euskalkultura.eus

Cañuelas, Argentina. Reference at the Basque Club in Cañuelas, Margarita Mathieu was awarded the “Jose Maria Iparragirre,” award presented annually beginning this year by the NGO in Gasteiz, Musicians without Borders. The award was presented virtually as part of the Day of the Basque Diaspora festivities by Professor Cesar Arrondo, one of the main promoters of the distinction, at the end of his talk about Andrés María de Irujo y Ollo

“Margarita was chosen,” the NGO explains, “because of her dedication to the Basque culture and to her Basque club, for her tireless and quiet work.”  “Within the Denak Bat she served as the club’s secretary when they began to resume activity in 1992; later she served as vice-president, and later president for three years; she is currently the club’s treasurer.  She is one of the most veteran members and has participated in everything that has been organized since 1992,” current club president Veronica Zulaica said.

“Jose Maria Iparragirre” Prize

The “Jose Maria Iparragirre” prize is an initiative presented to the NGO Musicians without Borders by Cesar Arrondo.  As Arrondo told EuskalKultura.eus, “Musicians without Borders is an NGO from Vitoria-Gasteiz that has helped underprivileged children around the world through music for 25 years.  Due to my friendship with Jesus Maria Alegria Urtiaga “Pinttu,” founder and president of the NGO, I proposed to establish this award, in the year of the bicentennial of Iparragirre’s birth.”

The award named after the bard from Urretxu will be awarded annually, coordinated by Cesar Arrondo, and Luis Aramburu, with the endorsement of the NGO.  The awards will take place in the spring (southern hemisphere) and are aimed at “individuals who have dedicated their lives to Basque activity, sometimes without the deserved recognition,” Arrondo says.  “It will be presented in Argentina and Uruguay, two of the countries where the author of ‘Gernikako Arbola,’ lived.”

Zorionak, Margarita!