Every July 31 is the day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and a celebration of the patron saint of the local Basque community is held in Necochea, Argentina. Mayor Facundo López and the secretary of the city government, Dr. Diego López Rodríguez, received the authorities of the Basque Center. Basque dancers danced in the municipal hall and the procession went to place floral offerings at the monuments to Mariano Necochea and Ángel Murga, founder of the city. Then they moved to the sapling of the Tree of Gernika, a symbol of the Basque Freedom, and they placed red and white roses, the anthem was sung and the Aurresku was danced, all according to the Municipality's bulletin.