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The celebration again gathered Basque students and teachers in the numerous centers over the years: those that were trained in Macachin in 1990, the ones that are today part of the Euskara Munduan; and students and teachers who over these 25 years have learned, taught and have loved the Basque language. As part of the program, two talks were given on the weekend by Patxi Baztarrika, vice-counsel of Linguistic Policy from the Basque Country, along with the presentation of the book Euskera in Argentina, Identity and Feeling by Magdalena Mignaburu. 

Buenos Aires, Argentina.   With the support of HABE, the Delegation of Euskadi in Argentina and Mercosur, and FEVA, with the collaboration of the local Basque clubs, the activities to mark the 25th anniversary of Argentinan Euskaraz began at the beginning of 2015.  The meaty part of the program, nevertheless, took place on November 16 with the inauguration of the exhibit “In the Footsteps of Euskera.  The Basque Language and its Presence in Argentina” and will continue through December 3, with the International Day of Euskera and a roundtable on how to teach languages with Kinku Zinkunegi.

In this context, various activities took place last weekend in the cities of La Plata and Buenos Aires, with the presence of Basque Government authorities as well as those from HABE, FEVA and FIVU.

Talks and book presentation  

Coming especially for the event, the Basque Government’s vice-minister of Linguistic Policy, Patxi Baztarrika, gave athe talk “Thirty Years of the Social Evolution of Euskera: a Paradigmatic Case,” on Thursday the 26 in La Plata and on Friday in Buenos Aires.

In the federal capital city, the event took place in the hall of ceremonies,  - recently renovated – at the Euskal Echea College and was attended by Sara Pagola, delegate of Euskdi in Argentina  and Mercosur, Kinku Zinkunegi, technician at HABE and director of the Euskara Munduan Program, Joseba Lozano, Director of the Linguistic Normalization in Public Administration of the Basque Government, Hugo Andiazabal and Arantxa Anitua, FEVA president and vice-president respectively; and Enrique Poittevin, president of FIVU, among other Basque club representatives.

After the talk, Magdalena Mignaburu presented her book Euskera in Argentina, Identity and Feeling.  The book is organized in two parts, the situation of Euskera in the country before the Argentinan Euskaraz program, and after its creation through present day.  The book is bilingual in Euskera and Spanish.

Euskera Festivities

On Saturday the 28th, the event took place outside in front of the Euskaltzaleak in Buenos Aires.  There nearly 300 people gathered to enjoy the anticipated birthday party.

The festivities began at 1pm with a txupinazo and the afternoon provided a great opportunity for students and teachers from the various years to get together again. The attendance surpassed the borders of the capital and gathered euskatzales from Arrecifes, Bahia Blanca, Chascomus, Gral. Rodriguez, Jose C. Paz, La Plata, Laprida, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Cuarto,Rosario, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Tandil, Villa Maria and Pergamino.

Student and teacher guests at the event were invited to a typical paella prepared by the cooks at the San Nicolas Basque club, and towards the end of the event, everyone present shared some birthday cake.  During the afternoon, there was singing, dancing and games, as well as a screening of the videos from the Eusketxak contest.  Winners were: first place Gure Etxea in Tandil (see video here); honorable mention went to Euskatzaleak in Buenos Aires (video here); and second honorable mention went to Zingirako Euskaldunak in Chascomus (video here).