Bilbao, 24th July 2006.- A few hours have barely passed since the 15th edition of Euskal Encounter finished and attendants are already fooling organisers with questions, requests and suggestions for next edition. In forums, in person, or by telephone, people can’t avoid talking about this event which took place in the BEC! Barakaldo, and opinions seem to be unanimous: it’s been even better than the previous one Although the official opening day for the party was Friday 20th July, the day before bags of attendants gathered at 11.00 am before the pabilion 5 entrance doors to get their entrance tickets. And they did, that very day when the check in office’s doors closed at about two o’clock in the morning 2.500 people had already got their badges: a whole lot taking into account it was not yet a party day. At 8.00 pm next day the event was officially opened with Idoia Zenarruzabeitia from the Basque Government, Alberto Garcia Erauskin on behalf of Euskalteland Jon Ugalde from BBK on the main stage. And from then on until Monday when electrical power was cut off, atmosphere, rythm and information where non-stop at the party place. With 8 Gigas per second internet connection, surfing the net has just been a swift slide for those 5.467 people that have been in BEC! all these four days through. But figures in the oldest party in Spain don’t stop there: 3.513 computers connected altogether, more than 35.000 square meters used, 30 km fiber optics displayed, and more than 80.000 € in prize money. And best of all, amidst this figures dance in Euskal Encounter people still remains the most important thing of all. The scene, which was in Euskal’s birth, still has a main role in it, and they keep on bringing the best of their production. Gamers that get bigger in number and that have been able to choose among diffferent categories: professional, for once again GameGune,-which has turned out to be a world referent in e-sports-, has been in Euskal, or amateur, in which they have been able to take part even in the official games selection process and the non-official which have had anyway all the organisation back up. The free software lovers whose number grows day by day, and find in Euskal an apropriate place to explain their opinions, the lecturers who shared their knowledge seeking no profit at all, the retromuseum, the mainframes area,… and why not? The organisers who one year more have made incredible efforts so that everything could be ready, so that everything went in the smoothest of ways, so that attendants could feel comfortable, welcome and happy; and attending to comments they achieved their goal. In this edition we have had for the second time a users’ satisfaction survey on the party, and we are aware that results are at the moment being seriously checked by organisers and that they are going to be made public in a near future, as well as the fact that they will also be used to improve some aspects of the next edition. Some of the attendants have already started their particular countdown not even having filled the washing machine. Why on earth? mikel@euskal.org Tels. 943533696 |
