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Espacio Mediterráneo is asking you to put your phone down and just talk to someone
A new initiative at the shopping centre invites visitors to swap screens for real conversation, with a chance to win a dinner for two
There's something quietly radical about what Espacio Mediterráneo is doing this October. Not a sale, not a competition based on a purchase, but an invitation to simply put your phone down and spend a few minutes talking to the person next to you. In 2026, that genuinely feels like a novelty.Running from Friday October 9 to Sunday October 18, the Stay a While initiative sets up a dedicated space in the Plaza de La Moda area of the shopping centre, next to Zara, where visitors can leave their phones at a charging point, set a timer and spend at least three minutes in conversation without a screen in sight. A fishbowl of conversation starter questions is there to help things along, and everyone who takes part goes into a draw to win two duo menus worth €50 each at La Boca Te Lía restaurant.
It's a simple idea, but a genuinely thoughtful one. The event has been developed in collaboration with ANAR and the La Huertetica Association of Cartagena, two organisations working to promote more conscious use of technology and raise awareness around mental health and the importance of real human connection.
How to take part
- Head to the Stay a While area at Espacio Mediterráneo with another person
- Make sure you have the Espacio Mediterráneo app downloaded
- Leave your phones at one of the charging points and start the timer
- Spend at least three minutes in conversation, using the fishbowl questions if you need inspiration
- You'll automatically be entered into the draw for the dinner prize
When is it on?
- Friday October 9: 10.00am to 12.00pm
- Saturday October 10: 11.00am to 1.00pm and 6.00pm to 8.00pm
- Sunday October 11: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
- Friday October 16: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
- Saturday October 17: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
- Sunday October 18: 6.00pm to 8.00pm
For an audience that sometimes feels the pull of screens a little too strongly, this is the kind of initiative that's easy to get behind. Espacio Mediterráneo has a habit of thinking beyond the usual shopping centre formula, and Stay a While is another example of the centre offering its visitors something genuinely worthwhile.
Image: Espacio Mediterráneo
