In a neighbourhood that could be in any town or city like yours, everyone lives in harmony. However, beneath the surface is the threat of discrimination and exclusion.
A mistake reveals a series of discriminatory attitudes that endanger peaceful social interaction.
While some people try to stir up trouble, others work towards social harmony. A big storm will help us to see things more clearly…
Protagonists
Sergio: Sergio is a very cheerful boy who loves drawing. Indeed, when he grows up he wants to draw comic books. He loves eating and perhaps that’s why he weighs a little more than he should do. He was born in Peru and when he was very young he was adopted by the family he lives with now. He has a brother called Hector and although they often argue, deep down they are good friends.
Hector: Hector loves reading and hiking. When he grows up he wants to be an archaeologist like Indiana Jones. He’s a good student and whenever he can he helps his brother Sergio with his homework. In fact, as Hector was born just after Sergio was adopted, they are almost the same age.
Javier: Yolanda’s brother, he is Sergio’s best friend. He loves sport and photography. He has big teeth but that doesn’t worry him. He is in love with Marta, another girl in the gang.
Yolanda: Yolanda is blind, but that doesn’t stop her doing what she likes most: playing the guitar, reading her favourite books and going out to the country with her friends. She studies guitar with one of the New Neighbours called Juan Montero. When she grows up she wants to be a lawyer. Sometimes she can be a little bossy, but it’s true that she tends to have good ideas.
Marta: Marta is Colombian. She came here with her family from Medellín. Her best friend is Yolanda. When she grows up she wants to be an airline pilot. Like Sergio, she also loves drawing. She also likes Javier.
THE NEW NEIGHBOURS is an educational project to prevent xenophobia and racism among adolescents aged 11 to 14. The cornerstone of this initiative is a comic. On its pages, boys and girls will find characters and stories that invite them to think about the values of citizenship, migratory processes and multicultural social interaction.