Hundreds of “amerikanoak” got together in Pamplona
Pamplona became the meeting place, last weekend, for hundreds of “amerikanoak” coming from both sides of the Pyrenees to gather for the annual sheepherder’s get together organized by the Euskal Artzainak Ameriketan Association (Basque Sheepherders in America). The day always serves as an opportunity for those who were formerly in the US working as herders and then returned home, to get together, “Without forgetting our time in the American West, which is part of our lives and has influenced us to a lesser or greater extent, as well as the excuse for us to get together today,” according to an “amerikano” from Sunbilla.[+]
The giant online community, Facebook, with 900 million active users a month, has chosen the Basque Diaspora as one of its star themes in its newest initiative “Facebook Stories.” Chosen, yes, because the company contacted historian, Pedro J. Oiarzabal, from the University of Deusto, to see if he could provide them with an article on the influence of social networks on the communication of Basques around the world. Oiarzabal, has been researching the Diaspora’s presence on the web for years, emphasizing Facebook’s interest in the subject. The article was published on Monday in English but “it will be appear in Basque in the next couple of days. Something that came from them,” says Oiarzabal.[+]
Various initiatives have been taking place throughout the year to mark the 500 years since the invasion and the conquest of Navarre by Castilian troops, both in Navarre as well as in the Diaspora. These activities have been different in character with some being official recognizing the historical process of the formation of the Spanish State that are tinged by the loss of independence of Navarre. In Argentina, Pedro Mauregui Larranda, president of the Zingirako Euskaldunak in Chascomus informed of the commemoration this afternoon at the clubhouse with a screening of “Navarre the Conquest,” followed by historical context provided by Cesar Arrondo.[+]
The application sets out to provide anyone with only a limited knowledge of Basque or none at all with the tools for managing in Basque in everyday situations.[+]
The Etxepare Basque Institute published in the Official Bulletin of the Basque Country grants available for 2012 for the diffusion of the Basque culture abroad. Grants are divided into two categories: first, the dissemination of visual arts and plastics, music, performing arts and literary works during the 2012 year, outside of the territorial scope of the Basque language (with a budget of 370,000 Euros); and the second, for participation in fairs and professional festivals held in 2012 also outside the territorial scope of the Basque language (149,000 Euros).[+]
Bernardo Atxaga’s novel, Zazpi etxe Frantzian (Seven Houses in France), is getting very good reviews in the United Kingdom where the English version was published last November. Additional good news has been received that the novel has been chosen as one of the best foreign fiction books of 2011 in the running for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, awarded by the Booktrust Association. On April 12th the five finalists will be published with the winning entry being among them.[+]
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Stands are already going up in the Landako pavilion since it will once again be the scene for Durango’s book and record fair. The fair will become the cultural epicenter of Euskal Herria during those five days with the latest from the publishing and record worlds being presented: 313 books, 63 records, 23 magazines, 9 videos, 15 electronic books and another 11 publications. For those who can’t attend in person all fair activity can be followed through social media, and also via your cell phone thanks to a new app called, “Kulturize.”[+]
Everything is ready in Donostia for the launch this Wednesday of the 5th World Congress of Basque Collectivities that will unite nearly 80 Basque club delegates from 22 different countries. Delegates will begin arriving on Saturday for this great gathering of Basques in the Diaspora that takes place every four years with sessions taking place on November 2-4. These three days are jam packed, not only with the congress meetings, but will also include the Euskal Herria Mugaz Gaindi seminar, a special session for scholars, as well as an exhibition of stands of various Basque entities in the Diaspora.[+]
The Basque armed group ETA issued a statement Thursday saying it is ending its 43-year armed campaign for independence and called on Spain and France to open talks.
The group made the announcement to Basque daily Gara, which it regularly uses as a mouthpiece. ETA declared a permanent cease-fire in January, but up to now had not renounced armed struggle as a tool for achieving an independent Basque state, a key demand by the Spanish government.[+]
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