The initiative's goal is to encourage disconnection from mobile phones and foster reflection on digital habits. This Saturday, numerous groups convened in Bilbao's Doña Casilda Park to participate, seeking to «slow down» and «use this period to converse, play, listen to each other, and enjoy without screens.»
The Basque Government set up a voluntary space next to the Tonetti statue, open to the public until 7:00 PM, inviting participants to spend time without their mobile phones. Organizers aim to raise awareness, noting that people often pay more attention to their phones than to their surroundings. Participants receive a bag to store their device and are challenged to refrain from using it for a period, thereby encouraging reflection.
“"We want to create awareness. Many times we are more attentive to the phone than to what is happening around us. We give them a bag so they can put it in there and we ask them if they are able to be without using it for a while, for as long as they consider. It's a way to make them reflect."
After spending time without their devices, participants can return to the designated area in Doña Casilda to complete a survey and share their experience. Public concern about excessive phone usage was highlighted. Some families expressed worries about their teenage children's mobile phone use, and the perception that excessive use is neglecting personal relationships.
For some families and groups of friends, this experience provided an opportunity to convey the importance of disconnecting from mobile phones to their children. One participant mentioned that what they missed most was checking the time, as they always look at their phone without wearing a watch. Two friends from Pamplona, visiting the Biscayan capital, also joined the event, stating their ability to go without a mobile phone and emphasizing that it is a matter of education, highlighting the importance of families discussing this topic with their children from a young age.
