It's been 20 years old. What feelings does it generate to the veterans of the group? What about beginners in the group?

Olatz Elejabarrieta: In general, it gives us great joy and pride. I’m halfway, I’m not the first generation, nor the new… I think veterans are happy. Above all, the fact that the assembly maintains its identity, because there have been changes, changes that have been necessary to survive… It is a joy to see that the path they began follows, and above all that gaztetxe is still alive and strong as a space and as an assembly.

Asier Iturrate: It's a joy for beginners as well as for veterans, if being part of a project that has the support of the people doesn't create something special inside you, it's because you don't have heart.

This weekend you have the anniversary celebration. How did you spend the previous days?

A.I. : We're calm, but the tension is clear, mistakes or last-minute misgivings in the absence of two days excite people. In our slogans, we say that living in self-management and imagination are our best weapons.

VºBº: Excited. We started working with time and tranquility, we have a little experience and at this last moment we are calmer than ever before. Emotion and joy is so great… This year is being special. In April we celebrated the Gazte Topagunea in Lemoa and now we celebrate the anniversary. What else can we ask for?

What does the assembly give you?

A.I. : Being part of this assembly has conditioned my life. In the assembly, you learn and you see a lot of new things, and that has made me inevitably better. Here I have taken a fairer, more social and more plural approach to valuing certain values, or rather situations. In this point of view comes a whole world, not just me and my environment.

VºBº: A way of life! Lemoa, a way to see the Basque Country and the world. It's an indispensable resource to unlearn, to learn, to meet people, to realize my dreams and our own.

Is it a leisure time for which a lot of work has to be done? Or has it also become a responsibility?

Bº : The compromise is great, yes, because I wanted it to be so, in my case. Responsibility? It may be at times yes; for the actions to go well, to follow the paths sown… But it is the responsibility that I have decided to have. It is true that we have given many hours and a lot of work to the assembly and to the kid… but I don’t see my life without that!

A.I. :Other associations are obliged to carry out different initiatives by their nature; we are not. As Olatz said, we are trying to respond responsibly to the objectives we have set ourselves, assuming some obligations to do so. After all, as part of this society, we have a responsibility to this society and if we want to fight for a different kind of leisure, we are forced to carry out activities such as the cultural fortnight we organised at Christmas. And yes, that's work.

Have you found any difficulty on this tour?

VºBº: At first, we were not sympathizers of the municipal government of then, and they were blocking us. However, we have worked gradually and always believing on our way and when the people saw everything was on our side. Karabie (Gaztetxea) The time that the old one was burned, some robberies, lack of people, crisis in relationships… The difficulties have always brought us rich changes and I at least stay with that. I would highlight the riches that have brought us all these problems.

A.I. : Yes, difficulties and obstacles are almost everyday. Living in self-management doesn't fill your pockets, and we've had economic problems. But we also live happy in small acts and as the song of our 20th anniversary says, “we try to receive the blows smiling.”

Do they feel the support of citizenship?

VºBº : From the beginning, our intention and motto has been “Coloring the people”. We at Harriket have always been clear that, in addition to fulfilling our personal dreams, we want to work at Lemoa and for the lemoaztars. Participation in the Assembly has always been a good response from the public and many people have participated in the activities of Karabia.

A.I. : Just as it goes through all the sites, we are part of many other associations. In addition, Lemoa is a small village to which we all know each other necessarily.

What days do you expect there to be?

VºBº: Enjoy a lot! We always say that we have a lot of capacity to be spontaneous and to deal with the problems of the last moment. So, now we just have to finish the latest jobs and have a great time! ! !

A.I. : I believe that the evolution of emotions will always be: from the pride of what has been done, to the reflection of continuing to work; from the stress of organizing everything, to the richness of seeing so many people. And, of course, from the tears that nostalgia brings, to the smiles of the joy that it gives us.