Euskara mundura! - euskadi.eus fileEuskara speakers. Moreover, the increment in the bilingual...

Issue 72 Year 2006Issue 72 Year 2006

Euskaramundura!

Euskaramundura!

OFFICIALSTATEMENT BY THELEHENDAKARI ON THE ETA CEASEFIRE

GAURKO GAIAK / CURRENT EVENTS: learning Euskara around the globe

3 • Aurkezpena Patxi Baztarrika,Deputy Minister for Linguistic Policy ofthe Basque Government

4 • Interview with Kinku Zinkunegi,

coordinator of Euskara Munduan Plan

9 • To the samba beat: the experience in São Paulo

10 • University status for the Basque language

11 • Germans get wrapped up in Basque language and culture

12 • Euskara looks back on thirty years of history

14 • Aisa: another step toward integration

15 • José Félix Azurmendi, director of EiTB International

17 • Interview with Andrés Urrutia, Chair of Euskaltzaindia

19 • A country on the move: Official statement by the Lehendakari on the ETA

ceasefire

20 • A country on the move: The Basque Government presents its foreign

affairs strategy

EUSKADITIK: 21 • The Lehendakari attends the swearing-in ceremonyfor Chile’s new president, Michelle Bachelet

22 • The Lehendakari regards human rights essential forcoexistence in Georgia

23 • Jesús de Galíndez: martyr for freedom

24 • Basque Vice President underscores the “balancedmodel” for economic growth in Euskadi

25 • Ballet Biarritz performs in Los Angeles

EUSKAL GAZTEAK MUNDUAN26 • Pedro Oiarzabal and Olivia Bidaurreta Antxustegi

EUSKAL ETXEAK / BASQUE CENTERS28 • NABO leaders visit Euskadi invited by the Directorate for Relations withBasque Communities

29 • A delegation from the Department of Justice, Employment and SocialSecurity visits Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia

30 • Javier Madrazo signs an agreement with Venezuela Public Television

31 • Basque spirit in Havana

AURKIBIDEA / TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUTHOREusko Jaurlaritza-KanpoHarremanetarako IdazkaritzaNagusiaBasque Government-GeneralSecretariat for Foreign Action

C/ Navarra, 201007 VITORIA-GASTEIZTelephone: 945 01 [email protected]

DIRECTORJosu Legarreta Bilbao

COORDINATION AND EDITORIALOFFICEKazeta5 [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHSBasque Government Archive, HABE Archive

EDITOREusko Jaurlaritzaren ArgitalpenZerbitzu NagusiaServicio Central de Publicacionesdel Gobierno Vasco

LAYOUT AND DESIGNDidart

PRINTINGXxxxxxxxxxx

ISSN: 1579-4229

Issue 72. Year 2006 urtea

Jesús de Galíndez

Issue 72 Year 2006Issue 72 Year 2006

Euskaramundura!

Euskaramundura!

OFFICIALSTATEMENT BY THELEHENDAKARI ON THE ETACEASEFIRE

Issue 72 Year 2006 3GAURKO GAIAK

LEARNING EUSKARA AROUND THE GLOBE

Basque society andgovernment agencieshave made a huge effortover the past twenty-five

years to revive Euskara. TheBasque language in Euskaditoday has made considerableadvances compared to itscircumstances in the 1980s.Twenty years may seem likevery little time indeed, but thefact of the matter is that in1981 only one out of everyfive Basque citizens spokeEuskara, whereas twentyyears later a third of the populationnow speaks the language. Thisspectacular leap forward means thatthere are now 200,000 additionalEuskara speakers.

Moreover, the increment in thebilingual population is across theboard in terms of age, although it isimportant to point out that theyounger the age group, the higher thepercentage of bilinguals, clearlyinfluencing the transmission of thelanguage. 60% of the populationbetween five and fourteen years ofage is bilingual.

Euskara has reached new spheresand levels; it is now commonly heardat home, in the community, the media,government, business and commerce,the workplace and in academia.However, knowing the language andactually speaking it are two differentmatters, the latter sorely laggingbehind. Therefore, it is vital tocontinue working towards promotingthe use of Euskara if we want tobecome a truly bilingual society.

Euskara, just like any other language,belongs to those who speak it, inaddition to forming part of thecultural heritage of all humankind.At the dawn of the third millenniumlanguages have gone global. At thebeginning of the sixteenth century, inthe first book published in the Basquelanguage, Bernat Etxepare wrote“euskara jalgi hadi mundura”(Euskera, open up to the world).Today his words ring true more thanever before. The old borders havedisappeared; today’s world is an openplace in which all of humanitybenefits from interaction.This is whythe Basque Government contributesto the promotion of Euskara andBasque culture both within andbeyond our borders. Among otheractivities we want to strengthencollaboration with Euskal Etxeas tospread the Basque language andreinforce the university languageassistantship program under way.

These activities, promoted by theBasque Department of Culture, areslated to come under the umbrella of

the future “Euskadi Institute.”Approved by the BasqueParliament, the mission of thenew agency will be to promoteBasque language and culture

abroad, and will thereforeabsorb the activities wehave been responsible foruntil now.

The language assistantshipprogram in American andEuropean universities fallswithin the framework of“Euskara Munduan,” a

program administered by the BasqueDepartment of Culture through theindependent institute HABE. EuskaraMunduan is in charge of developingand certifying Euskara courses foradults taught beyond the borders ofEuskal Herria.There are currentlythirteen universities in Europe andthe Americas that have includedEuskara and Basque culture in theircurriculums.

Together with university programs,Basque language and culture classesoffered at Basque clubs are key toensuring the future of our culturallegacy. We recognize and greatlyadmire the efforts made by Basquecenters around the world in spreadingan appreciation for Basque languageand culture.We want the Basques ofthe diaspora, the men and womenwho make up our “eighth province,”to know that Basque society is proudof their efforts and determination.And we want to work hand in handto reach out and build the future ofour language and culture, no matterwhere we are in the world.

Euskara reaches out

PATXI BAZTARRIKADeputy Minister for LanguagePolicy of the Basque Government

Opening letterAurkezpena

4 Issue 72 Year 2006CURRENT EVENTS

EUSKARAREN IRAKASKUNTZA MUNDUAN ZEHAR

The seed for Euskara Munduan, a plan created to bringEuskara classes to the Basque centers, was planted inArgentina in 1989 by a group from the Basquecommunity who presented their idea to LehendakariArdanza during a visit by the former Basque president.Little by little other Basque centers around the worldbegan adding their names to the list, includingcountries from Latin America, the United States,Canada and Australia, as well as clubs based in Spain,Paris, London and Rome. Sixteen years after thelaunching of the plan, originally called “ArgentinanEuskaraz,” several thousand people have learnedEuskara outside of Euskal Herria and the project ismore active today than ever before.

Program coordinator Jose Franzisko Zinkunegi, whosework falls under the auspices of the Institute forBasque Culture, Language and Adult Literacy, HABE(Helduen Alfabetatze eta BerreuskalduntzerakoErakundea), has closely watched appreciation forEuskara spread to all corners of the world. Familiarwith the actual conditions and circumstances ofBasque communities abroad, his insight helps shedlight on the process involved in reviving a language.

Young people are the driving force in Argentina

“In 1989 there were no longer any Basque immigrantsin Argentina keeping the language of their forebearsalive,” said Zinkunegi. “Euskara was lost and a groupof young people from the Basque center toldLehendakari Ardanza that they needed support torevitalize it. That was the birth of ArgentinanEuskaraz, a program which took its first steps in 1990.It began with a three-month barnetegi program (live-inBasque language school) in the village of Macachín, LaPampa, taught by two teachers from Euskal Herria.

Seventeen Argentinians signed up as students, andafter the experience was through they went back totheir Basque centers to teach beginning Euskaraclasses to 175 students.”

From 1990 to 1995 efforts focused on trainingEuskara teachers so they could respond to the demandin Argentina. In 1996 a second phase got under way. Itwas decided that more intensive training was needed sothat the Argentinians themselves would be equipped totake over the process, although the program would stillbe funded from Euskal Herria. “We set ourselves agoal: by 2000 Argentina would be completelyautonomous in terms of teachers,” said Zinkunegi.

KINKU ZINKUNEGI coordinator of Euskara Munduan Plan

1989-1990 ikasturtean Ardanza lehendakariaksortutako “Argentinan euskaraz” proiektuafinkatuz joan da eta beste herrialde batzuetarazabaldu da. 2003an, Miren Azkarate Kulturasailburuak hiru eskakizun beteko zituelahitzeman zuen: bertako irakasleak trebatzea,irakasleak eta ikasleak material didaktikozhornitzea eta aktibitatea diru-laguntzen bidezfinantzatzea.

A sign of identity for Basque communities



“We began bringing people to EuskalHerria when they reached level 6 andhere they would continue theirlanguage studies in barnetegis forperiods of up to three months. Asthey became more comfortable withthe language, we would provide themwith methodology resources andbasic teaching skills so they couldteach classes at their Basque centers.You have to keep in mind that thesepeople were volunteers, not trainedteachers, and they all came fromdifferent backgrounds andprofessions.

The funny thing with theArgentinians was that the demandfor learning Euskara came from agroup of young people. They werethird- and fourth-generation descendants of Basqueimmigrants who felt the need to revive the language oftheir ancestors. Zinkunegi went on to explain that was“common for first-generation immigrants to place littleimportance on their own language. They downplay itsimportance because what they really want is for theirchildren to learn the language spoken in their newcountry. Euskara was a language that stayed at homearound the dinner table. In Argentina all of the peopleare ‘hyphenated’ Argentinians, meaning they’re eitherItalian-Argentinians, Polish-Argentinians, Basque-Argentinians...They’re all Argentinians, but somewherein that confusing welter the Basque-Argentinians insiston asserting their ‘Basqueness.’They feel the need to letthey world know they’re Basque. The elements thatsurvived as signs of identity are family names andfolklore, but the language was lost. But the youngergenerations have shown great interest in reviving the

language, and since these are thepeople now at the helm, it’s reallyencouraging.

The number of people enrolled inEuskara classes in Argentina rosefrom 175 in 1990 to 273 adults and91 children in 1995. Now, in 2006,the number is expected to exceed onethousand counting all the differentBasque centers in the country.

From the Southern Cone to theUnited States

At the 1999 World Congress ofBasque Communities held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque centers from othercountries had the opportunity tolearn all about the Argentinian

experience and join in on the project. Chile andUruguay were the first of the Southern Cone countriesto sign up. Also key to further expansion of the projectwas the NABO conference held in 2001. “The Basqueorganizations in the United States were interested inoffering Euskara classes and invited us to present theteaching materials we used in our courses. The upshotof that initial contact was laid down two years later atthe 2003 congress. The aim was clear: for 75% of theNABO partner organizations to be set up to offerBasque language classes by 2007. That was thechallenge they put forth, and from that point on whathad previously been called Argentinan Euskarazbecame known as Euskara Munduan.Teaching Euskarain Basque centers now took on a global dimension.

The people who began to take interest in Euskara in theUnited States were the children and grandchildren of

Above and below are pictures taken at one of the barnetegis organized in Argentina.

Argentinan,

hirugarren eta

laugarren

belaunaldiek

egin zuten

eskakizuna.

6 Issue 72 Year 2006

Basque immigrants, and most of the people who signedup for the courses already spoke Basque at home.Therefore, the method developed in the U.S. wasdifferent from the process in Latin America. Teachertraining sessions and workshops were organized in bothplaces, but the pace, time frame and availability of thepeople are very different. “The idea of people takingpart in a fifteen day barnetegi in the United States,”said Zinkunegi “is virtually impossible.” They simplydon’t have that much free time. The working schedulethere is nothing like it is in other countries, so theproject has to take a different approach.”

So far there have been two meetings.The first was heldin Boise in 2005. 25 participants enrolled in a courseon how to use Boga, the Internet-based Euskaralanguage program offered through HABE, whichincludes all levels of Basque culture and language andis structured in five courses or levels. With this as abasis, classes started being offered at the variousBasque clubs that had installed the BOGA program. 30people attended the second meeting, which was held onFebruary 17th, coinciding with the San FranciscoNABO meeting. The idea for next year is to organize abarnetegi as part of the popular “udaleku” summer

CURRENT EVENTS


Issue 72 Year 2006 7

camp program in which children aged 8-16 learn aboutBasque culture and customs.

Fulfilled promises

At the 2003 congress Basque Minister for CultureMiren Azkarate took on the commitment to respond tothe Basque centers’ demands with regard to Euskara.Her pledge was to make sure local teachers receivedtraining to eliminate the dependence on Euskal Herria;to provide teachers and students alike witheducational materials; and to finance the effort.

At the congress Azkarate also promised to adapt theteaching materials to local needs. “For the first fewyears the materials used were the same as those usedin Euskadi for Euskadi. In Argentina they workedpretty well because the language of instruction wasSpanish. Sometimes the references were out of contextand the materials had to be adapted to fit thecircumstances, conditions, people and geography, etc.of their own country, but in general terms the textswere valid. But in the United States the material justdidn’t work, so we had to change it and use English as

the language of instruction. The commitment we tookon in 2003 was to adapt the first three levels toEnglish and French, which is now complete. The firstcourse of the Boga program, that is the first 300hours, are now available in Euskara-French andEuskara-English. This has made it possible to useBoga in the United States, Sydney and London, as wellas in French-speaking communities including Parisand Montreal”.

Internet and distance learning

In 2003 “Euskara Munduan” started up a new systemfor training instructors, spurred on by the introductionof new technology in daily life. “This phenomenon,”added Zinkunegi “has brought about a change in theinflux of information so that nowadays Basqueemigrants are much more closely connected to theirhomeland than ever before. These changes have alsomade Basque centers more open.”

Since the project was initiated other formats andmedia have been created to help students learn fromhome without the need for a teacher to be physicallypresent.That was when we decided it was time to focuson distance learning.

GAURKO GAIAK


Otsailaren 17an “Euskararen

eguna” ospatu zuten San

Franciscon, NABOk 18an eta

19an ospatu aurretik.

Students in Frankfurt


“Our website is designed as a virtual campus, with ateacher from the Lazkao barnetegi who designs a newset of exercises every week aimed at the 40 newinstructors this year from Argentina, Uruguay andChile. The local instructors receive the work everyMonday, organize their time however they see fit, andsend the exercises back to us when they’re finished.

Oral expression, which is not available online, isreinforced with 2 two-week barnetegis in Argentina inJanuary and July, coinciding with school vacations.The people who sign up for the distance learningprogram agree to participate in the barnetegis sincethey are considered an essential vehicle in achievingfluency. The third course using this new system ofteaching began in March and, according to Zinkunegi,has exceeded all expectations. “The level the teachershave acquired is much higher than we had everimagined.”

The offer remains open to any country or federationof Basque clubs interested in training their own localEuskara instructors. In fact, a number of othercountries have already decided to take advantage ofthe program. In Mexico courses are offered at theBasque center in Mexico City, which has installedBoga at their facility. The same holds true forVenezuela, at the Caracas and Valencia centers, and inPuerto Rico. In Brazil, classes are offered at theEuskal Extea in São Paulo. “In January andFebruary 2005 the Boga system was set up at theBrazil center and 30 students signed up. Formeruniversity professor Estebe Ormazabal made the SãoPaulo experience possible by offering to teach theEuskara classes at the center. The most recentaddition to the Euskara Munduan program is theBasque club of Montreal.”

The experience has not only been confined to theAmericas. In Europe the new Basque center in Parisnow has 80 students learning Euskara; in London,although the Euskal Etxea is located in a small office,classes are taught at the Metropolitan University aspart of their Basque studies center; in Rome courseshave been offered for three years, and the number ofstudents has grown so much that the UPTER(Università Popolare di Roma) decided to create a

department of Euskara in collaboration with ACE(Asociacione Culturale Euskara). In Spain, Madridand Barcelona had a long tradition of independentlyorganized Euskara classes, all of which have nowcome under the umbrella of Euskara Munduan. Alllevels are available in these two major cities. Coursesare also taught at the Basque centers in Mallorca,Murcia, Valladolid and Valencia.

Basque libraries

In association with the Euskara Munduan program, anumber of libraries specializing in Basque studies aresupplied with reading materials in the same fashion asany other public library in Euskal Herria. Around 300volumes a year are earmarked for Mexico, BuenosAires and Frankfurt. In Mexico agreement was signedwith the National Library of Mexico, and in 2005another agreement was signed with the Federation ofArgentinian-Basque Entities (FEVA). The actuallibrary is located at the Laurak Bat Euskal Etxea inBuenos Aires but a library loan service is availablethrough any other Basque center in Argentina. InFrankfurt a central Euskal Liburutegia has been setup to serve all of Germany.These libraries contain theentire body of Basque literature, plus a collection ofreading materials on Basque culture in the languageof the country.

CURRENT EVENTS


Euskal Liburutegia in Frankfurt.

2005eko urtarrilean,

25 pertsonaz osatutako taldea

bildu zen Boisen “Boga”

programa eta auto-ikaskuntza

kudeatzeko.

To thesambabeat

Students of the São Paulo Euskal Etxea.

9

Estebe Ormazabal, a determined young man keen onspreading Basque culture and language, has decided tomake this one of his life projects. He has found hefollowers in the city of São Paulo, where each of hisclasses are, in his words,“a fiesta, a shot of energy.”

“I came to Brazil in 1996 and came in contact with theSão Paulo Euskal Etxea through a good friend of mine,Xabier Harluxet.Teaching people about Basque culturehad never been taken very seriously, so got together anorganized an event about our culture focusing mainly onthe language.With help from the Basque Government wehired an Euskara teacher – Mikel Lasa Altuna – andtogether with the Department of Non-Indo-EuropeanLanguages of the University of São Paulo (USP),organized the first course on Basque language and culture.We were amazed at how popular it was.Thirty peopleenrolled in the class and a lot of people were interestedin the initiative. At the time we weren’t able to keep theprogram going. But in 2005 I came back to São Pauloand at the first meetings held with the people in chargeof the Euskal Etxea we agreed that starting up classesagain would be a good way to attract new members, a wayof bringing fresh insights to our community. Besideslearning Euskara and having contact with our culture,people would be encouraged to take part in the otheractivities organized by the Euskal Etxea. And, who knows,in the long term we might even turn out our first Brazilianbertsolari txapeldun!”

Classes began in August 2005 at ‘Casa Catalunya,’ whichwas rented for a symbolic amount, and in September 2005a new group got started at the University of São Paulo.

Since the São Paulo Euskal Etxea is located on theoutskirts, the center is used exclusively for social eventsand parties for students.“For the time being we only offerbeginning level classes using traditional classroommethods: mintza praktika (conversation), talks on subjectsrelated to Euskal Herria. Classes are generally three tofour hours, two days a week, every other week.The averagenumber of students in each class is 25.We also have theonline self-paced language program BOGA offered throughHABE.

Estebe Ormazabal is always amazed at the wide array ofreasons why people are drawn to these classes:“We haveBasques that came here after the Civil War who forpolitical reasons never had the chance to learn their ownlanguage – our oldest student, Elías Echegoyen, is 80.Wealso have young descendants of Basques who’ve never hadany contact with the Basque Country. Some of the peoplesign up for sentimental reasons, because their husbandsor wives are of Basque ancestry.There are even linguistsand a couple of crazies.”

Most of the students are between the age of 25 and 40,and 20% are over 60. By gender, 60% are male and 40%female.

Ormazabal’s personal opinion is that the experience hasbeen very positive: “I can’t even begin to express howexcited and proud I am to be teaching these people. I knowwhat the language situation is like in our own country andhow difficult it can be for Basque speakers in EuskalHerria. I also know how unwilling some people are tomake an extra effort and that there is still prejudiceagainst speaking Euskara. My students are a shiningexample of passionate people who appreciate their culture,people who respect those who are different, and who knowwhat it means to work hard at something you love. Forme it’s an honor to be involved in this project.”


Issue 72 Year 2006 GAURKO GAIAK

Estebe Ormazabal borondate handikogaztea da, eta ziur dago euskara eta euskalkultura zabaltzea bere biziko muga dela.São Paolo hirian aurkitu du jarraitzailerik,eta eskola bakoitza “jai bat, energiainjekzio bat” dela adierazi du.



A total of thirteen universities in Europe and the Americasoffer Euskara classes in their classrooms as part ofuniversity language assistantship program sponsored bythe Basque Department of Culture to promote Basquelanguage and culture at the international level.

Lorea Bilbao, advisor to the Basque Department ofCulture and coordinator of the university languageassistantship program claims that much progress has beenmade since the 2003-2004 academic year when the firstagreements were signed between the Department ofCulture and a couple of universities. “In the immediatefuture,” she added “the language assistantship programwill probably be one of the many activities of the EuskadiInstitute - expected to be set in motion next year - aimedat promoting Euskara and Basque culture beyond ourborders.”

The Euskadi Institute, the first agency of its kind in theBasque Autonomous Community, will be responsible forpromoting and communicating a positive image of Euskadiand Basque society, and fostering an understanding ofEuskara and Basque culture. Until the Institute isimplemented, the university language assistantshipprogram is seeing to both tasks. “What we would like tosee happen,” added Ms. Bilbao, “is for Basque languageclasses taught at universities and other centers for highereducation around the world to become part of theirregular curriculum through the creation of permanentstudy programs, Basque studies centers or even universitychairs.”

Chile was the first country to take advantage of theprogram, and now it is available in four Chileanuniversities: the Pontifical Catholic Universities ofSantiago and Valparaíso, the University of Chile inSantiago and the University of Chile in Valparaíso. TheUniversity of the Republic in Montevideo, Uruguay, and theNational Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) havealso signed the agreement. Added to the list is the BasqueStudies “Minor” created as a result of an agreementbetween Boise State University in Idaho, the BasqueDepartment of Education, Universities and Research, andthe General Secretariat for Foreign Action.

In Europe, Germany stands out for its two experiences inteaching Euskara at the university level: the FreieUniversität in Berlin and the Euskal Ikaskuntzen Zentrua(Center for Basque Studies) both signed agreements withthe Basque Department of Education, Universities andResearch, and the General Secretariat for ForeignAction. Students at the University of Helsinki in Finland,the University of Warsaw in Poland and the UPTERUniversity (Università Popolare di Roma) in Rome alsohave the chance to learn Euskara. In Spain, the Basquelanguage is offered at the University of Valencia.

“The students interested in these programs,” addedLorea Bilbao, “don’t necessarily have the same profile,nor are they all descendants of Basques, as some peoplemight think. There are all kinds of people with a widevariety of interests and reasons for enrolling in theclasses, some for purely academic reasons, others due tosimilarities between Euskara and their own languages.Other people are fascinated by the mystery that shroudsthe origin of the Basque language or the fact that itmanages to remain so strong while being a minoritylanguage in its own country. Some people are alsoattracted for political and social reasons, perhapsinfluenced by the Basque companies operating in thearea, or even for tourism-related reasons.

According to Lorea Bilbao, the goal now is to“consolidate the programs already in motion, assess theirprogress and introduce any improvements considerednecessary with an eye to extending the program to areasstrategic for disseminating the Basque language andculture, and therefore familiarizing people with thecultural and social environment in Euskadi today.”

University status for the Basque language

Europa osoan banatutako hamahiruunibertsitatek eta Amerikakokontinenteak euskara eskolak ematendituzte ikasgeletan, Eusko JaurlaritzakoKultura Sailak sustatutako irakurlegoprogramei esker. Helburua euskarareneta euskal kulturaren ezagutzanazioartean zabaltzea da.

Thirteen universities in Europe and the Americas offer Euskara classes.

11

Spearheading the Frankfurt experience isMartin Petrus, an enthusiastic teacher –self-defined as half Catalonian, halfGerman – who explained how theinitiative of bringing Basque language andculture to the German city was developed.He discovered that on a personal level thisactivity helped him “to adapt andreconcile his German heritage with themulticultural circumstances around him.”

“All of it began with an Agreement ofCooperation signed between the BasqueDepartments of Education and Culture,the Basque Secretariat for Foreign Actionand Johann Wolfgang Goethe University,more specifically, the Institutes ofComparative Languages, Social Sciences and RomanceLanguages,” Petrus said. “The agreement,” he added“contained a series of goals, including the creation andmaintenance of a central Euskal Liburutegia for Germany;interdisciplinary courses with Basque subject matterincorporated in student study programs; the creation andpublication of methods for teaching Euskara to Germans;support for the publication of scientific and/or literarypapers on Basque-related subjects; and reinforcing all ofthese activities with cultural events such as Basque filmscreenings, etc.”

Since the program got under way, a great deal of activityhas been taken place.“So far we’ve offered two courses persemester, put together a radio program and Basque filmsessions, and created the first Basque grammar forGermans. A book is also being written, and literarypresentations have been set up in connection with the 2003,2004 and 2005 book fairs. And a gathering of Germanexperts on Basque studies was held at the Expolingua Fairin Berlin in 2005. All of these efforts now fall under theGerman Center for Basque Studies, now officially namedthe ‘Euskal Ikaskuntzen Alemaniako Etxea.’ Right nowwe’re working with the Basque Government to draw up anew agreement to ensure that our activities continue and to

gradually extend the scope of ourBasque studies in Germany incooperation with other Basque-German scientific and culturalorganizations.”

The courses began in summer 2003with an introductory course onBasque culture, history andcivilization. Euskara classes have beenoffered since the 2003-2004academic year. The students aredivided into levels: beginning andadvanced classes, and classes thatfocus on reading, which includesBasque literature and texts ondifferent aspects of Basque culture.

Students meet for two hours a week, and there is a writtenexam at the end of each semester.The classes are held at theUniversity, at the institutes mentioned above on the newWestend Campus, and at the Institute of ComparativeLanguages. More women than men enroll in the classes.Most of the students are in their early twenties, althoughsome are over fifty.

Petrus explained the reasons why German students areinterested in Basque language and culture: “Some studentssign up to earn credits toward their degrees, since theclasses are part of the institutes’ curricula. In the case ofComparative Languages students, clearly they’re interestedin the fact that Euskara is the oldest and perhaps the ‘mostunusual’ language in Europe. One of the radio programs webroadcast explores Basque ties in Germany. The people inour Basque community are thrilled to take part and, in acertain sense, ‘show’ others what it means to be Basque. Inother words, beside our regular university activities,euskaldunes from the community like to get involved. Andof course the contacts already made in other cities andregions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland demonstratethe increasing interest in ‘things Basque’ on the part ofBasques residing in Germany, or of Germans with personal,cultural or business ties to the Basque community.


Germans get wrapped up in Basque language and culture

Basque civilization class at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt




One of the repercussions of the Spanish Civil Warwas to ban and persecute Euskara, making“Kristau ikasbidea” the only children’s book

available in Basque. In time new books and magazinesappeared, the first of which were published abroad. Thencame efforts to teach children and adults to read and writeEuskara, followed by the first forays in literature and musicby young writers, musicians and singers.

After the Civil War the panorama for Euskara was one ofprohibition and harassment, and the euskaltzales,champions of Basque heritage, had either been killed,imprisoned, silenced or had fled the country. However, atchurch the priests began again to deliver their sermons andteach catechism in Euskara. For the boys and girls of thepost war period “Kristau-ikasbidea” (the catechism) wasthe only book they were allowed to read in Euskara. All ofthe other books were burnt, hidden or banned.

The first publications were printed abroad:“Urrundik, bakeoroi” (1945) and “Gudarien egiñak” (1946) by Telesforo

de Monzón; “Joañixio” and “Bizia garratza” (Irazusta,1946 and 1950);“Urte guziko meza eta bezperak” (Orixe,1950); and “Sopokel-en antzerkiak” (Zaitegi, 1946); themagazine series, “Euzko Gogoa” (1950-56, Zaitegi, Orixe,Andima). and other publications such as “Anaiak,”“Itxartu,” “Euzkadi,” “Argia,” “Euzko Deia,” “Alderdi,”“Galeuzca,” and “Ekin.”

Before the 1950s nothing was published in Euskara inHego Euskal Herria. The first publication was “Egan,”sponsored by the “Real Sociedad Bascongada de losAmigos del País” and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa(1948), followed by “Jakin,” put out by the Franciscanmonks at Arantzazu (1956), and “Zeruko Argia” by theCapuchin monks (1960). The first books to be publishedwere “Arantzazuko Poema” (1949) and Ama-semeak”(1951) by Salbatore Mitxelena; “Euskaldunak” (Orixe,1950); “Alosko Torrea” (1950) and “Joanak, joan”(1955) by Jon Etxaide; “Noni eta Mani”, (P. Muxika,1952); “Euskal Mila Olerki Eder” (X. Onaindia, 1954);“Hamabost egun Urgain’en”, (J. A. Loidi, 1955); “San

MIKEL ATXAGA

EEuusskkaarraa llooookkss bbaacckk oonn tthhiirrttyyyyeeaarrss ooff hhiissttoorryy

Gerra zibilaren ostean euskara debekatzeareneta jarraitzearen ondorioz, “Kristau ikasbidea”bihurtu zen neska-mutilentzako euskarazkoliburu bakarra. Geroago etorri zirenargitalpenak; lehenengoak atzerrianeditatutakoak. Era berean, gerora etorri zirenhelduak eta larriak alfabetizatzeko ahaleginak,literaturako nahiz musikako lehengo urratsakidazle, musikari eta abeslari gazteekin.



Agustinen Aitorkizunak” (Orixe, 1956); “Leturiarenegunkari ezkutua” (Txillardegi, 1957). Many of thesebooks were published by the publishing house Itxaropena.

The only way to learn to read was by actually reading, andthose who dared to write did so by submitting articles forpublication in magazines and journals. Very few peoplemanaged to become fluent in Euskara with such limitedresources. Grammars or books that had been written beforethe Civil War were driven underground.

The impetus takes hold

To promote Euskera and Basque literature, ViceLehendakari Joseba Rezola created “Sabindiar Batzain” inDonibane Lohizune (Saint Jean Luz) in 1950; thehizketaldiak emerged in 1953 and in 1956 EKA (EuskalKulturaren Alde) with participation by Manu Sota, JoséMiguel Barandiaran, Manuel Irujo, José Antonio Aguirre,Telesforo Monzón and Ibiñagabeitia, among others.

In 1942, Elvira Zipitria started up the first undergroundikastola; in 1956 gau-eskolak (night schools) were startedin Donostia to teach Euskera to adults, and a year later theBenedictine monks followed suit in Lazkao. In 1953 MaríaDolores Agirre returned to Iztunde Ikastola to eachEuskara to adults and to promote Basque-language theaterarts. Around the same time, the radio station “La voz deGuipúzcoa” (the voice of Gipuzkoa) began broadcasting afew programs in Euskara. Other radio stations sprung up,such as Segura (1956), Arrate (1959) and Loiola (1961).

Xabier Peña teaching classes in Bilbao (1949), and wouldlater publish “Euskal irakasbide laburra”; EIA (EuskalIkasle Alkartasuna) was created by Luis Mari Retolaza,Josu Arenaza, Alfonso Irigoien, and in 1970 X. Peñapublished “Iniciación del estudio del euskera”.

At the same time important gatherings were beingorganized: Eusko Ikaskuntza Basque Studies Society) inBaiona, (1954); Euskaltzaindia in Arantzazu (1956), andin Paris 400 people showed up in 1956 at the First WorldBasque Congress.

Those were also the years of the first bertsolarichampionships.The first one was held in Tolosa (1945), andothers, sponsored by Euskaltzaindia, followed in 1958 inIparralde, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa; in 1960 the first EuskalHerriko Txapelketa Nagusia (Bertsolari Championship ofEuskal Herria) was staged.

Newspapers in Euskara appeared at newsstands under suchtitles as “Anaitasuna” and “Agur” in Bizkaia,“Goiz-Argi”and “Zeruko Argia” in Gipuzkoa,“Herria” in Iparralde and“Príncipe de Viana” in Navarra.These were the “schools”for learning to read and write in Euskara, and where suchwriters as Ricardo Arregi, Ramón Saizarbitoria, Arantxa

Urretabizkaia, Amaia Lasa, Lurdes Iriondo, Xabier Lete,Andu Lertxundi and Bernardo Atxaga got their start.

While the phenomenon of ikastolas spread outward fromSan Sebastián to other Basque capitals and towns,musicians like Lurdes Iriondo, Benito Lertxundi, XabierLete, Antton Valverde, and the groups Ez dok Amairu,Oskarbi and Oskorri used their voices and music to promotethe cause of Euskara.

Children, teens and adults

To help children learn to read and write “Umeen deia” wasfounded in Navarra by the Franciscan monk Torres Ibañez,Aita Felipe Murieta, in 1959, and published until his deathin 1966. In Gipuzkoa the magazine “Zeruko Argia”included a comic strip called “Pin-Pin” from 1960-64.José Antonio Retolaza created “Kili-Kili” in Bizkaia, amagazine read by youngsters throughout Euskal Herriaand still published today. It came out in mimeograph formfrom 1966-68 and in print in 1977.The publishers of “Kili-Kili” organized an annual jaialdi, a hugely successful eventthat drew in up to 9,000 children.

The ideas kept coming and eventually gau-eskolak were setup so that young people who left school at an early agecould learn something more than just Spanish and math,especially young men before they entered military service.The same name was later used in 1966 for adult readingand writing classes set up in different locations, but nowunder the supervision of Euskaltzaindia, on a proposalfrom Ricardo Arregi. The first exercises involved readingassorted texts and studying a limited amount of grammarto reinforce writing skills. When the first grammar booksbecame available they were then included as classmaterials: “Euskera ire laguna”, (Patxi Altuna, 1967);“Euskara Irati bidez” (Jon Oñatibia, 1965), and instandard or unified Basque (Euskera batua), “Oinarrizkoeuskara” by Imanol Berriatua (1968), based on themethods used in Hebrew schools.

Ricardo Arregi died in a tragic car accident in 1969 at theage of 27. By then the gau-eskolak were well-rooted andsoon began being known throughout Euskal Herria aseuskaltegiak under the sponsorship of Euskaltzaindia.Many of these schools opted to use the methods developedby Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, who believed thatteaching people to read and write raised their social andpolitical awareness. To coordinate all of the Basquelanguage schools an umbrella group called AEK(Alfabetatze-Euskalduntze Koordinakundea) was foundedin 1977, dominated primarily by the so-called “abertzaleleft.”

In 1981 the Basque Government created HABE (HelduenAlfabetatze-Berreuskaldutze Erakundea), the Institute forBasque Culture, Language and Adult Literacy.

´



Immigrants entering Euskadi have theopportunity to learn Euskara throughAisa, a project jointly sponsored by

the Department of Language Policy,HABE and the Office of Immigration.The idea is that by giving newcomers anopportunity to learn the language,culture and customs, they will find iteasier to integrate into Basque society.

For this purpose HABE has createddifferent types of learning materials:books for students and teachers, twovideos and an easy-to-use visualdictionary in seven languages: Euskara,Spanish, French, English, Arabic, Berberand Chinese. At the same time a series ofinitiation courses have been set up, with325 people taking part in 2005.Altogether a total of 32 courses have been taught in 21locations.

The chart below shows that the majority of studentscome from Latin America, mainly Colombia, Boliviaand Ecuador. In terms of Africa, most of the studentstaking part in the courses have been from Morocco.

Begoña Martínez Monasterio, the person responsible

for the Aisa teaching materials, sees the experience asvery positive “The opinions collected from all threegroups involved in the project - students, teachers andlocal governments - are interesting and very enriching,”she said, adding that “it’s a program that helps buildbridges between different cultures. It’s not only amatter of other people learning about our culture; theBasque people are also realizing that we have a lot tolearn from them.”

For the teaching staff it has also beena new experience since they have had totake an entirely new approach toteaching Basque culture and language.For instance, in a single group there canbe students who speak many differentlanguages.

For many of the students it is oftendifficult to make it to class on aregular basis due to difficult workingconditions, varying work shifts, havingto change their place of residence, etc.Nevertheless, in HABE’s judgmentthese Euskara courses “open up a newworld for the students, if only to helpthem recognize street signs andposters, in addition to bringing themcloser to Basque culture. “It’s one

step further toward integration.”

Etorkinen ahotsa, voices of the world

“Etorkinen ahotsa” is a multicultural publication thathas been distributed free of charge since 2003. Themagazine’s twentieth issue came out in February.Although published mainly in Spanish, articles are alsowritten in other languages, including Euskara.

Esther Isasa, the person in charge of the “learningEuskara” section, explained how the magazine hasdeveloped. “At first we included short simple sentencessuch as greetings. We also printed articles on Basqueculture, but in Spanish, as well as short conversationsin Euskara in the form of vignettes. It’s all orientedtoward familiarizing people with Euskara andencouraging them to make use of the euskaltegis.”

Until now there has been only one edition for the wholeBasque Country, but different versions are expected tobe published in each of the provinces: Araba, Bizkaiaand Gipuzkoa.

www.habe.euskadi.netwww.vocesdelmundo.org

AAiissaa:: aannootthheerr sstteepp ttoowwaarrdd iinntteeggrraattiioonn

Europe: 39 / USA: 1 Latin America: 217 / Asia: 14 /Maghrib: 28 / Oceania: 3 Other African countires: 23 /Total students: 325

HABE material didaktikoa sortzen joanda irakasleentzat eta ikasleentzat zazpihizkuntzatan: euskaraz, gaztelaniaz,frantsesez, ingelesez, arabieraz,bereberrez eta txineraz. Helburua,etorkinak euskarara gerturatzea.



JOSÉ FÉLIX AZURMENDIDirector of EiTB International

E

Today nobody has the slightest doubt that the futureof digital media is with the Internet. Nobody doubtsthat the television receiver will very soon cease to bean inanimate, one-way device that only serves toreproduce outside programming. Well, the future isalready upon us. José Félix Azurmendi is the directorof EiTB’s international television division and theperson in charge of brokering the deal with JumpTV.The agreement was signed a few days ago bymanaging director Andoni Ortuzar not far from NewYork’s Wall Street in the financial heart of the UnitedStates - and the world. Azurmendi has agreed toexplain to Euskal Etxeak readers what all of thisreally means.

What equipment do you need to watch televisionvia this system?A computer, and if you want the same quality as youget on your conventional signal television, you’ll needbroadband.

“The virtual Basqueland is a reality”

EiTB signed an agreement in New York with JumpTV,the world’s most experienced online television network.Basques residing around the globe for work or study, orbecause their ancestors immigrated to other countries,will now have a communication network, not just newsbroadcasts, that may very well change their lives.

EiTBk hitzarmena sinatu zuen New YorkenJumpTVrekin, hain zuzen, Internet bidezirudiak zabaltzeko munduko enpresarikkualifikatuena. Horri esker, lan-kontuakedota ikasketak direla eta sare honetankomunikatzeko modua izango dute, baitaarbasoak atzerrira joan zirelako kanpoandirenek ere. Informazioa trukatzeaz gain,bizimodua ere alda diezaiekeen zerbait.



But isn’t that what is alreadyavailable on the regular EiTBwebsite?No, it’s completely different. Ateitb.com we can listen to decentquality radio broadcasts, but itdoesn’t give us high-qualitytelevision programming. And, bythe way, if you’d rather watch aprogram on the televisionscreen, it’s easy to connect yourcomputer to the TV.

How does one subscribe andwhat does it cost?The regular offer made byJumpTV, which has over 100international pay channels, costsjust under ten dollars a month.We’re negotiating a deal whichwould include multi-signal packetsand subscription options fordifferent periods of time. “CanalVasco” is already accessible.Thesignal is delivered to Montrealfrom the Hispasat satellite and isconnected to the Internet throughJumpTV’s own network, the bestavailable today for onlinebroadcasting.Very soon - probablyby the time this magazine comesout - we’ll also be able to see“ETB-Sat,” which offers half ofits programming in Euskara,broadcasting its signal fromLondon. The easiest way to seehow it works is to visit our website at eitb.com and/or atwww.jumptv.com.

In other words the novelty is that everyone aroundthe globe can have access to the ETB signals?Everyone will be able to access the signals, whether theylive in Los Angeles, Korea, Capetown or Australia. Andeveryone will be able to download videos on demand. Inother words, for a ridiculously low price, if not totallysubsidized, they’ll have access to special children’sprograms, which they can save and watch again, as wellas any of the thousands of hours of programming we havein our archives, including pelota finals, for example, ormovies.

That’s new, isn’t it?Totally new. It’s completely revolutionary. It will allowanyone who has a computer to view any of the images

we include in the network viathe broadband informationhighway run by JumpTV.JumpTV subscribers arealready using the company’sinfrastructure to enjoycomplete TV programming,such as soccer matches – thegame between Australia andUruguay, for instance,attracted 70,000simultaneous online viewerswithout a single hitch throughVTV. And the Japanese andChinese are crazy about thetango classes now broadcastfrom Buenos Aires.You can’teven imagine some of thethings made possible with this.

Soon we’ll be able to see theseimages on our cell phones andother devices. And it’ll be soonerrather than later. Basquesworking or studying in differentcountries around the world, orpeople whose ancestorsimmigrated to other places, willnow have access to an entirenetwork, not just newsbroadcasts, that can changetheir lives.The idea of a virtualBasqueland is now a reality.Naturally, when it comes to theInternet, it doesn’t matter whereyou are.You’re neither “in” or“out.” We’re all part of thesame community, and thisnetwork will benefit those of usliving in Euskal Herria as muchas it does people elsewhere, evenwhen they’re on the road.The

password used to access services follows the subscriberwherever he or she goes.

We’ll explain how the system works little by little. Newsubscription options will be made available as theproject moves forward. But right now the mother whocalled the other day from the North Americanheartland, whose young son is learning to speakEuskara along with English already knows that everySaturday and Sunday morning her son can wake up tomarrazki bizidunak (cartoons). And Guipuzkoansworking in China or Brazil already know that they canwatch the teleberri newscasts live or record them towatch at their leisure. All of them can now watchCanal Vasco, with almost all Spanish programming, orETB-Sat, half in Euskara.

“““EEvveerryyoonnee wwiillll hhaavvee aacccceessss ttoo

tthheessee ssiiggnnaallss,, wwhheetthheerr tthheeyy

lliivvee iinn LLooss AAnnggeelleess,, KKoorreeaa,,

CCaappee TToowwnn oorr AAuussttrraalliiaa””

“““SSoooonn wwee’’llll bbee aabbllee ttoo

sseeee tthheessee iimmaaggeess oonn

oouurr cceellll pphhoonneess aanndd

ootthheerr ffoorrmmaattss””

Issue 72 Year 2006 17ELKARRIZKETA

EEuskaltzaindia, the Royal Academy of the BasqueLanguage, has decided to amend its by-laws toincrease the number of full members from 24 to amaximum of 32, and to make room for differentsectors of Basque society to bring fresh ideas andnew perspectives to the institution founded in 1919.The new members will be incorporated gradually,explained Andrés Urrutia, Academy Chair sinceDecember 2004, while at the same time vacanciesdue to the death of members will be filled in the samemanner as in the past.

The new by-laws will maintain the lifetimeappointments for full members but will provide forspecial emeritus or supernumerary status formembers when they reach the age of 75, withoutlimiting their rights and obligations. The only thingthey will no longer be able to do is delegate their voteto another member should they be absent from aplenary session.

Changes in the by-laws will enable four neweuskaltzainas to become full members the first year,and another two the following year, without prejudice

Euskaltzaindiak, euskalhizkuntzaren akademiak,estatutuak aldatzekoerabakia hartu du,urgazle izena hartzenduten euskaltzainakugaritze aldera. 24 zirenlehen, orain, gehienez, 32izango dira. Hala, euskalgizarteko sektoreek tokiaizango dute, eta 1919.urtean jaio zenerakundeari perspektibaberriak emango dizkiote.

ANDRÉS URRUTIA Chair of Euskaltzaindia

New blood envigorates Euskaltzaindia

ElkarrizketaInterview

to the two new euskaltzainas appointed to fill theseats of recently deceased Academy members JuanMari Lekuona and Patxi Altuna

We’re not sitting in an ivory tower

Andrés Urrutia, born in Bizkaia, notarypublic by profession and Academymember since 1997, is presiding over aperiod of change in the internalstructure of the organization, backedby fellow members. In December 2004he took charge of the Academy withthe firm resolution that the changesshould come about gradually withouttarnishing the institution’s scientificand cultural prestige. He also proposedto improve external communicationsand revamp the public image of theAcademy and its members. “People have the idea thatall of the members are elderly and sit in an ivorytower without really knowing what they’re doing.Fortunately, that’s not how it is. At Euskaltzaindia wework on a daily basis in close contact with Basquesociety –we are not isolated– so that the language canserve as an instrument for communication among allBasques.”

When Andrés Urrutia first accepted the position ofChair, he proposed three objectives in the areas offunding, research and internal organization. At theend of his first year, his says his impression is positiveand that his expectations have either been met or arewell on their way.

“With regard to funding, an agreement has beensigned between the Basque Government and the threeprovincial governments. The arrangement already inplace with the Government of Navarra will continue,as will the agreement linking the Academy withagencies in Iparralde. In the area of research, after20 years of compilation work we have completed theGeneral Basque Dictionary with over 125,000 wordsand phrases in 16 volumes. We’ve launched otherprojects, such as the Dictionary of Standard Basque,and have improved the Linguistic Atlas of Euskara,drawing up linguistic maps based on surveys on wordsand word morphology. The atlas makes it easy to seethe geographical distribution of different variants ofthe same word or grammatical structure.Euskaltzaindia has also begun working on a corpus ofBasque personal and place names, and we are makingthe most of the Internet and new technologies. As forthe third area, internal organization, we are on theverge of reforming our by-laws to increase thenumber of Academy members from 24 to a maximumof 32.”

The work of Euskaltzaindia is not ad-lib. It requirescareful thought and continuous dedication in allareas. After all, the Academy’s slogan “Ekin etajarrai” (work and continue) is not there for nothing.Euskaltzaindia’s Research Section studies Basquegrammar rules and terminology to build a unified

literary language. The job of definingregulations is the responsibility of theentire Academy, which meets inmonthly sessions. This task is a keyelement for the standardization of alanguage. The Watchdog Section is incharge of promoting the use ofEuskara and safeguarding thelinguistic rights of the speakers of theBasque language. It puts forwardpublications, exhibitions, conferences,classes, prizes and awards, andorganizes research groups and

activities, as well as any other initiative aimed atdefending and promoting the language.

“The role of Euskaltzaindia today is not so much toteach Basque language and culture, but rather toencourage those who do learn the language to makesure it is not just a symbol, but a means ofcommunication, a part of our identity, and unrelatedto any sort of political ideology.

TThhee wwoorrkk ooff

EEuusskkaallttzzaaiinnddiiaa iiss nnoott

aadd--lliibb.. IItt rreeqquuiirreess

ccaarreeffuull tthhoouugghhtt aanndd

ccoonnttiinnuuoouuss

ddeeddiiccaattiioonn iinn aallll

aarreeaass..

“

There are three different types of members, all appointedlifetime positions:

FFUULLLL MMEEMMBBEERRSS. All full members have voting anddecision-making powers. Under the new by-laws there will beup to 32. Currently there are two women and the rest aremen. Among them are representatives of all of the dialects ofEuskara. Over half of them hold university positions.

HHOONNOORRAARRYY MMEEMMBBEERRSS Prominent researchers and/orpersons who have made significant contributions to theBasque language over their lifetimes. Currently there are 19honorary members.

CCOORRRREESSPPOONNDDIINNGG MMEEMMBBEERRSS Currently there are 131engaged in the different working commissions: Grammar,Dialectology (linguistic atlas), Onomastics, Literature,Unified Euskara, Lexicography, Phonology, and in theWatchdog Section, Corpus and Promotion. There are alsothree other so-called structural commissions: Publications,Azkue Library and Economic-Legal commissions. Experts indifferent areas also sit on these commissions alongside fulland corresponding members.

ACADEMY MEMBERS

ElkarrizketaInterview

18 Issue 72 Year 2006INTERVIEW

19

AA CCOOUUNNTTRRYY OONN TTHHEE MMOOVVEE

We are very satisfied that ETA has finallylistened to Basque society. “As Lehendakariand in the name of the Basque Government, Iwant to express the excitement felt by Basque

society by the ETA permanent ceasefire.”These were theopening words of Juan José Ibarretxe’s March 22nddeclaration on behalf of the Basque Cabinet of Ministersin response to the news of the ceasefire declared by ETA.

“Basque society,” he went on to say “calls for thecomplete and definitive cessation of all forms of violenceand firmly demands the respect of human rights andfreedoms for all people. Accordingly, it is ETA’sobligation never again to frustrate the hopes of ourpeople, and it is everyone’s obligation, political partiesand institutions alike, to create a universal andirreversible peace.

Ibarretxe said that the permanent ceasefire declaration byETA “opens a window of hope that nothing and nobodyshould close” and that it calls for everyone to work together“to open a definitive peace process based on a negotiatedend to the violence until which time it has completelydisappeared.We must all be able to sincerely acknowledgeall of the victims in lay the foundations for reconciliationin Basque society.” The Lehendakari said that he hadoffered the Spanish Primer Minister, José Luís RodríguezZapatero, his and his government’s total disposition inhelping pave the way for the peace process.“I have voicedmy commitment to support a loyal and sincere dialogue onthe political issues linked to the Normalization Process.”

He also expressed his unwavering commitment to findingpolitical and democratic solutions to the conflict “basedon the political nature of Euskal Herria today, and withthe utmost respect for the fundamental principle ofdemocracy: that political matters must be resolved by thelegitimately chosen representatives of the people.” Hemade public appeal to all of the political forces andgroups in Basque society and announced the beginning ofcontacts with representatives from all of the Basquepolitical parties to evaluate the new optimistic scenario

and propose the start of a preliminary phase of dialoguewithout exclusions.

“Society must feel that it is part of the process of peaceand political normalization,” said the Lehendakari. “Itcannot just shrug if off as ‘a matter of politics’. All of themen and women who live and work here must take part inthe process.”

“What brought us where we are is the insistence ofsociety,” added Ibarretxe.“Society opened the door to hopeand it will be Basque society that will keep us from turningback; society will demand that agreements be reached, anddemand that we move forward, participate and decide.”

The Lehendakari concluded by saying “It’s time to silencearms once and for all, to create a universal and irreversiblepeace. It’s time to define the basis for the reconciliation ofBasque society. It’s time to work to reach a normalizationagreement. It’s time for Basque society to freely decide itsown future in peace.”

Lehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe issued an officialdeclaration on behalf of the Basque Government

in response to the ceasefire declared by ETA. In ithe underscored his satisfaction at the fact that

ETA has finally paid attention to Basque society.He also expressed his hope for the future,

reaffirmed his responsibility as Lehendakari and

emphasized his unwavering commitment to usingpurely political and democratic means to solve theconflict. He also appealed to all of the politicalparties and ideologies in Basque society toconsider the process of peace and politicalnormalization as their own in order to achieve adefinitive reconciliation.

Official statement by the Lehendakari on the ETA ceasefire

Lehendakari Ibarretxe during his declaration.

Issue 72 Year 2006 AURRERA DOAN HERRIA

In light of increased globalization, all areas of politicstake on an international dimension, rendering foreignpolicy essentially an extension of domestic policy.This calls for a broad base of support and a vision of

the future that include any and all relevant actions ifEuskadi is to gain a strong position in Europe and therest of the world.

The goal of the Basque foreign affairs plan is to create aforeign policy, based on our own unique character thatpromotes the name of Euskadi around the world. We wantto develop a comprehensive Basque foreign policy in whichall institutions and areas of competence are included sothat the Basque Country can gain international recognitioninstead of just being a place some people have heard of.Tomeet this goal, we must promote the presence of Euskadi inthe decision-making bodies of the European Union in whichBasque interests are at stake and develop an active policyof cross-border cooperation in accordance with EuropeanUnion guidelines. We must also have the instrumentsavailable to inform the outside world of the actual situationin Euskadi, and have access to international forums andbodies appropriate for defending and promoting theeconomic, cultural and institutional interests of the country.

Among the objectives of the foreign affairs strategy forEuskadi to directly participate in all of the European Unioninstitutions and bodies where it has areas of competence orspecific interest, and in the international order as a whole.The document sets out to position Euskadi as an activesubject in both Europe and the international arena. Toachieve this goal Euskadi must promote its image abroad bydeveloping a congruent policy of communication thatunderscores the aspects in which Euskadi has become aninternational gold standard: health care, solidarity,sustainable development, gender equality, and policy onindustry. To this end, efforts will be made to encouragerelationships and the sharing of experiences withinternational, national and regional institutions that haveinterests in common with Euskadi.

Historical background

Throughout history Basque society has had a long traditionof interaction with the rest of the world at the highest levelsthrough government institutions and representatives ofeconomic, social or cultural organizations. As early as 1937the first foreign offices were established under the firstBasque Government headed by Lehendakari Aguirre. Later,forced exile under the Franco dictatorship stepped upforeign relations and activities.

Today, integration in the European Union and increasingglobalization have had a direct impact on the daily lives ofBasques. In 1988 Euskadi’s presence in Europeaninstitutions was made official with the creation of a Basqueoffice in Brussels. Since 1996 it has formally operated asthe Delegation of the Basque Country in Brussels. TheBasque Government has delegations in Madrid, Mexico,Chile, Argentina and Venezuela.

The document, printed in book format,covers the historical background and currentsituation, as well as a plan of action forfuture foreign affairs. It was elaborated bythe General Secretariat for Foreign Actionwith contributions from different BasqueGovernment departments and othereconomic and government stakeholders.

AAUURRRREERRAA DDOOAANN HHEERRRRIIAA

20 Issue 72 Year 2006A COUNTRY ON THE MOVE

The Basque Government presents its foreign affairs strategy

The strategy approved by the Basque Cabinet of Ministershas been published in book format.

21GAURKO GAIAK

EEUUSSKKAADDIITTIIKK CCUURRRREENNTT EEVVEENNTTSS

“It is a great honor to have beeninvited specially by the President torepresent the Basque people,” saidLehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe atthe power handover ceremony forMichelle Bachelet which took placein Valparaíso.

This is the first time aLehendakari has officially attendedthe swearing-in ceremony of aforeign president. Ibarretxe tookadvantage of his visit to the countryto convey to the new President hisdetermination to strengthenrelations between Euskadi and Chile,which, according to theLehendakari, will be a strategicobjective for his government.

In his address, Ibarretxe thankedBachelet for her kindness in invitinghim to the ceremony and said thatwith his presence he was not onlyrepresenting the people who lived inEuskadi, but the “thousands uponthousands of Basques living here inChile, people who are Basques andChileans, Chileans and Basque.”

The Lehendakari said thatduring his two-day visit to Chile,Bachelet and her Government toldhim that Euskadi was recognized as“a hard-working people” and thatthe contributions made by Basqueswere fundamental to the country’swell-being and economic growth.“This is because of the participationby Basque entrepreneurs andBasque people throughout history”she said.

The Lehendakari made it a pointto convey to the President thatstrengthening relations between theBasque Country and Chile would bea strategic objective for Euskadi andthe Basque Government. “Althoughthe relationship between Chile andEuskadi already includes a broadrange of activities, our strategic goalis to widen the scope even further,”he added. Ibarretxe said that hispresence at the power handoverceremony was not just testimonial,

but that it showed the growing trustEuskadi places in Chile. “We also

appreciate the trust Chile has placedin Euskadi,” he added.

The Lehendakari conveys his interest in strengtheningBasque-Chilean relations to Michelle Bachelet

A VISIT TO EUZKO ETXEA. In the framework of his official visit toChile, the Lehendakari stopped in at the Euzko Exea in Santiago to meet membersof the local Basque community. He told the people that with ETA’s decision to laydown its arms, Euskadi would now be able to live without violence. He added thata negotiation table would be created for all of the political parties and that apolitical negotiation process on the right to decide would be implementedbetween Basque political parties, the Spanish Government, the BasqueGovernment, Spanish Prime Minister Rodríguez Zapatero and the Lehendakari. Hesaid that he expected an agreement for coexistence between Euskadi and Spainto be hammered out and that it would be followed by a referendum.

Juan José Ibarretxe greets Michelle Bachelet at the swearing-in ceremony for Chile’s new president.

Issue 72 Year 2006

“As of today the Lehendakari is afull member of our universityfamily,” said Rusudan Lordkitanidzt,Rector of the Ivane JavakhishviliTbilisi Public University of Georgiaat a ceremony to name LehendakariJuan José Ibarretxe doctor honoriscausa.The rector praised Ibarretxe’swork as a politician and economistand said that the university haddecided to bestow on him its highestdistinction for his contribution topromoting the values of democracy,peace and human rights.The rectoralso underscored the cooperationprojects being carried out betweenEuskadi and Georgia in the area ofuniversity studies and innovation,especially the programs between theUniversity of the Basque Countryand the Tbilisi Public University.

The Lehendakari thanked theuniversity for the recognition andhonor of being named doctorhonoris causa and reminded thepeople present at the event thatthe Basque people and theirlanguage, Euskara, were the oldestin Europe. “It is an honor,” he said

“to be given recognition by anacademic institution. It is anhonor, because there is no freedomwithout education; there is nosovereignty without education; it isnot possible to progress, togenerate welfare, if this is not donebased on a foundation of criticalcitizens, of educated men andwomen and therefore, the fact thata Basque Lehendakari is honoredthousands of miles from home,sharing his home here with you, isindeed a tremendous honor. Yetthere is also no freedom withoutrespect for human rights andwithout respect for the differentpeoples of the planet such as yoursand ours.

The Lehendakari also wanted tohighlight the role of human rights asan instrument in the formulation ofany arrangement of coexistence.“Respect for human dignity andhuman rights constitute the ultimatebasis for an order of coexistencewhich aspires to be recognized asfree, democratic, fair and foundedon the principal of solidarity.Today,

human rights represent the essentialvalues of coexistence. That is whythe defense and promotion of humanrights, both from an individual anda group standpoint, are not theexclusive domain of the publicpowers, but also fundamentallyconstitute a task of citizensthemselves, of society as a whole, ofeach and every one of us.”

Juan José Ibarretxe laterreferred to the role of culture as acommon denominator in humanrights which contributes to a set ofuniversal principles and a commonbasis for coexistence. “Theconstruction of a fair socialarchitecture necessarily involves arespectful debate of the differentsocial projects. A fair system ofcoexistence cannot be constructedwithout dialogue among peoples andamong cultural and ideologicaltraditions.”

The Lehendakari wanted to pointout that the Basque people are anation respectful of other peoplesand cultures. “We are a people thatwishes to live together with othercultures and in our own modest wayhelp to make this planet a littlefairer and a little bit better.We wantpeace in Euskadi and we want peacein the world.We are going to achievepeace for the Basque People, andachieving peace in Euskadi means acontribution on the part of theBasque People to peace in theworld. And we shall do this in theonly way possible: through dialogue.The Basques are a civilized, peacefuland essentially hard-working nationwith its own identity and dignity.

The Lehendakari regards human rights essential forcoexistence in Georgia

Lehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe, honoris causa in Georgia

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It was the years of theSpanish Civil War: 1936-1939. Jesús de Galíndezwas 21 years old at thetime. He had just earnedhis law degree.

At that tragic time inMadrid, the BasqueGovernment Delegationenjoyed powers that arehard to imagine today.Galindez refers to some ofthem in his book “LosVascos en el Madridsitiado” (Basques inMadrid under siege):“Onthe cover of our identitypapers was the Basquecoat of arms and theletterhead read ‘DelegaciónGeneral de Euzkadi.Madrid’. It contained all ofour personal details. (...)Rather than being definedas abertzale,we wanted tobe subject to the legal textsof autonomy,and thereforewe asked for the option of‘citizenship’. (...) Morethan one person wrote saying theyopted for ‘Basque nationality’ andthese were people who had neverconsidered themselves abertzales.(...)”

Galíndez explains how in onlyfour months 2,033 cases ofprisoners or people gone missingpassed through their hands, and that553 people of all ideologies andreligious beliefs were releasedthrough the efforts of the Basqueauthorities.

Like so many others, Jesús deGalíndez suffered the pain ofconcentration camps and exile. Helater became Delegate of the BasqueGovernment in the DominicanRepublic. While he was there, theresearch he carried out for hisdoctoral thesis on the dictatorship ofGeneral Trujillo was more thanenough reason to make him flee the

country for New York. In 1949 hewas named Delegate to the BasqueGovernment and at the same timetaught International Law atColumbia University.

Galíndez was an exponent of anopen, progressive, supportive style ofnationalism, a type of nationalismthat wants the same for Euskadi asthe rest of the world. “I feel thatway,” he said in one of his writings“because I’m Basque. And becausewe are Basque we can hold another

citizenship; we can love thecountry we live in; we canhave compassion for theproblems of others eventhough some people think itstrange that I should sharethe problems of PuertoRicans in New York; that Ishould attack the LatinAmerican dictators; that Ishould take part in theInternational League ofHuman Rights; that Ishould be moved when Ihear the patriotic hymn of aMexican charro or thedrumbeat of a blackCaribbean.”

But at the same time hewould remember his ownhomeland with the samepassion, calling it “mydarling, my Euzkalerria, forwhom I swore my love as achild.” And with dreams forthe future, in his writingsabout the importance offounding a Federation ofA r g e n t i n i a n - B a s q u eEntities to safeguard the

rights of the Basque people, heproposed the creation of an“International Federation, orwhatever the name of the bodymight be, that would be recognizedby the General Secretariat of theUnited Nations...”

However, Galíndez never saw hispolitical dreams realized. In fact,somehow he intuitively knew abouthis death. In Mexico, his verses werepublished in “Euzko Deya”: “And Iwill return... I will return / or they’llbring me back dead / hide me awayin the earth / the earth of mygrandparents. / Lay me down inAmurrio, / as I am tired and cannot/ stop along the way; / I’ll fall whereI fall, traveler. /Take me, take methere, / although I’m still walking,I’m dying; / take me to the steep hill/ beneath the oak tree of mydreams”.

Jesús de Galíndez: martyr for freedomFiftieth anniversary

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JOSU LEGARRETA

“Galíndez never sawhis political dreams

realized. In fact,somehow he

intuitively knewabout his death.»

GAURKO GAIAKIssue 72 Year 2006



In an assessment of Euskara’s 2005economic evolution, Basque VicePresident Idoia Zenarruzabeitiapointed out that 2005 saw thegreatest growth in the past five yearsowing to the “balanced model” foreconomic growth.

From the demand perspective, themost dynamic factor was the GrossCapital Formation (investment) of5.3%, much higher than finalconsumption, which stood at 3.1%.Within final consumption, it washouseholds (private consumption)that sustained most of this growth,presenting an annual rate of 3.3%for 2005, while growth in publicconsumption at rose to 2.4%.

The Vice Lehendakari said thatcompared with other economies,consumption did not increase higherthan the overall economy; in otherwords, Euskadi is not living beyondits means.

With regard to the foreignbalance, the GDP only dropped0.1%, which essentially means abalance between imports and

exports, i.e. very low foreign tradedeficit.

From the supply perspective, thehighest sectorial growth wasgenerated by Construction (6.0%),and there was also a high

contribution by the primary sector(5.8%).

Industry has become consolidated(2.5%), improving its position by twotenths over the year before (2.5%);this is important for the BasqueCountry given the greater relativeweight of industry (one third) in theeconomy. Market services maintaineda good trend, with an annual growthrate of 3.2%.

The Vice Lehendakari said thatfortunately the Basque economy wasnot “brick-dependent,” and that2006 is expected to see even furthergrowth in industry, reaching 3.8%this year.

2006: a similar year

Employment continued on a positivetrend, with an unemployment rate of5.7%, a figure which brings theBasque Country to technologicalunemployment. The negative pointwas inflation, which rose 4% lastyear and is not expected to drop thisyear mainly due to rising oil prices

As far as the trend in GDP byprovinces is concerned, in 2005 theGDP in both Bizkaia and Gipuzkoaexperienced annual growth of 3.6%,respectively one point and half apoint higher than in 2004, whileÁlava, as the province with thehighest rate in 2005 (3.9%), showeda slower growth rate than thepreceding year (5.6%).

The forecast projected by theBasque Government for this year issimilar to 2005, with a 3.6%increase in GDP. A difference is therise in investments, and as a result,in industry, due to the pronouncedincrease in the purchase of capitalgoods.

The Vice Lehendakari said thatthe slight increase in interest ratesexpected in Europe may somewhatdiscourage greater investment, but itcould help to control the impact ofinflation.

Basque Vice President underscores the “balancedmodel” for economic growth in Euskadi

Iñaki Aguirre Zabala, brother ofAintzane, highly appreciated byBasque communities for her 15years of service as advisor to theDirectorate for Relations withBasque Communities, died on March10th at the age of 62. AguirreZabala led a brilliant 25-year careeras professor at the University of theBasque Country. At the time of hisdeath he was Chair of InternationalRelations and Director of theDepartment of Public InternationalLaw, International Relations andHistory of Law. Our most sincerecondolences go out to his wife andfamily. Goian Bego.

IÑAKI AGUIRRE ZABALAOBITUARY

CURRENT EVENTS

Idoia Zenarruzabeitia, Basque Vice President.

Issue 72 Year 2006 25


On March 24th and 25th, BalletBiarritz presented “Don Juan” withmusic by Christoph Willibald VonGluck at UCLA’s Royce Hall in LosAngeles. This particular version ofDon Juan was composed in Vienna in1761 and was to have an enormousinfluence in promoting action balletas opposed to operatic ballet.

Now,Thierry Malandain, directorof Ballet Biarritz and choreographerfor this performance, puts an original

and refreshing spin on a classicballet. Don Juan, for whom anywoman was a target for seduction,was born in Sevilla during Spain’sGolden Age. And since, through theliterary inspiration he provoked, he isdescribed as a free thinker, amelancholic womanizer, in search ofabsolute, and barely exhausted by hisendlessly fascinating pursuit. ForGluck he was the libertine sketchedby Molière. Ballet Biarritz keeps

those traits, as well as giving himother expressions. Fundamentallythe idea revolves around a characterlooking for woman, through women.Or is he looking for himself?

Don Juan has already garneredacclaim from both critics andaudiences alike in performances in anumber of cities in Euskal Herria.The choreography features theexcellent technical skill of thedancers led by Thierry Malandain.

Ballet Biarritz performs in Los Angeles

GAURKO GAIAK

Aitzpea Goenaga, film and stageactress and director of severaltelevision series, presented her firstfilm as director at the InternationalFestival of Audiovisuals (FIPA) inBiarritz. Her movie, titled “Zeruhoriek,” is based on a book byBernardo Atxaga.

“First I was asked to develop thescreenplay and then I was offered todirect the film. Since I had alreadyread the book, and had actually filmed

it in my head, the whole project wentpretty quickly,” said the Basquefilmmaker. The movie was shot inBarcelona in eighteen months oftwelve-hour-long work days. Theartistic team are Basque and thetechnical team, Catalonian, but thedirector is particularly pleased withthe lead role played by NagoreAramburu. She describes the actress

as the “absolute protagonist” of astory that begins with her releasefrom a Barcelona prison and followsher as she struggles with theemptiness and hardships of reentryinto society.“Her bus journey home isa metaphor for her journey in life,”said Aitzpea Goenaga.

The film received financial backingfrom Spanish Television and TV3(Catalonian public television) andcontains a mixture of threelanguages: Catalan, Euskara andSpanish.

While waiting for its commercialdebut,“Zeru horiek” will be screenedat the Human Rights Film Festival inDonostia, and at the Malaga FilmFestival.

Aitzpea Goenagadirects her first film,“Zeru horiek”


PEDRO OIARZABALGraduate in History

Agustín eta Pedro Oiarzabalek “Euskal nortasunmunduan” liburua idatzi dute; bertan, hainbatadinetako eta baldintza sozialetako euskalduneniritziak bildu dituzte. Euskaldun horiek hogei batherrialdetan bizi dira, baita Euskal Herrian ere,eta mundu globalizatuan euskalduna izatea zerden azaltzen dute.

AAgustín and Pedro Oiarzabal are theauthors of “La identidad vasca en elmundo” (The Basque Identity in theWorld), a book that contains theopinions of Basques of different agesand social backgrounds in twentycountries, including Euskal Herria,who define in their own words themeaning of being Basque in aglobalized world. The two authorsgraduated from the University ofDeusto, Agustín in Political Scienceand Sociology, and Pedro in History.Their connection with the Basquecommunity abroad dates back to1996, when they were in charge ofthe Gaztemundu program sponsoredby the Basque Government. Bothhave lived outside Euskal Herria fortwenty years in the Netherlands,Ireland and the United States, anexperience which has helped them tobetter understand the differentinterpretations of “Basqueness.”

“The diaspora as a researchtopic,” explained Pedro “not onlyinterests us from a historical pointof view, but also as a tool forunderstanding the Basque cultureand identity being developed inside

Euskal Herria. In short, it’s anextraordinary element forunderstanding what it feels like tobe Basque today. We placedourselves in the watchtower ofglobalization to observe the meaningof Basque identity as a whole, forBasques of the diaspora andBasques in the homeland.We saw allBasques as a symbolic universe thatis constantly being reshaped, whileat the same time taking intoconsideration the different socio-economic contexts that determinethe situation of different Basquecommunities around the world.”

Having lived in differentcountries has given the Oiarzabalbrothers a broader view of what itmeans to be Basque.“When all of asudden you begin to wonder whetheryou belong in Bilbao, Maynooth,Belfast or Reno, the diasporicexperience of being from there orfrom here takes over. You feel likeyou’re from all of those places andthat they’re part of you. You findyourself at home in a diverse andheterogeneous community made upof thousands of Basques who feel

the same way you do, who’ve livedthrough the same things, whoidentify with different parts of theworld and who are interrelated byan emotional and cross-generationalcommitment between themselvesand Euskal Herria. The book isunquestionably a product of our ownexperience. That’s why it’s sosuccessful, because Basques living inand outside Euskal Herria areseeing their own interpretations ofwhat it means to be Basque.”

A blend of literary essay andscholarly study, the first part of thebook address the different schoolsof theory which analyze thephenomenon of identity, while thesecond part takes a look at thesurvey results.“For us there are twopoints that sum up the book. Thefirst is that there is no Basqueidentity hierarchy. In other words, aperson is no more Basque for havingbeen born in Euskal Herria. Thesecond point is that there is nothingto lead us to believe that Basqueidentity today is in decline or that ithas been watered down in a mixtureof other identities. From ourperspective globalization has servedto strengthen the identity of smallergroups like the Basques, and thanksto technologies like the InternetBasque identity is more present thanever.”

The Oiarzabal brothers analyzeBasque identity in 20 countries

BASQUE YOUTH AROUND THE WORLD

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27EUSKAL GAZTEAK MUNDUAN

SShe’s 22 years old and wearstracksuits and baseball caps. Shelooks like your typical Americanstudent, but beneath it all lies herBasque ancestry, which she decidedto get to know a little better. Oliviahas been here since August 2005 aspart of a program organized byUSAC at the Public University of theBasque Country, where she shares thecampus with some sixty studentsfrom around the world, although mostof them are from the United States.“The teachers are great.They reallyget involved and give us whateversupport we need,” explained OliviaBidaurreta.

Olivia’s father was born in Behe-Nafarroa, and settled in the U.S.some forty years ago; her mother is

from Idaho but of Bizkaian ancestry.“They met at a Jaialdi and now

we live in a really nice town wherethere are a lot of Basques about anhour away from San Francisco. Eversince we were young, my parentswanted my brother and I to get toknow Euskal Herria. We still havefamily here and have visited severaltimes; the last time I came I was 17.”Olivia makes herself understood inSpanish, with a special accent that isa blend of her high school Spanishand what she has picked up here.

Olivia is a psychologist and whenshe goes back to the U.S. she planson pursuing a post-graduate degree.“But I’m in no hurry.” At theUniversity of the Basque Country shestudies Spanish, Euskara and

European History, although the latteris taught in English since, in her words“I’m still not good enough in theother languages.” For the time being,she gets along better in Spanish thanEuskara, even though she spokeEuskara at home when she was little.She explains that her parentscontinued to speak Euskara at home,but when she started school it fell bythe wayside.“The structure is harderfor me. It’s a lot different fromSpanish or English,” she said.

Barnetegi in summer

But she’s ready to give it everythingshe’d got. Her university classes endin mid-May, and afterwards she plansto enroll at a barnetegi.“I think thatthe language is an important part ofthe culture,” she said. “I don’t wantthe Basque culture to be lost. Besides,my relatives in Bizdaia and Iparraldespeak Euskara, so if I manage tolearn it I’ll feel closer to them. If I canreach an intermediate level, it’ll beeasier to study from the U.S. on theInternet using a system like Boga.”

The USAC program offersstudents the opportunity to live witha family – which is Olivia’s case – orshare an apartment with otherstudents. Part of the experience alsoincludes exchanges with other youngBasques to improve language skills.To earn a little money on the side,Olivia also helps a few little girls withtheir English.

At the same time, to reinforcetheir European history, Olivia andsome of her friends take advantage ofspecial offers from travel agencies toget to know other parts of Europe.She has already been to London,visited Dublin in mid-March, and isplanning a trip to Milan over Eastervacation.

OLIVIA BIDAURRETA ANTXUSTEGIStudent

Olivia Bidaurreta is a USAC student (University Studies AbroadConsortium). The program in Donostia, offered in cooperationwith the University of the Basque Country, was one of the USACpioneers. Students with the program are typically from Basqueancestry interested in learning Euskara and Basque culture, or arehave an interest in foreign languages or linguistics.

«I think that the language is an important part of the culture»

Issue 72 Year 2006

BBAASSQQUUEE YYOOUUTTHH AARROOUUNNDD TTHHEE WWOORRLLDD

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28 CURRENT EVENTS

From January 9th through 11thMary Gaztambide, President ofthe North American BasqueOrganizations (NABO), and activemember John Ysursa held a seriesof meetings at the Office of theBasque President in Gasteiz topromote relations with the BasqueGovernment. During the course ofthe meetings it was made clearthat the federation is experiencinga period of great activity, newideas and improvements inprograms already in motion.

The Directorate for Relationswith Basque Communities decidedto provide NABO with a full-timestaff person released from his orher regular duties to boost andcoordinate all of the projectslaunched by the BasqueGovernment, and to try to serveas a bridge between the thirty-fivecenters based in the UnitedStates.The work agenda includedsuch items as updating memberlists; identifying needs for theforthcoming years; participationby U.S. clubs in annual grantannouncements and calls forentries; the possibility oforganizing cultural tours betweencenters in the country and withcenters in bordering areas(Mexico and Canada); upcomingvolumes of the Urazandicollection (San Francisco); andthe possibility of launching a newcall in 2007 for young peoplefrom the United States to spendtime in Euskadi.

NABO pledged to create twonew websites - www.basques.usand www.euskara.us - both ofwhich are now operational andunder the responsibility of JohnYsursa, and to create an onlinenewsletter, Astero, with news in

English about Euskadi and theBasque diaspora for a readershipof 700.

Josu Legarreta, Director ofRelations with BasqueCommunities, and PantxoaEtxegoien, Director of EKE(Euskal Kultur Elkartea),proposed that by early 2007NABO adapt the Kantuketanexhibit on Basque song to make itmore mobile.The exhibit has beenhighly successful in Euskal Herria,and this way most of the Basqueclubs would have the opportunityto host the exhibit.

“Jokoa eta Jolasa” is the titleof a new piece of work written inEnglish which aims to transmitBasque identity through games,and which will undoubtedly bevery useful to the U.S. Basquecommunity. In the United States,NABO recently published “Hi ereDantzari” and “Hi ere Kantari”,as well as a book on bertsolarismocalled “Shooting from the Lip.”The Boise Ikastola and Goiz-eskola in San Francisco will mostlikely be the major destination forthese materials, as well as thehighly successful Udaleku program

sponsored by NABO since the1970s.

A new campaign will soon beunder way to recruit new membersand spread information about theBasque federation. Basquepresence at the university levelmay increase to include initiativesin California (in addition to theCenter for Basque Studies at theUniversity of Nevada and theprogram at Boise StateUniversity). And at the request ofthe NABO delegates, pelotaclasses will be organized, as will acourse on Basque cuisine offeredthrough one of the Basque clubs,possibly in Bakersfield. NABO alsoinformed those present at themeetings of the launch of a kindof North American federationthrough which their ownorganization could support Basquecenters in Canada and Mexico.

Josu Legarreta promised toattend the February 18th NABOmeeting in San Francisco.Following the meetings at theOffice of the President, the NABOrepresentatives also met withrepresentatives from HABE andthe Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

NABO leaders visit Euskadi invited by the Directorate for Relations with

Basque Communities

John Ysursa, Josu Legarreta, Mary Gaztanbide and Benan Oregi

Issue 72 Year 2006

MMEEXXIICCOO …… AARRGGEENNTTIINNAA …… CCHHIILLEE …… SSAANN FFRRAANNCCIISSCCOO ……SSYYDDNNEEYY …… BBUUEENNOOSS AAIIRREESS …… VVIILLLLAA MMAARRÍÍAA ……CCAARRAACCAASS …… IIDDAAHHOO …… SSAANN JJUUAANN …… RROOSSAARRIIOO ……EEUUSSKKAALL EETTXXEEAAKK BBAASSQQUUEE CCEENNTTEERRSS

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29GAURKO GAIAK

A delegation from the BasqueDepartment of Justice,Employment and Social Security,headed by Basque Minister JosebaAzkarraga, visited Argentina,Uruguay and Bolivia betweenFebruary 23rd and March 4th tohold a series of meetings andformalize cooperation agreementsin the area of social and economicjustice.

A collaboration protocol wassigned with the Ministry ofProduction of the Province ofSanta Fe, Argentina, to carry outjoint activities in the area of socialjustice, and with the Ministry ofGovernment, Justice andEducation in the area of juvenilejustice.

In the area of cooperation, thedelegation visited the “Casa

Cooperativa” and the CooperativeInstitute for Higher Education(ICES), where there werewelcomed by Raúl Colombetti,head of Casa Cooperativa deProvisión Sunchales Ltda. andSancor Seguros. At the “FlorealGorini” Cultural Center forCooperation, Azkarraga gave atalk on the Basque cooperativemovement and the role of socialeconomy in the development ofEuskadi.

In Rosario a meeting was heldwith the rector of the NationalUniversity of Rosario (UNR). Atat the Faculty of Political Scienceand International Relations, theBasque Minister gave a lectureentitled “On the verge of peace inEuskal Herria,” which he offeredagain at the National University

of La Plata (UNLP) and at the“Euskal Erria” Basque club inMontevideo. In Buenos Aires,Azkarraga met with Nobel PeacePrize laureate, Adolfo PérezEsquivel.

The visit ended in Santa Cruzde la Sierra, Bolivia, where theMinister took part in theInternational Seminar onAutonomy organized by theUPSA Faculty of Law with apresentation entitled “Autonomy:the history of a process.”

A delegation from the Department ofJustice, Employment and Social Securityvisits Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia

This past February 26th theBasque Minister of Education,Universities and Research,TontxuCampos, began a seven-day trip tothe United States.

Accompanied by another twomembers from the department,Campos visited Philadelphia,Washington DC, and Reno.

The purpose of the trip was tomake contacts with educationauthorities and to shareexperiences in this area. Booklending, school violence,immigration, the use oftechnology in the classroom andschool funding were the mainitems on the agenda. Meetingswere held with a number ofacademic authorities, whowelcomed the Basque team withcordiality and interest.

In Reno, the Basque Ministermet with the affiliates, promotersand teaching staff of theUniversity of Nevada Center forBasque Studies. The centercarries a great deal of academicprestige in the United States;

Gloria Totoricagüena was recentlynamed Director replacinganthropologist Joseba Zulaika.

The overall outcome of thetrip was very positive, with U.S.authorities pleasantly surprisedat the quality of education andthe autonomous Government’sinvestment in the Basquepeople.

The Minister of Education meets with academic authorities in the U.S.

Joseba Azkarraga, Minister of Justice

Issue 72 Year 2006


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Mirentxu Egiguren –recipient ofthe 2003 Basque VolunteerAward– served as guide to BasqueMinister Javier Madrazo in hisvisit to the Bolivar neighborhoodof Caracas. He also visited“Instituto Universitario Fe y

Alegría Jesús Obrero” and inValencia “Obra Social Calasanz”run by Escolapian Fathers.TheBasque Government subsidizes allof these centers.

The Minister and BlancaEekhout,CEO of Covetel S.A./Vive,

Venezuelan Public Television, signeda cooperation agreement aimed atinstituting a documentary creationunit. Under the agreement200,000 euros will be earmarkedto train the entire staff.

Madrazo also took part in ameeting with representatives ofother organizations including IgorIrigoyen, Director of Cooperation;Liliana Ortega, Executive Directorof Cofavic – an NGO for theprotection and promotion ofhuman rights, which will receivenearly half a million euros; JoséVirtuoso, President of CentroGumilla; and Luis Ugalde, Rectorof the Andrés Bello CatholicUniversity.To wrap up the visit, theBasque Minister gave a talk onthe right to decide, the peaceprocess, political normalizationand cultural coexistence inEuskadi, presented by IzaskunEtxearte, Director of Eguzki, theBasque-Venezuelan Institute forCooperation, and ItziarRodríguez, Director of the EuskoEtxea in Caracas.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairsof the Government of Peru,Peruvian and Chilean Ministers ofHealth, Pilar Mazzetti and PedroGarcía, and the Basque Ministerof Health, Gabriel María Inclánhave signed a three-wayCooperation Protocol aimed

primarily at tackling the mainchallenges in healthcare in Peru.This is the first of its kind to besigned by the BasqueGovernment.

More specifically the project,based on the cooperationexperiences in healthcare

management and designing publichealth policy carried out for yearsby Chile and Euskadi, fits withinthe Peruvian Government’sstrategic plan for the healthsector until 2012.

The Basque Department ofHealth will contribute toachieving these goals basically byproviding advice in the area ofpublic healthcare management,sending skilled technicians to Peruto perform particular projects,and bring Chilean and Peruviantechnicians to Euskadi to trainthem in specific areas.

The Chilean Ministry ofHealth is prepared to collaboratetechnically based on thecooperation experience with theBasque Country, and as a link tocoordinate the implementation ofthis project.

Healthcare cooperation agreementbetween Chile, Peru and Euskadi

Javier Madrazo visits schools and signs an agreement withVenezuela Public Television

Basque Minister Javier Madrazo during one of his visits.


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The book “Arrojos, dichas ynostalgias,Vascos en el Valparaísodel siglo XX” (Bravery, happinessand nostalgia, Basques in 20thcentury Valparaíso) by Chileanjournalist Rubila Andrea ArayaAriztia took the 2005 Andrés deIrujo Award, created by theBasque Government to promote anawareness of the Basque diaspora.

The young journalist - whocomes from a Basque family thatimmigrated to Chile eightgenerations ago - based her workprimarily on the oral testimony ofa group of Basque men andwomen who came to Valparaíso inthe 20th century. Throughinterviews the author looks at howthe Basque people came to theregion, what they did in the way ofwork and social activities, and how

they maintained ties with otherpeople living far from theirhomeland.

The idea for the book, slatedfor publication by the BasqueGovernment, came from theauthor’s contact with theValparaíso Euskal Etxea. TheBasque center helped the authorcontact its eldest members andgave her access to its books andphotograph collection.The workpoints out how the most of theValparaíso Basques in the 20thcentury were engaged incommerce.The opened bakeries,shoe stores, stores selling assortedsundries and a wide variety ofbusinesses. Today most of thepeople who founded the Basquecommunity of the 20th century areapproaching their eighties. “The

trend in today’s world,” said RubilaAndrea Araya “leans towardinteraction, and the younger peopletend to be more open rather thanbelonging to closed groups; butthere is still a great deal of interestin understanding the culture ofone’s parents or grandparents, inlearning Euskara and in visiting theBasque Country.

Founded over sixty years ago,Arayaunderlines the role of the ValparaísoBasque center.It is a link to the BasqueCountry,a place where Basques born inEuskal Herria or of Basque heritagecome together to take part in activities,and an organization which maintainsstrong ties with Euskadi.

Andrés de Irujo Award goes to Chileanjournalist Rubila Andrea Araya

In February several events tookplace in Havana relevant to theBasque community:The first wasthe official recognition of theBasque center, and the second, thecelebration of a day-long eventdedicated to Basque culture as partof the 15th International BookFair of Havana. The novel“Obabakoak” was present at thefair, as was its author, BernardoAtxaga, and other figures in theworld of Basque literature andmusic.

The Cuban Governmentapproved the Havana Basquecenter as a non-profit organizationunder the name “Asociación VascoNavarra de Beneficencia,” at whichpoint the Basque Governmentgranted it official recognition andentered it in the Register of BasqueCenters.

On February 6th the all-dayBasque event began with aconference at the Faculty of Arts

and Letters of the University ofHavana, with Joxe Mari Iturraldegiving a talk entitled “Basquelanguage and literature.” BernardoAtxaga presented the Cubanedition of his novel “Obabakoak.”5,000 copies of his book will beprinted thanks to the publishinghouse Arte y Literatura. Thecultural event was held atFortaleza San Carlos de laCabaña. Atxaga granted Cuba thepublication rights to his book,

which has already been translatedinto twenty languages and wonawards including the EuskadiSilver Award and the 1989National Literature Award.

Bernardo Atxaga also gave areading of his book in a hall namedafter José Lezama Lima, thedeceased Cuban writer with whomAtxaga claims to be forever inliterary debt. The reading wasaccompanied by singer-songwriterRuper Ordorika, many of whosesongs are based on writing ofAtxaga.The day came to a closewith a screening of the filmadaptation of Atxaga’s book“Obaba,” directed by Navarra-bornMontxo Armendáriz. Organized byICAIC (Cuban Institute ofCinematographic Art andIndustry), the movie was shown inthe La Rampa theater. After thefilm there was an open colloquiumwith participation by BernardoAtxaga.

Basque spirit in Havana

31GAURKO GAIAKIssue 72 Year 2006

This is a picture of Maiteder, Jon, Irantzu, Joseba, Anton Mari and Korotaken at Los Chaguaramos, in Caracas, Venezuela. Part of the legacy of myaitas, Andoni Barriola and Manolita Damborenea, in their adopted country.ANTON MARI BARRIOLA

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