The Googaz initiative invites the youth of Bizkaia to learn more about the SDGs through virtual reality games.

This movement began in 2017. To date, four editions have been held and in each of them Basque youth have worked on a social challenge. One more year, Googaz returns with a new challenge: this time, to bring the SDGs closer to the Basque youth. 

Thus, with virtual reality as an ally, this initiative, promoted together with BBK Kuna, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and VirtualWare, encourages young people from the Basque Country aged 16 to 30 in different locations – LEIOA, 24 and 25 April; GERNIKA-LUMO, 27 and 28 April; DURANGO, 2 and 3 May; BALMASEDA, 4 and 5 May; GETXO, 11 and 12 May; SOPELA (dates to be confirmed) – to participate in these challenges that will address the following topics:

– Anxiety: the game puts participants in the shoes of a young person today and shows the consequences of spending all day online. Constantly seeing the “perfect life” of others on social media, the need to keep making plans despite feeling unwell, its impact on mental health…

– The situation of refugees: the participants will be invited to put themselves in the shoes of refugees to learn about the reality of the war camp.

– Gender-based violence: participants will put themselves in the shoes of women who suffer this type of violence. 

– Cities of the future: participants will travel to a city of the future: towering buildings, enormous pollution, lack of light, means of transport of the future…

– Housing: they will show a “coffin home”, coffin houses that already exist in Japan, which will show how people living in poverty live, addressing the consequences of inequality and poverty.

These experiences will take place in two phases:

– Phase 1: events in municipalities. During April and May, different municipalities in Bizkaia will be visited with Googaz Virtual Reality. Schools will have the opportunity to participate with their students and there will also be an open call for interested young people.

– Phase 2: Hackathon. Participants from each locality will have the opportunity to take part in the Hackathon to be held at BBK Kuna. In the Hackathon they will have to work on a challenge of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by creating the script of a team game. The winning team will win virtual reality glasses for each member.

Registration can be made through the website: https://www.googaz.eus/.