Joves d’Eivissa: "We know that everything is politics, but we do not want to be governed by any person or party"

IbizaThey call themselves Joves d’Eivissa and they presented themselves to society last January; in their short history they have already managed to raise certain expectations; it had been a long time since, in Ibiza, a collective of young people with the intention of organizing themselves and influencing political and social life had been seen. They want to do so from an identity-based project and critical of the economic model that prevails in the Balearic Islands. We have spoken with two of the members of the association, Sílvia Ramón Torres (21 years old, social educator) and Marc Serra Ramis (22 years old, video game development student). It has been said that members of Generation Z demonstrate a deeper social commitment than previous generations, at least on issues such as diversity, inclusion, and equality. May this interview serve as proof.

Are you more into clubs or well parties?

— Sílvia: Me, to well festivals. The other day I went to the well festivals of Can Carreró, in Sant Miquel.

— Marc: Of well parties, much more. I'm just, lights and noise..., I don't like it much.

How is Joves d’Eivissa born?

— M.: It is born from a group of girls, from a conversation in a bar in Sant Rafel about the ring road that they want to build in the town, precisely to get to the UNVRS nightclub. The idea arose that, in Ibiza, we lack associative fabric, especially for young people.

Well, the roads once again.

M.: Yes, historically roads have been a mobilizing element here.

Traditionally, there have been few youth associations in Ibiza. What do you think is the reason?

— S.: We don't have role models. I come from Sant Joan, and until I went away to study, I had no idea this could be done. I believe that what has caused this lack of mobilization is that nobody has taught us, and from there, when we saw that it was possible, we wanted to create an association that is ours.

You have defined yourselves as a non-partisan but not apolitical organization.

— S.: Yes, we don't leave politics aside, because we think it's in our daily lives, everything is really political, but we are not governed by any person or party.

— M.: We do not want to censor ourselves in opinions or actions because they have a political implication, we know that what we do will be situated in some way politically. But this does not mean that we integrate into any political option.

What do you have in your hands right now?

— S.: What don't we have? (They burst out laughing).

— M.: No, right now we are very focused on finding a way to organize ourselves, so that we maintain a certain horizontality within the association, and that even so there is a distribution of work. We are also doing, for the moment, small things; for example, we co-organized with the Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs a Catalan music festival in Els Cubells.

Reject the idea of leadership?

M.: Let's see, we can talk about leadership as guidance, because, in the end, a team without some kind of direction will hardly function efficiently. But we don't want our association to be a bunch of people replicating the ideas of two or three people; we want everyone to have the opportunity to participate if they see fit, to give their opinion, that it be valued, that it be voted on if necessary, and that it be taken into account.

It reminds me of when Podem was starting.

— M.: Yes, it can sound like that. I hope not to end up like Podem, I'm telling you; I hope not to get into the world of partisan politics, to begin with.

— S.: But it's very good that it is like this, more horizontal, because nobody is more than anyone else, and when a person has an opinion, we try to reach a middle ground, to build the best among all of us... We are lucky that we have gotten along very well from the beginning, that we have the trust to tell each other things, and we welcome everyone who comes in the best possible way.

What are the requirements to be part of it?

— S.: Be young, between 14 and 30 years old.

And your future goals?

— M.: The initial idea is, at least, to send a message of opposition to certain trends that we don't like, such as exorbitant economic growth. That as a deeper root. But in the end, we are an association of young people, and this materializes in the will to represent the needs of youth in Ibiza; if we cannot make them known and have politicians pay attention to us, at least young people will have a place to explain their problems.

And what are these problems?

— S.: Housing is the first thing. Then, the education system, that we are the second autonomous community in Spain in early school leaving...

I thought we were the first.

— S.: No, the first is Ceuta and Melilla. More problems: that the labor market in Ibiza is only based on jobs that do not require any qualification... And, in general, that few things are focused on the needs and future of young people.

How do you plan to finance yourselves?

— M. (thinks about the answer): Now, based on aid from administrations, as a non-profit association.

Will this affect you, politically?

— M.: I hope not; I would like to maintain a more or less consistent message, regardless of economic needs; if an event has to be cancelled, because, for example, an administration does not approve of it and wants to condition us, let it be cancelled.

You said that one of the priorities is the defense of Catalan. The data says that Catalan is being abandoned especially among young people. What do you think about it?

— S.: I think the language should be embraced as something positive, not as a setback; I have met many people who see Catalan as an imposition and not as a way to learn; I have friends who may be children of outsiders, and they have learned it only because they were forced to at school, but no one has told them all the good things it represents, the cultural richness behind it or the sense of belonging that speaking it entails. There is a very internalized hatred. I have lived it since I was little and I love it and I go ahead with Eivissan, but there are many people who do not see it that way, who see it as something secondary. And it is true that we Eivissans switch to Spanish at first; there are many people from outside who come and since they already know they will be spoken to in Spanish, or even in English, they no longer find it necessary to learn our language.

Do you see yourself working and living in Ibiza?

— S.: Yes, as a social educator.

And when will you come to the house where you will live?

— S.: At my mom's. (They both laugh.) There's no way I can afford a house!

— M.: I am fortunate that what I am studying lends itself well to remote work, because I would hardly find a job here in what I am studying, but I could be at a German company, for example, and be working in Ibiza. I will become an expat, but in the reverse sense.