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Udalbiltza supports the declaration made at the 3rd world congress of Euskal Etxeak

Diaspora - 2003/07/19

A commitment towards integrating the concerns of the Euskal Etxeak in the work of Udalbiltza.

UDALBILTZA, a municipally-based national institution, fully supports the declaration made at the 3rd World Congress on Basque Communities which took place in Vitoria-Gasteiz during the week from the 14th to the 18th of July. In said declaration, representatives from the Euskal Etxeak from 19 countries made a commitment towards continuing to work in favour of the improvement of the good image of Euskal Herria overseas, in addition to reinforcing the Basque identity of Basques who live abroad. Likewise, the 150 delegates reaffirmed democratic values and the scrupulous respect for all human rights for everyone, and advocated dialogue as the instrument for solving the problems of Euskal Herria, including the right of Basque citizens to decide on their own future.

UDALBILTZA expresses its full support for these ideas and congratulates the representatives of the Euskal Etxeak for their farsightedness and accurate analysis of the Basque situation, which clearly connects with the opinion of the majority of Basques residing in Euskal Herria. UDALBILTZA is convinced that the contribution and participation of the Basque Diaspora in solving the problems of continental Euskal Herria is not just a right, but rather a fundamental asset which will help to achieve the coexistence and economic, social and cultural development of all Basques.





UDALBILTZA, at the service of the Basque Diaspora

UDALBILTZA attended the 3rd Congress in its capacity as observer and was able to contact the representatives of the Euskal Etxeak personally. Through said contacts, UDALBILTZA handed over documentation and was able to explain the work it carries out first hand. Likewise, it gathered together ideas and concerns of Basques from the Diaspora, which it will incorporate as a whole in its activities.

In this way, for instance, UDALBILTZA will take Basques residing overseas into account in its HURBILTZEN and XENDRAK programmes. The former refers to the boost given to twinning agreements between municipalities from the whole of Euskal Herria, on which around twenty municipalities from all the Basque territories are currently working. For its part, the XENDRAK programme, which will be publicly launched next autumn, will establish seven leisure routes around the whole of Euskal Herria in order to enable Basques to get to know each other and their own country better. These routes will extend towards the countries where the Basque Diaspora resides.





In Euskal Herria, on the 19th of 2003