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Aizpea Goenaga, who served as the director for the last six years of the Etxepare Basque Institute, will not continue in this position as of January.  The Minister of Culture, Bingen Zupiria, has appointed Miren Azalluz to this position.  Goenaga had served as the director of Etxepare since its beginnings in 2010, and was in charge of getting the Institute going along with Mari Jose Olaziregi, who left her position some weeks ago.  We include Aizpea Goenaga’s farewell note here.

Donostia-San Sebastian.   Aizpea Goenaga won’t continue as head of the Etxepare Basque Institue according to an article published today in the Diario Vasco.  The Gipuzkoan paper reports that Goenaga received the communication, day before yesterday, from the new Minister of Culture, Bingen Zupiria, that she will no longer be a part of the senior officials of this department.  Bingen Zubiria will appoint Miren Arzalluz to this post.  

Goenaga’s leaving is added to the recent departure of Mari Jose Olaziregi, director of the Promotion of Euskera at the Institute and one of her closest collaborators of these last six years of Etxepare’s existence.

Aizpea Goenaga was in charge of taking the first steps and getting the Etxepare Basque Institute going in June 2010.  Even if the idea of creating the entity came from the Basque Government when Miren Azkarate was still the Minister of Culture, the project was created and grew under her socialist successor, Blanca Urgell.

“It was at the same time a very passionate and difficult experience.  We had to get something going that had never existed before, we started at zero, as well as encompass something that was very broad, like the entire world.  I spent months without any help, due to bureaucratic problems.  Towards the end of the year my first helpers arrived, as well as my main collaborator, Mari Jose Olaziregi.”

Olaziregi, was the director for the Promotion and Diffusion of Culture and left Etxepare some weeks ago to return to teaching at the University of the Basque Country.  She was in charge of, among other things, creating a network of lecturers and chairs at numerous universities on various continents.  Her position has been filled by Irene Larraza.

The news in two articles in the Diario Vasco here and here.

(Published 12-23-2016 in the afternoon) Letter of farewell sent by Aizpea Goenaga through her Facebook page.

 Dear friends and companions,

The adventure that I began in 2010 as Director of the Etxepare Basque Institute has come to an end. Promoting the Basque language and culture internationally has been an exciting challenge. I have only words of affection and gratitude for all my travelling companions on this six year journey: creators, cultural agents and institutions. I feel sure and hopeful that our paths will cross again in the future

My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your work and support.
Best wishes, Happy New Year and a big hug!

Aizpea Goenaga
Director of the Etxepare Basque Institute