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After last year's 30^th anniversary celebrations, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center in Boise, Idaho will make the Basque communities around the world the main theme of its annual benefit dinner, organized for April 9. The Basque Center won't be the only thing decorated with international motifs, but each dinner table will have some information about the different diasporas. “It will be something small, like educational pieces. I don't expect people to learn a lot, just to spark some interest,” explained organizer Annie Gavica, in a conversation with EuskalKultura.com.

Boise, ID, USA. Although the Basque community of Boise is one of the best known diaspora groups in the Basque Country –thanks, in part, to organizing Jaialdi and having the only Ikastola outside Euskal Herria–, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center is far from navel-gazing. In fact, their forthcoming annual benefit dinner will celebrate Basques around the world and the impact they had on their nations and communities. “I think it's interesting for the people to know that there might be different traditions from the Basque-American experience,” explained Annie Gavica, Museum director and the person in charge of this aspect of the dinner. “I don't expect people to learn a lot, just to spark some interest.”

The Basque Center, where the dinner will be served, is going to be decorated with international motifs and photos, and there will be information about different countries on the tables. "So far, I've found some information about Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Philippines… There are something like 26 different countries with Basque populations.”

An international network

Gavica says that the knowledge about the different diasporas depends on the person: “Some people that are involved know there are other communities, but some have no idea." And to the question whether the Museum would like to start working with other diasporas, she responded that “it could be fun.” “That might be our next task, but I don't know. We've been concentrated in connecting communities in the US, and now it's pretty well established. And also, the relationship with the Basque Country is pretty solid now.””

-If you are interested in attending the dinner, please contact the Basque Museum & Cultural Center at (208) 343-2671. There are very few tickets left