The municipality of Mungia will commemorate LGTBIQ+ Pride Week with a program focused on reflection, visibility, and diversity. The City Council has organized various cultural and awareness activities aimed at promoting equal rights and reinforcing its commitment to building an inclusive and discrimination-free society.
In this regard, Bakarne Egia, the councilor for Social Action and Equality, highlights the importance of continuing to promote these local initiatives. “Mungia is and must remain a safe space for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This year, we want to focus on both the historical and current difficulties faced by the community and on celebrating diversity through cinema,” she stated.
The program will officially commence on Monday at 6:30 PM at Mugire Txokoa with a talk in Basque, titled Xerka, addressing the silent exile experienced by the LGTBIQ+ community in towns. Specifically, it will explore the reality of LGTBIQ+ individuals forced to leave their hometowns, typically rural areas or small localities, due to a lack of acceptance or few role models, seeking larger cities for a space to live their identity freely.
The session aims to analyze how to build more inclusive rural environments to prevent this phenomenon from recurring. Additionally, the event will feature photojournalists Martxel Larraza and Joseba Olagarai, initiators of the Xerka project, alongside several testimonials. The talk will introduce the identities and life experiences of five dissident individuals from different territories, backgrounds, and ages. Furthermore, a third guest from Mungia and a fourth guest will share their personal testimonies and concerns about being part of the collective.
The week's highlight will be on Thursday, June 25th, with Zinegoak, Bilbao's International LGTBIQ+ Film and Performing Arts Festival, extending its program (ZGHedapena) to Mungia once again. Torrebillela Kultur Etxea will host the screening of six short films starting at 7:00 PM. Attendees will have free access to a curated selection of works that explore the diverse identities, struggles, and experiences of the LGTBIQ+ community globally, fostering debate and empathy through the big screen.
