euskalkultura.eus

Boise, Idaho.  Asier Vallejo, in this his first official visit as Director of Basque Communities abroad, along with technician, Benan Oregi, made his first stop in Salt Lake City to participate in the North American Basque Organziation’s winter meeting that took place last Saturday (more information to follow on EuskalKultura.com this week.)

As many know, the United States is, along with Argentina, the country in the world with the largest number of Basque communities and this meeting in Salt Lake City is the first in either country following the appointment of Asier Vallejo as the new director, to invite its members in a year that NABO celebrates its fortieth anniversary, while the Euzko Etxea of New York celebrates its Centennial.

After attending the NABO meeting and the Annual Basque Dinner/Dance organized by the Basque Club of Utah, Asier Vallejo and Benan Oregi will travel to Reno where they will meet with representatives of the State of Nevada, the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, (UNR), the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) and the local Basque club.  From Reno they will continue on to Boise where they will have a very charged agenda tomorrow that includes meetings with institutional representatives including with the Vice-Governor, Secretary of State and Boise’s Mayor, as well as with representatives from different local associations and Basque entities including Boise State’s Basque Studies program, the Basque Museum, Ikastola and the Cenarrusa Center, as well as Boise’s Euzkaldunak Basque club.

They will also attend a presentation of “Arrantza Returns Home,” by the Trey McIntyre Project.  Boise being Gernika’s sister city will also be opening a Basque Government office shortly.  The person in charge of that office is already in the country and will depend directly on the Department that is lead by Asier Vallejo.  The initial inauguration is pending the finalization of a few more details. 

From the “City of the Trees,” Vallejo and Oregi will travel on the last leg of their US tour to New York City, the home of the Basque Delegation of Euskadi in the US, Canada and Mexico. Noemi Gonzalo-Bilbao, who works at the Delegation also attended the meeting in Salt Lake.  In the “City of the Sky Scrapers” they will also meet with members of the newly-elected Basque club board lead by Aitzol Azurtza whose conversations will include activities that will take place in October with various events both academic and cultural commemorating its Centennial.  Founded in 1913 the New York Basque club is the oldest NABO club.