Basque Wikipedia defines culture as: “Culture in general is the spiritual, material, intellectual and affective peculiarities that characterize a society or collective. In addition to art, it includes life, fundamental rights, values systems, customs and beliefs.”

We do not intend to discuss what culture is and what is not, it is a complex issue and it is not our task. But we do want to express and express our surprise, or our anger, or our despair, at the new “criterion” or “culture” that Koldo Mitxelena’s leadership has established for the use of the room.

The truth is that, as we have done on other occasions, we decided to present at Koldo Mitxelena the initiative “The Pyrenees Road”, to be held on 2 July. As you know, Šesku is an initiative organized in collaboration with other agents in Catalonia that will illuminate from the Cantabrian River to the Mediterranean countless ciams.

We call on the phone to inform us of our intentions and see the date options. The employee informed us of the free and online dates that we had to complete the request and send it to it. He added that we had already made these kinds of presentations, but now the management had new criteria and did not know if they were going to allow us. We therefore complete the request and send it by email. When we did not receive a reply, we called by telephone and received the following answer orally: "There has been a change of approach and events related to culture can only be organized from now on." We were left with stone. But I don't stop. The first was to look for another place and make the presentation. And we did the presentation. And the Donostiarras, on July 2, will illuminate Jaizkibel along with lezoarras, pasaitarras and Hondarribiarras.

However, we were not reassured. We could not accept that no. In the past, a number of similar events were taking place – just a little report in the newspaper library. In 2016, on May 27, among the rapporteurs, Laxaro Azkune and Angel Oiarbide around popular surveys. On 20 June 2017, presentation of the Popular Consultation of San Sebastian to be held on 18 November 2018. Let us remember that another one, which would be in 2013, in the line of the documentary “A Piece of Cheese” and with the intention of creating Cincts Esku Dago; among the listeners, along with many others, some senior position of the PNV.

According to the new criteria, “Only events related to culture” can be organized. And is it not, therefore, that popular culture is associated in an auzolan, in a real work of neighbourhood, in order to make culture a more democratic people, a more participatory people, a freer and more independent society? Is it not, therefore, that the culture, with this objective, in the neighborhood work, wants to illuminate the peaks of the mountains, as we have ignited for centuries in the mountains of Euskal Herria (not only) the lakes?

It seems that for the new leaders of Koldo Mitxelena that is not culture. The Culture Deputy of the Foral Deputy of Gipuzkoa, Arkaitz Millan of the PSE, is in charge of Koldo Mitxelena, and there has now been a change of approach. Citizenship in general cannot know what the procedure has been for making such changes, nor the view of the other parties.

But as a citizen, it is also our responsibility, because the Koldo Mitxelena cultural center belongs to the people. Citizenship is plural and some things we like and others do not. But what we cannot accept is that Koldo Mitxelena becomes the cultural center of censorship. That is why we are calling for a review of this change of approach to those who have participated in it, or to all those who can influence it, so that Koldo Mitxelena can once again be at the service of all citizens.