Astero
Iparreko Ibarra15th Anniversary Celebration
The Iparreko Ibarra Basque Club in Rocklin, CA is celebrating 15 years this weekend on Saturday, October 12th. The festivities will begin with a Mus tournament beginning at 8am followed by a Tri-tip lunch, and mass at 1pm. After mass, there will be dance performances and a weight carrying competition. Evening activities include dinner at 6pm followed by a public dance to the music of Amerkanuak. This year’s event will be held at 65 McBean Park Drive in Lincoln. For complete information, including hotel information, click on their flier. Additional rooms have also been blocked at: Spring Hill Suites 10593 Fairway Dr., in Roseville. Ask for Jessica Cole - Director of Sales.
Fall NABO Meeting Hosted by Euskal Lagunak in Mountain Home
This weekend the Euskal Lagunak in Mountain Home, Idaho will host the NABO Fall Meeting. The meeting will begin with a meet and greet at 7:30am at the American Legion Hall (515 2nd S.) followed by the meeting beginning at 8am. Saturday evening the club invites everyone to attend a dinner, also at the Legion Hall, beginning at 7pm. Dinner will be prepared by Dan Ansotegui with a menu that includes solomo, paella, stuffed piquillos, salad and dessert. Cost of the dinner is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. RSVPs are required to Euskal.lagunak.mh@gmail.com.
7th World Congress Of Basque Collectivities Abroad
As some of you may have noticed, Astero wasn’t published last week as our team was in the Basque Country attending the 7th World Congress of Basque Collectivities Abroad in Bilbao. As previously reported, NABO’s official delegates were Argia Beristain, Lisa Corcostegui and Jean Flesher with other guests including NABO President, Philippe Acheritogaray, Kate Camino, Anne Marie Chiramberro, William Douglass, ad Patty Miller. The 15 participants from Gaztemundu 2019 also attended with three of those being from the US: Kylie Bermensolo, Mateo Franzoia, and Annie Gavica. Just like the US, there were representatives from another 20 countries that have organized Basque communities. The working sessions took place in a roundtable format where representatives gathered to discuss topics such as new immigration, Basque Government programs, communication, and the like. The afternoons of Wednesday and Thursday were spent sharing the reflections of each working group, and trying to find common ground among them all that will then comprise the conference proceedings.
The week wasn’t just about work, however. The group was also treated to a field trip that included a visit to Igartubeiti Baserri Museoa in Ezkio-Itsaso and to the town of Urretxu, on the occasion of Iparraguirre’s 200th birthday. Later that evening the group visited the headquarters of Euskaltzaindia for a tribute to the Basque Diaspora for its efforts to maintain the Basque Language on the occasion of the institution's 100th anniversary. Other evening activities included a performance of the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra, the inauguration of the “Basques in California” exhibit at the Basque Museum in Bilbao and a “pintxo pote.”
The last day, Friday October 4th, included two very special activities. The first was a reception at the Lehendakaritza, the Basque Government Headquarters, where the group was greeted by Lehendakari Urkullu, along with Marian Elorza, Secretary General of Foreign Actions, and Gorka Alvarez Aranburu, Director of the Basque Community Abroad. You can see a video here. Each delegation then took a picture with the Lehendakari, and a group photo with all 120 participants. Afterwards the group moved to the Basque Parliament for a very moving tribute to Law 8/1994 that allowed the Basque Government to provide services and programs to Basques abroad. At the parliament, we were welcomed by President of the Parliament Bakartxo Tejeria, as well as by Marian Elorza, as Secretary General of Foreign Actions. As part of the 25th anniversary celebration of this law, all of the former secretary generals and directors of the Basque community abroad were in attendance including former Secretary Generals Iñaki Aguirre, Guillermo Etxenike, and Andoni Ortuzar, and former Directors of the Basque Communities Abroad Josu Legarreta, and Julian Celaya. Presentations were also made by the newly elected representatives that will now serve on the Lehendakari’s Advisory Council, Arantxa Anitua from Argentina, representing South America; Unai Lauzirika from Germany representing Europe, Asia and Oceania, and Jean Flesher from the US, representing North America. These three will also participate in the creation of a four-year plan for Basques abroad stemming from the conference proceedings. Zorionak Jean! The event at the parliament then concluded with an Agur Jaunak eta Andereak. I think I can speak for us all when I say Eskerrik Asko deneri for receiving us so warmly, as well as providing us this opportunity to network (Saregintzan) with Basques from all over the world. Mila mila esker bihotzetik!
10/10/2019
