This morning the Formentera Council issued the final draft of plans to restore the Sant Francesc Xavier cemetery, known in Catalan as 'el cementiri vell'. Councillor of culture and local heritage Sònia Cardona presided over the event, at which Miquel Àngel Riera, representing the Bishopric of Eivissa and Formentera, Marià Castelló, head architect of the project, and Jaume Escandell, Council specialist on matters of local heritage, were also present.

Councillor Cardona and PP Miquel Àngel Riera explained that the restoration of the old Sant Francesc burial ground – 'el Fossar Vell' – will be conducted in concordance with article 4 of Royal Decree 12/1998 [21 December] concerning historical patrimony in the Balearic Islands – to wit, restoration must have the collaboration of both the Church and the different branches of the Balearic public administration. In this way, restoration of the local heritage site – property of the Bishopric of Eivissa – can be assumed by the local Formentera Council.

Patrimonial specialist Jaume Escandell noted that “this sort of burial ground is an architectural element typical of the XVIII century. In our case, the Sant Francesc 'fossar' was already in use in 1757 and remained active until 1940. From that point on, burials began to take place at the current cemetery, whose construction had begun two years prior.” 'El Fossar Vell' sits very near the primeval centre of Sant Francesc, which is why it is considered a cultural interest site – part of the town's 'historical centre'.

Marià Castelló, architect for the project, explained: “We had three main objectives here. First, using physical elements already in place at the original construction, to establish this site as a true monument. Second, to reclaim the site for public-use; to turn the site – previously closed to the public – into a place where residents could stroll about and visit. Third and lastly, there is an important educational factor. We wanted the transformed Sant Francesc burial ground to reflect the site's original demarcating role: 'el Fossar Vell' is cut in half by an imaginary line that divides the original territory ceded to Marc Ferrer.”

Conscious of the cemetery's cultural relevance, the Formentera Island Council commissioned a historical study before drafting any plans. Such is in fact the required action as established by the Formentera Subsidiary Regulations concerning buildings with patrimonial protection. The study, coordinated by Dr Antoni Ferrer Abárzuza, found that the original cemetery was smaller, but that in 1839 expansion occurred at the northwest and southwest sides, bringing the site to its present size. The small sanctuaries – known as 'capilles' – that form part of the physical construction also date back to the end of the XIX century.

The findings of the study indicated that the remains conserved at the site were indeed of acute scientific interest, even more so because they belong to an extremely precise chronological period. Limited to the period beginning in the XVIII century and extending through 1940, the remains at the Sant Francesc cemetery offer a glimpse at Formentera's forgone population – its demographical aspects, physical characteristics, living conditions, illnesses and pathologies. Such was the goal of the study, directed by Dr. Nicolás Márquez-Grant and based partly on analysis of the ossuary remains using physical anthropology and forensic anatomy.

The study was then used as the basis of the draft plans for restoration, headed by Marià Castelló. A total of €57,000 in funding – covering both the preliminary historical study and the subsequent restoration – was contributed by the Formentera Island Council for the 'el Fossar Vell de Sant Francesc Xavier' project.

The postboxes installed last year by the Formentera Council at the Casa del Poble in La Mola and at the old primary school in Es Cap de Barbaria are currently being used by 140 Formentera homes.

Following the cessation of door-to-door mail delivery, the service was conceived as a way to prevent residents living in remote dwellings from having to inquire in person at the post offices of the island to receive their mail.

So far, the service has been solicited by one hundred homes located in the communities of Es Monestir and Sa Talaiassa in La Mola and by forty families in Es Cap.

At present, the Formentera Council is studying the possibility of extending post office box service to residents of the Cala Saona and Es Pi des Català communities. Applications are available at the Citizen Information Office (l'OAC).

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 12 – 14 November, the public thoroughfare known as  'carrer Sant Jaume' in Sant Ferran will be closed to vehicle traffic between 10 am and 1 pm and again from 3 to 7 pm in the afternoon.

Closure of the road is necessary so that construction of the carrer Sant Jaume public housing project can move forward.

Carrer Sant Jaume is an important passage for drop-off and pick-up of school children, for this reason organisers of the project have committed to leaving traffic unobstructed at 9 am and 2 pm.

Last Friday at a ceremony held in the Teatro Buero Vallejo of Guadalajara, Spain, the Council of Formentera was granted official recognition as a 'Child-friendly City' for the 2014-2018 period.

There to accept the honour was Formentera councillor of social welfare Dolores Fernández Tamargo, who received the accreditation from the hands of Mr. Carmelo Angulo, president of the Spanish chapter of UNICEF.

In Spain, a total of 115 cities and towns from 14 autonomous communities boast the 'Child-friendly' distinction. In the Balearics, the other municipalities to secure the designation were Maó (Mahón), Santanyí and Eivissa (Ibiza).

The Buero Vallejo theatre also hosted the III National Gathering of Youth Participatory Councils, which three representatives of the Consell de participació infantil i de la joventut de Formentera (the island's youth participatory council) – and Formentera youth centre director Carlos Calzado – had the pleasure of attending.

Young people at the encounter demanded recognition and respect for their own often-overlooked human rights. In particular, attendants underscored the right of youth to take active roles in the social spheres, insisting on that segment's prerogative to have its needs and opinions heard and duly-attended.