENDA

Thursday 12 November

09:30 – 10:00  Welcoming – coffee                    

10.00 – 10:15  Opening 

Moderator: Raul Sanchez, secretary general of ELFAC

• Rocío García Alcántara, mayor of Alcobendas
• Luis Martínez-Sicluna Sepúlveda, Secretario General de la FEMP (Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias)
• Rafael Fuertes, General-Director of Fundación Masfamilia
• José María Villalón, president of the Spanish Federation of Large Families
• Regina Maroncelli, vice president of ELFAC, coordinator of familycities.eu

10.15 – 10:20  Message of the European Comission to the participants in the convention:

• Dubravka Suica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, in charge of demography, European Commission (video)

10:20 – 10:35 Keynote expert speech: The role and  impact of municipalities in work life balance 

• Belén Fernández, Leader of ‘Cities that promote work-life balance’, Fundación Masfamilia

10:35 – 10:45 Delivery of diplomas for new members and those who have renewed their membership

10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break

11.15 – 13:30 Best practices from municipalities and companies: How to make attractive territories for families

1. Good practices supporting families in our city, Concha Villalón, City Councilor for Families and Social Welfare, Alcobendas (Spain)
2. The Family Observatory, Mª del Carmen Portugal, City Councilor for Families, Orihuela (Spain).
3. Building communities with people at the heart, Paolo Romito, director of the Provincial Association for Children, Trento (Italy)
4. The Miranda Family Lab, José Miguel Ramos Ferreira, Mayor of Miranda do Corvo (Portugal)
5. Creating a Family-Friendly Environment in Lithuanian Municipalities, Deimantė Rusteikaitė, National Family Council (Lithuania)
6. Good practices supporting families in Cluj-Napoca, Oláh Grecoiu Emese, vice mayor of Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
7. Developing Leadership Skills for community transformation, Miguel Moreno, Multinational Strategic Solutions (United States)
8. Alghero Family, the brand for family-friendly tourism, Ornella Piras, City Councilor for Tourism, Alghero (Sardinia, Italy)
9. Proposals from families for municipalities, María Menendez, president of Madrid Large Families Association (Spain)
10. The social impact of good practices for families in a local company, Plastik SPA, Bergamo (Italy)

13:30 – 14:45 Lunch

14:45- 15:00 Keynote: Practical solutions to attractiveness.

• Luciano Malfer, Research and Family Development Manager, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento (Italy)

15:00 – 15.45 Panel 1: Family Plan and strategies

• Moderator: Irina Granzulea, member of the executive committee of familycities.eu, Romania
• Regina Maroncelli, coordinator of the European Network of Family-Friendly Municipalities, Italy
• Maria do Rosário Carneiro., Scientific Commitee of OAFR, the Observatory for Family Responsible Municipalities, Portugal 
• Alessandro Alciato, Head of Family Polic of the Municipality of Alghero, Italy
• Anna Przerwa, ZDR 3Plus, Large Families Association of Poland 

15:45 – 16.30  Panel 2: Housing, urbanism, tourism 

• Moderator: Virginia Pérez Nieto, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships in FlexLiving, Spain
• Andrea Vota, Senior Public Policy Manager, Airbnb
• Jossianne Cutajar, Chair of the Future of Cities Coalition
• Diana Grzimolovska, Association of Large Families of Ireland ALFI

16:30 – 17:15 Panel 3: Tools to enhance the alliance between municipalities and companies.

• Moderator: Mercedes Hernandez, Fundación Másfamilia
• Silvia Cipelli, European Network of Family-Friendly Companies, Piacenza (Italy)
• Adolfo Royo, Deputy Director General for Employment, Trade, and Consumer Affairs of the Alcobendas City Council
• Two companies

17:15 – 17:30 Conclusions and closing.

Friday 13 November 

09:30 – 13:00 Guided visit to the Municipality of Alcobendas and its good practices

• Free municipal SPA for participants