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The Governing Council of the Basque Government approved the call yesterday for this year’s Gaztemundu program, aimed at youth from Basque clubs who would like to visit Euskadi.  The program will focus on Basque gastronomy and the number of spots open is 25.  Applications can be submitted after the call is published in the Official Bulletin of the Basque Country in a few days.

Vitoria-Gasteiz.   The Governing Council approved the call for the 2016 Gaztemundu program whose budget was increased to 80,000 Euros (30,000 Euros more than last year). The program is aimed at youth who are members of Basque clubs in the Diaspora, and who are between the ages of 18 and 35.

Participants, 25 in all, will stay in Donostia from October 1-16.  This year, the focus of the program will be on Basque gastronomy, given its importance in the Basque Country as well as in Basque communities all over the world.  Not in vain, at many Basque clubs, and their sociocultural environment there are numerous Basque restaurants and gastronomic societies.

At the last two World Congresses of Basque Collectivities celebrated in 2011 and 2015, the importance of promoting knowledge, practice and dissemination of Basque gastronomy through the Basque clubs was stressed, and considered to be a part of the cultural heritage that must be preserved and promoted in countries that welcomed Basque immigrants.

This year, selected individuals will participate in a training program prepared by experts who will teach master classes referring to different areas of Basque gastronomy.

The stay will also include activities where these youth of Basque descent will have the opportunity to make contacts with institutions, organizations, business and people who work and live in Euskadi, as well as network with other youth residing in Euskadi as well as in other places in the Diaspora.

Anyone interested in participated should submit their applications once the deadline is published in the EHAA-BOPV Bulletin.  

Gaztemundu is part of the Basque Country Strategy program that seeks, among other objectives, to project the Basque Country abroad, and was created in 1996 by the Basque Government with the dual purpose of publicizing the current reality of the Basque Country, in all its aspects, as well as allow the integration of new generations in the active life of their local Basque clubs.

Since then, more than 800 people have participated in this program many of which are now serving on their Basque club’s board of directors, or serving in other responsible positions.