Behobia – San Sebastián: One euro from ‘the sea’ of Errenteria for Aita Mari

La Behobia-San Sebastián is not only the popular athletics festival par excellence, it is also a day to be in solidarity. This is the message they want to convey from the Laguntasuna neighborhood association in the Gabierrota neighborhood in Errenteria, who ask runners to make a hole in their pockets for a one euro coin in addition to gels and a mask.

“The best brand of the runners this year has to be their solidarity brand,” explains Víctor Gómez, a member of the neighborhood association. The neighborhood is located at kilometer 11 of the race and at that point they will install a large blue canvas that will simulate the Mediterranean Sea, the same sea where Aita Mari has rescued hundreds of migrants. The mission of the NGO Humanitarian Maritime Rescue has not yet finished and that is why they invite athletes to toss a one euro coin to raise funds for the old Gipuzkoan fishing boat now converted into a rescue boat. The goal is to reach 8,000 euros. «We will be waiting for you with music and with the best of our applause. Any euro that enters the canvas will be very welcome “, Víctor thanks in advance.

The initiative is not new, it arose in 2019, when they learned about the situation of blockade in which the Aita Mari was due to the lack of permits to navigate. “Our neighborhood is in the middle of the race, at kilometer 11. And for migrants we consider that the sea is also in the middle of their journey to Europe,” explains Víctor, one of the architects of the initiative. From that parallelism the solidarity sea of ​​Errenteria was born.

Solidarity DNA

The spirit of solidarity has been in the DNA of this neighborhood association since it was created in 1968. “Our function is to create a neighborhood and that is achieved by doing things in the neighborhood and if we can also help a charitable cause, better than better”, they indicate from Laguntasuna. Thus, as is usual in them, the idea of ​​helping Aita Mari was not a dead letter. Despite the fact that that Sunday, November 10, the weather conditions did not accompany the runners or the public, they installed the solidarity sea. “It hailed, it had a bad weather, but we still managed to add 2,200 euros to our canvas,” Víctor remembers gratefully. Then the pandemic arrived and the 2020 edition of the Behobia-San Sebastián could not be celebrated.

After a year of emptiness, the heart of solidarity of these neighbors beats stronger than ever for this Sunday. Around the Behobia they have prepared a program of activities for all audiences that includes children’s activities, popular food and a rock concert, among others. In addition, they have also put on sale a solidarity shirt (12 euros). All the money raised will go entirely to Aita Mari.