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Necochea, Argentina.  The application period to participate in this year’s Hator Hona program has been opened by the Euzko Etxea Basque club in Necochea. This program is designed for youth in any of the seven provinces in the Basque Country between the ages of 18 and 30 years old.  The program’s main goals are to maintain in Argentina an updated image of the Basque Country as well as to strengthen the ties between the youth in both countries.

The 10^th edition of Hator Hona will begin on July 18^th and will run for three weeks.  Dates may be modified if winter break dates change in Buenos Aires.  During their stay, Basque Country youth will teach classes and conduct workshops for members and friends of the Basque club and also will have free time to visit people and places in Argentina.

Participation requires having knowledge in at least one of these cultural areas; music, dance Basque, sports or gastronomy.  Organizers have also announced that it is not necessary to hold a degree or certificate of completion in any of these areas.  All that is required, to be selected, is enough knowledge and the willingness to teach others. In exchange room and board will be provided by local Basque club families so participants are only responsible for their travel to Argentina.

Hator Hona was created in 2004 and since then 61 youth have visited Euzko Etxea from all corners of Euskal Herria.  Conversely, last year the creators of the project packed their bags and spent two weeks in the Basque Country visiting the young men and women that they had met on the program, as well as performing at various festivities in towns across the country.

This year, the program returns to its original format and the club is ready to accept applications.  These can be found on the Hator Hona blog: www.hatorhona.blogspot.com and can be sent until April 20th.  The names of those selected will also be published on this same blog.

For more information, email: hatorhona@gmail.com.

Members of the Zahar Alai dance group made a video to share the program.  To watch it click here.