Donostia-San Sebastián. In this time of confinement and isolation that the Basque Country and many other countries currently find themselves in, it must be noted that Basque communities have not stood by idly letting special dates, like Aberri Eguna this coming Sunday, go unnoticed. We have received news of events that have been adapted to the current situation, virtually, highlighting the Eusko Etxea in Caracas that is proposing a special Aberri Eguna 2020, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the inauguration of its clubhouse in El Paraiso.
At the heart of the local Basque community, and that of Venezuela, the celebration will be special remembering that is was on the Day of the Basque Homeland 70 years ago, when the current Euskal Etxea was inaugurated in the presence of Lehendakari Agirre. In this way, the club invites everyone to join in a “virtual gathering” that will be streamed live beginning at 10:45am (Venezuelan time, 16:45 in the Basque Country) on the club’s Instagram account @centrovasco. The day will begin with mass, after which the national anthems of Venezuela and Euskadi will be sung and an Aurresku will be performed.
Club president, Ibane Azpiritxaga told EuskalKultura.eus that after that “there will be interaction among anyone that would like to join in. We can send photos and videos to each other to repost for all to see. In this way, we will celebrate from our homes, but together as a club. This invitation isn’t just for the Basque community in Venezuela, but we would like all Basque-Venezuelans to join us who have had to leave the country so they too can feel the warmth of the club on this important date,” Azpiritxaga explained.
Besides this event, they will also publish recipes online all week, along with music recommendations and a contest. They are also asking people to hang Ikurriñas from their windows, or balconies.
United States Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, México...
Other Basque clubs have also informed us, sadly, about cancellations or postponements of their Aberri Eguna festivities, such as The Eusko Etxea of New York, the oldest club in the US, whose Aberri Eguna celebration continues, after 107 years since the club’s foundation, being the main annual celebration on the club’s festivities calendar. They postponed, with no new date for the moment.
From Argentina, FEVA invites all institutions, members and friends to join in the celebration planned in Euskal Herria. As such, everyone is invited to go to their balconies with an Ikurriña or an Argentine flag and later share photos of this on social media. From Montevideo, FIVU has told us that the Federation in Uruguay has also invited everyone to celebrate the same way, an invitation that has also come from the Eusko Alkartasuna Basque Club in Sao Paulo.
From Peru, the Lima Euskal Etxea as well as the Euskal Etxea in Mexico City everyone is invited to share information on social media. In the case of Mexico (see previous article), members and friends of the club are already sending photos using hashtag #gu etxean geratzen gara #we are staying at home.
If you would like to let us know how you will celebrate Aberri Eguna at your club or Basque community, you can do so in the comment section of this article
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