Both entities, through Berdinsarea –the Basque Network of Municipalities for Equality and against Violence towards women–, have driven two sessions of the Laboratory for Egalitarian Local Festivals. The aim is to advance the training of both technical and political staff in Basque municipalities.
On this occasion, the focus has been placed on the responsibility and involvement of men. With the collaboration of Gizonduz, the Basque Service for working with men and masculinities for equality, two workshops have been developed to analyze how men participate in festive spaces and what their role is in preventing sexist aggressions in these environments.
“"The involvement of men is crucial to continue advancing in equality, and even more so in the specific issue of local festivals, where significant steps have been taken in most towns and cities. We all have the responsibility to build free and safe spaces during festivals."
The mayor of Elburgo also participated in the workshops, representing Eudel. For her, municipalities have the opportunity to test more egalitarian practices, where people, men and women in all their diversity, share all spaces and have the opportunity to coexist and enjoy festivals on equal terms: in visibility, fun, and participation.
The Gizonduz trainer led the two sessions, one focused on political staff and the other on technical staff from both equality departments and other municipal areas involved in organizing local festivals. In addition to reflecting on masculinities and equality, intervention methodologies aimed at incorporating men into achieving equality and combating sexist violence were also worked on, as well as practical situations regarding men's participation in festive spaces.
