In the structure of the State, a municipality is usually the smallest administrative entity with its own representatives.
From the Latin municipium , municipality is the group of inhabitants who live in the same jurisdictional area , which is governed by a town council . By extension, the term can also be used to name the town council or municipal corporation.
For example: "The residents of the municipality are tired of the silence of the authorities in the face of pollution" , "It is difficult to live in one of the most violent municipalities in the country" , "The paving works were promised by the municipality in 2006 and there is still no news on the matter" .
The municipality, an administrative entity
The municipality, therefore, can be an administrative entity . It usually groups together a single locality, although the concept is also used to name a town or a city .
The territory (defined by law) and the population that lives there (registered in the municipal register) make up the municipality. The administration is in charge of a body that is usually known as the town hall , municipality , council or mayor's office . The highest leader of this body is the mayor or intendant.
Historical and regional differences
In modern states , the municipality is usually the smallest administrative division with its own representative leaders. This means that the inhabitants elect the representatives of the municipality.
Some countries that do not use the notion of municipality appeal to the concept of commune, which constitutes an equivalent territorial entity.
In ancient Roman times, the municipality ( municipium ) was a free city governed according to its own laws. The inhabitants of the municipality had the same rights and privileges as the citizens of Rome .
It is common for municipalities to promote sports, recreational and cultural activities for the well-being of their population.
Promoting social integration in municipalities
Municipalities often offer their residents recreational and educational activities at no cost or at very affordable prices to encourage study and social integration . Common examples include language and music courses; these are generally organised in small groups to compensate for the lack of funds but, at the same time, to encourage cultural exchange among their participants.
Courses offered at cultural centres (sometimes known as civic centres ) are often a starting point for many people who have not yet discovered their vocation, or who do not have the financial means to enroll in a private institute . It is common for many future professional singers to take their first steps in neighbourhood choirs and to face an audience for the first time.
Without a doubt, one of the greatest benefits of municipal activities is that they invite us to leave behind social barriers, to get closer to those people who, despite living so close to each other, do not know each other, do not greet each other in the morning, do not share their experiences. Life in the city is often bleak, especially for the most introverted individuals, who do not have or believe they do not have the tools to establish relationships with their environment . Through a vocational interest, social skills that one never imagined one would possess often emerge.
Sports and recreation activities
In addition to training, it is normal to organize sports competitions open to all residents of a municipality, and it is known that physical activities are ideal for promoting cultural exchange, since they are based on a universal language, which transcends many of those differences that do interfere with a meeting in which, for example, conversation is the priority.
In these cases, it is especially important that each person respects the facility and the playing elements, such as balls and nets. Taking care of the materials and buildings is essential for these activities to continue to exist, especially considering that they do not always receive generous subsidies from their governments; this is perhaps one of the most important lessons that can be learned through an experience of this kind.