2023-12-20 10:22:08
Yesterday, San Sebastián put an end to its status as the capital of the social economy. Gipuzkoa is a world reference in this model and justice has been done throughout 2023 in which its capital has been the scene of various events related to a way of being and doing that puts people at the center and that involves a positive and egalitarian impact of economic activity on its environment.
The final touch to a year full of activities to disseminate the social economy was the EKOS Creative Festival, organized by El Diario Vasco; promoted by the Basque Government, the San Sebastián City Council, CEPES, Konfekoop, Asle, Reas Euskadi, EHLabe, Gizartea and Funko; and sponsored by Eroski, Gureak, ONCE, LABORAL Kutxa and Izar Cutting Tools.
The event took place in the Kursaal Chamber Room, packed to the brim with young people, there was space for music, humor and shows. In this way, the EKOS Creative Festival was a round culmination of the capital status. The event served, fundamentally, to reward the best works in a graphic and audiovisual contest in which participants presented projects around different themes that represent key values of the social economy: inclusion, sustainability, equality, entrepreneurship social, social essence and local development.
Promoted by the Basque Government, San Sebastián City Council, CEPES, KONFEKOOP, Asle, Reas Euskadi, EHLabe, Gizartea and Funko.
Sponsorship Eroski, Gureak, ONCE, LABORAL Kutxa and Izar Cutting Tools.
Organized by Diario Vasco.
During the last few months, the participants (divided into the category of students and the general public) presented their works, which were evaluated and screened by a technical jury, which selected the finalists. Among those chosen, votes through the website decided the winners of the Popular EKOS category; The sponsoring companies selected the winners in the Featured EKOS category; and a professional jury proclaimed the champions of the EKOS de Oro. They went home with the recognition of the public present and with juicy prizes ranging between 500 and 3,000 euros.
The audience at the Kursaal Chamber Hall was packed with nearly 600 young people who attended the Ekos Creative Festival.
With the nerves of the finalists present in the room on edge, the institutional representatives first spoke to take stock of a year in which San Sebastián has been the epicenter of the social economy. Idoia Mendia, second vice president and Minister of Labor and Employment of the Basque Government, took advantage of the moment to highlight that “Euskadi is a benchmark for the social economy in Europe.” He added that it is “a model that was successful in the past and will be successful in the future,” in which the young people who listened to him will be key: “With your creativity we want to know what you tell us,” he told the students. .
The general deputy of Gipuzkoa, Eider Mendoza, also took the stand, who wanted to highlight the values promoted by the social economy: “These are just the values of Gipuzkoa: solidarity, participation and people who form a community,” she stressed. “Today we are surrounded by young people, the future and creativity, all of them fundamental values.”
The mayor of San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, also participated with a speech that praised the place in which the capital has placed San Sebastián: «With humility and pride I say that this capital has brought many contributions. “We have worked all the institutions hand in hand and we have delved deeper into the social economy.”
Hugs and joy
The most solemn moment gave way to the most emotional moment of the morning. Sprinkled by musical performances, monologues and artistic performances, the true protagonists took the stage: the winners of the EKOS Awards.
«The social economy is a model that was successful in the past and will be successful in the future»
Idoia Mountain
Vice President and Minister of Labor and Employment
«The values of this model are those of Gipuzkoa: solidarity, participation and people»
Eider Mendoza
Deputy General of Gipuzkoa
“With humility and pride I say that this capital status has brought many contributions and we have deepened the social economy”
My Highness
Mayor of San Sebastian
The first to take the joy were those chosen in the EKOS Populares: Cristina García, Mariana Santos (in her place she collected the Dinora Mega award), the Ibaizabal Ikastola team and the Lauaxeta Ikastola team were the most voted in this category in which the The popular jury was in charge of selecting the best works among the finalists.
Edurne Aranburu was also delighted, who won the prize of a dinner for four people at Hika, which was raffled among people who cast their vote online.
In the EKOS Featured, it was the companies that selected the winner from among the finalists within the theme most in line with their activity. Gureak chose the work of Nerea Segués as the winner. Eroski named Mariana Santos the winner in the sustainability issue, on whose behalf Dinora Mega rose again.
The Local Development award, awarded by Izar Cutting Tools, went to Ainara Delgado. In the Social Essence theme, presented by ONCE, the award went to Fernando Lobato. The award was received in his place by his wife, Yolanda Hilario. The theme of Equality, in charge of the Basque Government, was for José María Vizcaíno; and the Social Entrepreneurship award, awarded by LABORAL Kutxa, went to Alberto Catenacci.
The culminating moment came after the performance of Borja González, an artist who painted on sand, a technique in which he is a pioneer. It was the delivery of the EKOS de Oro, the most relevant awards. The winners were Inhar Mutiozabal, for his graphic ‘Arnasa’; Gerardo López, for the audiovisual ‘Pertsonak Erdigunean’; the team formed by Ander Vázquez, Jon Redondo, June Ras and Oleksandr Andrushkiv, for the graphic ‘A world of colors’; and, again, Ainara Delgado, for her audiovisual ‘Social Economy’.
All of them were the proper names of a morning in which the great winner was the youth and the social economy, which throughout 2023 has found a great speaker with the capital of San Sebastián, which was crowned yesterday with the Creative Festival Ekos.
The faithful reflection of a “objective achieved”
The closing of the day was carried out by Rosa Lavín, president of EGES (Basque Network of Social Economy); Juan Antonio Pedreño, president of CEPES (Spanish Business Confederation of Social Economy); and Amparo Merino, Secretary of State for Social Economy. The three agreed on the organizational success of San Sebastián’s status as capital of the Social Economy. They considered “the objective” of making the social economy visible and the Secretary of State, Amparo Merino, highlighted the importance of this model, by “putting the economy at the service of people and well-being, thus contributing to social cohesion.” .
#creative #farewell #capital