INTERVIEW ELKARRIZKETA

INTERVIEW WITH THE VICEPRESIDENT OF THE Juan José Ibarretxe: “The future organization of the will depend on our own will” Bingen Zupiria

How and why did you get mixed up with the world of politics? Mainly because I wanted to be of service. Before I started to acquire political responsibilities, in Llodio Town Council, I was the president of the Llodio Cycling Society, and before that I belonged to another association. It is al- ways a question of wanting to be of service, trying to find the right channels to help the citizens’ projects be- come real. After all that is what politics are all about. It is a kind of work that gives people the opportunity to change reality, to improve it, to develop the objectives of society as a collectivity. You are quite experienced in the political field, and that gives you a privileged point of view of Euskadi. What is your opinion of Basque society? Basque society is essentially alive, vital, bursting to build its future. Moreover, they want to do it in peace, no matter how many clichés are broadcast through the me- dia. Basque society is hardworking, and mainly worried about the future of the younger generations. This society also has a very deep feeling of belonging. We are not an ingenious society, we are hardworking and we know that things have to be built every day, tirelessly, for no- body is going to give us anything for free. ject in them our way of being, our way of understanding In spite of your youth you have a long political ca- self-government, and the level of self-government we reer: you have been Mayor, president of the General want for the future. Rules and regulations are not half as Assembly, member of Parliament, Vice-president of the important as having the institutions that enable us to or- government, and you have taken an active part in the ganize ourselves. I am absolutely certain that we Bas- organization of the Basque institutions in this last de- ques will have the organization we will choose, and that mocratic stage. How would you explain the present our relations with other powers, such as , Europe moment of this nearly ex-novo institutionalization? or whatever will also take place according to our own I would say this is a crucial moment to define its fu- decisions. ture. The Basque people have understood self-govern- Achieving self-government has always been ment in a peculiar way. This started again after Franco’s fraught with political and institutional tension. Is it pos- death, once the transition was taking place. From the sible to tackle this subject without generating this im- point of view of institutionalization there has been a very pression of permanent struggle? And what is the level important evolution. The Basque institutions are at pre- of self-government Basque society demands now? sent very solid, the Basques feel they are represented by The Gernika Statute was a political agreement that them, and –this is the most important part– we can pro- has not been fulfilled yet, because there has been a shor-

8 INTERVIEW ELKARRIZKETA

tage of loyalty in Madrid in relation to it. As for the futu- re, I think it is not so important to discuss specific issues, as to debate about the question of which are the instru- ments Euskadi needs as a society in order to develop its projects in relation to this new reality of Europe. Our self- government was defined 20 years ago, when the Euro- pean reality was very different. The constitutional texts under debate at the time did not even consider the rea- lity that was to come. Our self-government is in danger, just as any other form of political power is at present in Europe in danger of becoming obsolete if it does not un- dergo the necessary adjustments. The new realities are established by this project we are creating in relation with a united Europe. But at the background there is al- ways the will of Basque society. In our day and age we know something for certain: the societies define themsel- ves and their future. From this point of view, what we may come to be in the future, the degree of self-govern- ment we are to reach in the future, that is for Basque so- ciety to define. Juan José Ibarretxe, 41, is vice president of the Many Euskal Etxeak readers share the hope that Basque Government since January ’95. He is so- the relations of the Autonomous Community with Na- meone Lehendakari Ardanza absolutely relies on, varre and Iparralde will become closer. Do you believe and he has been Ardanza’s right hand during this that these relations could be more intense in the future? legislature. Married and with two daughters, he They could, that depends on our own attitudes. I re- loves sports Ðand practices athletics and cyclingÐ peat that it is for us to decide our future. The society of Navarre will also have to express their will in relation to and it is not unusual to see him riding his bike on their future project. And it is the same for Iparralde. I Basque roads or taking part in popular athletic think it is very important to act carefully and with respect. competitions celebrated in different places in Eus- It is for the population of Navarre and Iparralde to deci- kadi, and with good results generally. He has a de- de how they want to define themselves, how they want to gree in economics and a long experience in poli- live, what kind of relations they want to have inside the tics and in institutional management. He has been Basque society. In short, nobody will be forced to be Mayor of Llodio, President of the General As- where they don’t want to be, or not to be where they sembly of Alava, a member of the Social Council want to be. of the University of the Basque Country, a member You belong to a generation of Basques that have al- of the Basque Parliament and Vice President of the ways had to live with ETA. What are your views on this Basque Government. He was literally “lassoed” problem? And do you see any solutions? The problem cannot be approached at present with by Lehendakari Ardanza in ’94, when he was resignation or resistance to change, for it is a problem about to pursue in the a research on that has to be overcome. It is very important for Euskadi the compatibility of the American economic deve- to grow economically, to become a part of this new Eu- lopment and the European social protection sys- ropean reality, and to do so without losing our identity as tems. ■ a people. But it is even more important than that to lea- ve a tolerant society to our children. This is in my opinion an aspiration that can never be given up by a society, we should talk much less about peace and do much mo- which is not violent, which loves peace, and which the- re for it. refore has the duty to create it. All political approaches I won’t ask you for a final solution for the problem that mean a delay in the solution of the problem are de- of violence, but what are the grounds upon which pea- eply irresponsible. There are no dead times for peace. ce could be achieved? Every second, minute and day are important to try to I must say that many times we have heard approa- find a solution for our problems. In the political debates ches that have been betrayed when put to practice. The and approaches we can see attitudes that take us further progress in the field of the search for peace has always away from this goal instead of bringing us closer. I think been based on two pillars: on one hand the discretion

9 must be based on the respect for the opinion most Basques have on the matter, and this opinion of the majo- rity must be accepted. We have already talked about the European framework and about the problem of violence... What are the other urgent matters on the agenda of Basque society? We must bear in mind that we are under the influence of two processes of change: on one hand the Europe- an integration process, and on the ot- As vicelehendakari Ibarretxe has had many conversations with the General Deputies of her hand the changes all countries Alava, Bizkaia and . are undergoing as a result of the di- gital era, the information revolution when debating. And on the other hand the certainty on that has destroyed time and distance. Nowadays in the the side of the different political and social groups, that whole world the rich and the poor, the citizens of India this is a subject that cannot be used for profit in terms of or the United States, those living in the country and tho- votes. In my opinion any possible solution must have de- se living in big cities receive the same information at the eply democratic contents. What I mean by that is that it same time through the new technologies. Frontiers have disappeared from the economic and intellectual point of view. Frontier has become a term used only by politi- cians. If Euskadi can see this clearly, if we take an attitu- ● Arduragabekeria da indarkeriaren de of welcoming change, innovation, universality –ob- konponbidea gerorako uztea viously never forgetting our own personality– then we will be taking the right steps towards building a project to increase the welfare of the citizens. But if we fail to do ● Kontuan eduki beharko da euskal this, I am afraid we will not succeed in that project. We gizartearen gehiengoak zer nahi duen must also take into account that alongside this phenome- non of globalization, the natural communities are expe- ● Euskal nazioaren erronka Europan riencing a revival. The societies that share a way of being, a way of conceiving society, a particular way of sartzea da, baina bere nortasuna galdu solving problems, are on the rise. It is now very clear that gabe. the future depends on society, in this case on the Basque society and its attitude. ● Euskal abertzaletasunak gogoeta sakon You were born in Llodio, Alava, a town that lost bat egin behar du bere proiektuaz eta contact with Euskera many years ago. You probably etorkizunaz grew up without ever listening Euskera. What is your attitude towards , and what should ● Informazioaren mundu berriak dituen the Basque Administrations attitude be in your opinion? aukera guztiak erabili behar ditugu That is right, I was born in Llodio, and the whole re- gion of Ayala lost Euskera about 2 hundred years ago. euskaldunek elkarren berri jakiteko Euskera not only got lost, but the public administrations took care not to let it resurface in any way, not at school ● Gure autogobernua atzeratuta gera and neither in the homes. Fortunately at present statistics daiteke ez baditu kontuan hartzen show that the level of Basque citizens who know Euskera Europan gertatzen ari diren aldaketa is steadily increasing. They show that the old trend that guztiak stopped the transmission of the language from parents to children has been broken. They prove that we are star- ting to have absolutely bilingual parents who have been ● Besteei laguntzeko asmoz sartu nintzen educated in ikastolas and are starting to live in Euskera politikan. inside their families. This is very encouraging. This gives

10 INTERVIEW

us cause for optimism, although we must not lower our guard. I personally have a clear engagement in relation to Euskera. I did not speak a world of Euskera, but lately I am learning this language I long to integrate in my everyday life. Therefore, I am sparing no effort to master this subject, day by day, word by word I try to learn and use what I learn in all the levels of my life. I dream of being able to address my fellow countrymen fluently in our own language. This is for me a very coveted goal, a wonderful prize in itself, not only in relation to my res- ponsibilities as a politician. One of the political events that took place during your life as a politician was the division of the Basque Nationalist Party and the birth of Eusko Alkartasuna. But there are also other positions among the nationa- lists. This is referred to as the division of nationalism. Do you consider it a problem or an expression of plu- ralism? Now is not the time to linger on the causes of that traumatic division. Nationalism should now reassess in depth its project and its future. It is of the utmost impor- tance to realize that we should by no means appear to be weaker than we really are, we must gather all our strength for the welfare of the whole movement. This is why I think that instead of thinking of that division that Although jogging is one of Ibarretxe’s favorite hobbies, this time still exists as a problem, we should try to find a solution, he walked in favor of Euskera in the Muskiz Ibilaldia. the common grounds, the things we can do together, al- ways respecting the other side, obviously. their regions. I was conscious of those two aspects when In Euskadi there are nationalists and non-nationa- I was with them, and I have not forgotten them for the ex- lists, people who speak Basque and people who don’t, perience was very positive from this point of view. people who were born here and people who were You have spoken about a new present and a new born in different places. There is a great variety of ori- future where space and time are unimportant. How do gins and attitudes. Do you believe as a nationalist that you foresee the future relations between the Basques in this is a problem, or does it make this society richer? Euskadi and abroad within this new world structure? It is not a problem at all. It is an accurate description It is easy now for a Basque living outside Euskadi to of a country that is being built, as all countries are, day reach every information about what is happening in Bas- by day. We should take advantage of these circumstan- que society. And it is also perfectly possible for a Basque ces and build a project with room for everybody. This is citizen to be permanently connected to his family or com- the great challenge facing Basque society now. The futu- munity abroad. This is a subject that we discussed during re must be organized to match our social reality, and the- the last Congress. We must take advantage of the new re is one thing that is crystal clear: all people living here reality to become closer. We must not forget that we are are bathed by the same sunshine and the same water. talking of third and even fourth generations in some What experiences have you had with the Basque countries in the world. So we have to maintain the umbi- communities living outside Euskadi? lical cord between Basque society and these communities I have personally visited some communities in Ar- so that they can experience more closely and more in- gentina. As a matter of fact I was very pleasantly surpri- tensely what is happening here. This way we will also get sed. I saw there Basque communities with a deeply roo- a better knowledge of their problems, their worries, and ted sense of belonging and of being Basques, but at the the projects we can organize together in order to help same time they very aware that they were perfectly inte- each other. To sum up, the world of the future will be a grated in the country they were living in, and they were world of cooperation; this is true for companies and also working and helping to build the future of that country. for countries, and it is especially true when talking about In fact this must be obvious if we notice how well consi- communities, families, people. We have to find the hu- dered these communities are by the local governments of man side of this new revolution. ■

11 ‘‘ BASQUE CENTERS EUSKAL ETXEAK

Brazil: a country “al pil-pil”

oan den apririlean, Jose Antonio Ardanza Lehendakariak Brasilera egin zuen bisita. Iaz eta -en izan zen. Oraingo honetan Brasil bisitatu J ondoren, Euskadik oinarri sendoak ezarri ditu Mercosur-en, negozioak egin ahal izateko. Lehendakariarekin batera Brasilen izan ziren euskal enpresariek au- kera handiak ikusi dituzte munduko alde honetan.

Roberto Cubero potential; it is a country where practically country with a GNP similar to that of the (Special correspondent for everything has yet to be done. whole rest of South America. The first EFE Agency) This is where we Basques make our companies are already installed, from entrance. Lehendakari José Antonio Ar- Vicinay Chains, which has been in Rio danza visited from 28th March to de Janeiro for 20 years, to the more re- Brazil is the fifth biggest country in 5th April with 50 businessmen. Alt- cent CAF, Fagor, Irizar, Iberdrola, Ga- the world. It takes eighteen times the hough our presence in Brazil has never mesa or Selak. surface of the Peninsula, and we had been as strong as in Argentina, or All these companies invest a great better not compare it with Euskadi. Our , maybe now is the time to stage deal in a country where they expect to double the profits every year. The visit of small country would fit about a thou- a Basque landing. This time it will not be the Lehendakari gave Iberdrola the sand times in this huge territory. because of war or emigration, but for chance to announce they are going to With 45 million pesetas, which is business: we can offer this new country invest 50 billion pesetas yearly in Brazil the prize of a modest little house with a that is willing to open its doors to the for the next four years, buying the local garden in Euskadi, in Brazil one could world our business culture. electricity supplying companies when buy an extension of about two thousand Brazilians are enduring now the sa- they are privatized. soccer pitches. It is true that one might me cold feet we suffered before joining Gamesa also announced the agree- have to rent a light aircraft to reach the- the European Union. How were we going ment with Embraer to manufacture the se possessions. to compete with the Germans? We used wings of the new plane of this Sao Pau- These huge extensions are the key to to wonder at the beginning of the eigh- lo firm. In the presence of the Lehenda- understand the country. For there is so- ties. Our answer was to expand, not to kari, the presidents of Embraer and Ga- mething of the spirit of the Old West in shrink and stick to our small market, but mesa, Mauricio Novis Botelho and José Brazil, as if it was waiting to be conque- to compete, to sell Gipuzkoan buses to Antonio Garrido, announced a contract red. Experts agree in using one word the Chinese or trains to the Mexicans. which is more than that for Euskadi. when describing the Brazilian future: its And now we can reach Brazil, a Airplane wings manufactured in Vi-

12 toria, in a technological park, with the joint work of dozens of aeronautic en- gineers, and sold ten thousand kilome- ters away. This is a symbol of the Bas- que entrance in the world of 21st cen- tury, after a 20th century in which we thought that a factory with no chimneys Lehendakari Ardanza spoke with the Brasilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso about was not a good one. the economic possibilities of Brazil. But there are more Basque compa- nies peeping into Brazil: CAF from Bea- sain is going to manufacture 120 wa- gons for the Sao Paulo suburban train, Irizar is going to open a bus plant and Vascofan has already 200 Brazilian employees. But these are just the main ones, for during the Lehendakari’s visit there were no less than 200 personal interviews between Basque and Brazi- lian businessmen. Maybe not all of them will end in joint ventures, but they certainly hint at a simmering country, at an economy “al pil-pil”, that the government of Fernan- do Henrique Cardoso, who held an in- The Basque Company Gamesa with manufacture the wings of the new Embraer plane. terview with the Lehendakari in the ca- pital, Brasilia, during the first days of the visit, is trying to revitalize. Ardanza also spoke with the vice- president, Marco Maziel, and with se- veral ministers of the economic sector, and this is a proof of the importance Brazilian institutions gave to the presen- ce of the Lehendakari. Cardoso explained to Ardanza the good results of the plan to change the old currency, the cruzeiro, for the new one, the real, which started four years ago. Brazil, as it happens with many ot- her Latin American countries, used to suffer a devastating inflation: a monthly The jesuit from Barakaldo Barturen has been promoting cooperation projects in Bahía for 25%. With the new currency inflation years. has dropped to 7% a year. This cold figure is of the greatest im- This is the country where maybe the is trying to keep afloat a fish farm and a portance: Brazil is a country with huge so- most important of all Basques in Brazil farm while organizing basic health servi- cial differences, and only a little while ago works. My excuses to the rest of them. ces and struggling to keep the tourism the workers saw the value of the salary The Jesuit father Francisco Javier Bartu- promoters from invading the area. they got on the 1st of the month shrink to ren, born in Baracaldo, has been wor- This is not the only Basque who has half its value at the end of the month. king here for 20 years. been living for years in Brazil: the Sao With inflation under control 30 mi- Barturen showed the Lehendakari Paulo Basque Center offered the Lehen- llion people have escaped extreme po- the projects he is developing in the dakari the warmest supper. These words verty and they can –if with some diffi- north of the state of Bahia, in a region spoken by the Lehendakari sum up the culties– reach the end of the month. where the rate of child mortality is 23%, spirit of the visit: “half the world is loo- However these good news cannot a rate that is counted in the rest of the king now at Brazil, from the United Sta- change the hard facts of Brazil: there are word in a proportion per thousand. tes to , and we share in the hopes five million rich, 35 million middle-class In that region, with the money given for the future development of this people and 120 million poor in a country by the Basque Government and by a pri- country”. A country, as its president where if you want a good school or a go- vate Maecenas, the businessman Norber- Cardoso concludes, “which is not poor od doctor you have to pay for them. to Odebrecht, this priest from Baracaldo but unfair”. ■

13 For forty years the members of the center Gernika Kuttun have tried to bring Euskadi closer to the Brazilians. Sao Paulo Eusko Alkartasuna

Bingen Zupiria 97, and young Jon Lizarburu, the presi- euskal etxea into a meeting point for all dent of the center were present. Basque women and men, as well as for Elías Echegoyen, the first secretary, the increasing number of Basque com- was the spokesman and he welcomed panies that reach Brazil. “We must ma- Many things are told and known the Basque visitors to a city of over 15 ke the existence of our association about Brazil. But few Brazilians and million inhabitants, and with a telepho- known in order to form a flourishing even less foreigners know that Sao Pau- ne directory where only about 300 Bas- Basque community. They don’t come be- lo, a city founded by Basque Anchieta, que surnames can be found. The hosts cause they don’t know we exist”. has a lively Basque community organi- wanted to thank the Lehendakari for his The directors of the Sao Paulo Eus- zed around a magnificent center: Ger- visit, which meant for them that the Bas- ko Alkartasuna are planning to find an nika kuttun. The members of the Sao que Government acknowledged the ef- office somewhere in the center of the Paulo Basque association Eusko Alkar- forts done by this association of Brazi- city, well placed and easy to reach, and tasuna took advantage of Lehendakari lian Basques, all along its 40 years of turn it into a center for the support of Ardanza’s visit to spend some time with determined existence. everything Basque. The office will sup- him and explain their situation, their “We try to make ourselves known; port cultural, industrial and commercial wishes, their problems and objectives to to explain in Brazil all about the Basque projects, it will be a sort of trade office the Basque delegation. Country, its habits, sports, etc... And we connected with the Basque Government The gathering took place last April try to do this openly in a world that is and with the Basque Centers of the the 2nd, and about a hundred people more open every day” explained Eche- Diaspora with the purpose of taking ca- attended it. The eldest founding member goyen. Then he presented their next and re of the needs and possibilities of Mer- of the center, José Antonio Bergareche, main objective: turning the Sao Paulo cosur. ■ Gernika Kuttun

Two sprouts of the Gernika Tree, a nation and the stubbornness they show cially approved by the International Pine from Navarre, a coffee plant and in the development of new projects gua- Pelota Federation, with the regulation and abundant vegetation surround rantee a promising future. During the length of 25 meters, has become an GERNIKA KUTTUN, the Sao Paulo Bas- last celebration of Aberri Eguna there excellent pelota school acknowledged que Center located next to a lake in the were more than 150 people. by the “Brazilian Society of Basque Pe- southern area, about an hour from the The center has a central building lota”, and young Basques and Brazi- city center. The center has naturally had with a meeting room, which is also lians train in our traditional sport. its difficulties, but thanks to the efforts used as a dining room, and a kitchen. These magnificent facilities become and imagination of its members and Close to it there is a wonderful pelota every weekend the meeting place for friends, it has avoided closing in the court, which has become the main at- the members and they help to keep ali- worst moments. Certainly their determi- traction of the center. The court, offi- ve the spirit of the Basque Country. ■

14 BASQUE CENTERS EUSKAL ETXEAK Basques in Brazil

his article was published in the prestigious Brazi- lian newspaper, Folha do Sao Paulo, a few days T before the arrival of Lehendakari Ardanza to Bra- zil. It was written by Ruben Tellechea Clausel, a Brazi- lian citizen with a Basque heart.

Practically all the young Basques portant work named “Arte de Gramáti- who left their country in the past did it ca de la Lengua más Usada en la Costa so as not to serve the kings of Spain. del Brasil, sistematizando los tesoros lin- They did not consider themselves Spa- guísticos del tupí” (“Grammar Art of the nish and they fought for the indepen- most Common Language in the Coast of dence of the Basque Provinces, which Brazil, systematizing the linguistic trea- were their national state. They wanted sures of tupí”), which was published in to have their own laws, their customs, Coimbra in 1595. and to be able to keep their traditions. Speaking the language of the In- José de Anchieta, son of the Bas- dians, knowing how to navigate the ri- que Juan de Anchieta, was born on vers flowing from Sierra del Mar to the March 19th 1515 in Laguna, Tenerife. inland, and guided by the Indians, the He was related to Ignacio de Loyola, the Jesuits established a connection with founder of the . He joi- . There they met the bothers of La delegación vasca en Brasil mantuvo nu- ned the “Society” in 1551 and he started the “society” who had entered by the merosos encuentros económicos. attending the School of the Jesuits in Rio de la Plata. From this place, with lit- Coimbra in 1532. As soon as he received tle resources and with the help of Jesuit Larragoiti, Gallarreta, Echenique, Goi- his first “orders”, and because he was discipline, they organized the south of coechea, Estigarribia, Urroz, just to na- enthusiastic about the New World, he Brazil during the first centuries of its es- me some of those who helped develop joined the group of missioners that sai- tablishment. The “bandeiras” for the de- this part of America. Their love of rural led along River Tajo in 1553 with the Ge- velopment of the Brazilian territory and life and their ability to work hard helped neral Governor Duarte Da Costa. On public education started there. Anchie- them adapt to the hard conditions of the July 13th 1553, Anchieta arrived in Ba- ta saw some similarities between the New World. hía, where father Leopoldo Lunes was tupí vocabulary and that of the Basque We remember these events now waiting for him in order to guide the language (“Euskera”), and also in the that a mission from the Autonomous group. Anchieta, who was then very grammar structures. The Jesuits took Government of the Basque Country is young, had already a physical impair- part in the organization of the “pueblos about to arrive to Sao Paulo, led by Pre- ment acquired during an accident he de las misiones”. They did a very impor- sident José Antonio Ardanza. They co- suffered in Coimbra. Some years before, tant social work with the Tupi-guarani me now determined to strengthen from in 1549, some other priests had come Indians. They introduced agricultural the highest levels the relations with Bra- with Tomé de Sousa, the first General techniques, they taught the growing of zil. An important group of businessmen Governor of the Tierra de Santa Cruz, tubers such as tapioca and potatoes, the is coming with Ardanza in this visit. among them another Basque, Juan Az- conservation of sheep meat and they le- They are not the first businessmen to pilicueta Navarro. They declared they arned about “mate têrere” and the uses come, for as we have seen, our relations had received a special mission from Lo- of Indian medicinal plants. They taught with the Basques started more than 450 yola: the Christian education of the In- music, religion and healthy habits. They years ago, when Sao Paulo was foun- dians. From Bahía Anchieta traveled to fought against cannibalism, and practi- ded. San Vicente, where he took orders from cally extinguished the practice. I fervently hope that they find suc- Nóbrega to climb to Sierra del Mar and The great Basque migration to- cess in increasing the political, cultural, build a “school” for the Christian educa- wards America, and especially towards industrial, business and financial rela- tion and his own study of the “general the south of the Continent took place tions with Brazil. Let us hope that they language” of the Indians. He built it in during the 18th and 19th centuries. bring with them in addition to their ad- the place known today as Patio del Co- They went to Argentina as farmers, and venturous spirit and their ability for legio (School Court), in the center of the the same happened in the south of Bra- work –well known features of the Bas- city of Sao Paulo. Anchieta not only ma- zil and in Uruguay. They were called ques–, business, knowledge, tourism de peace with the Indians, but he also Arregi, Irigoyen, Taborindegui, Garasta- and cooperation for the development of studied their language. He wrote an im- zu, Lizarralde, Tellechea, Ormazábal, all peoples. ■

15 BASQUE CENTERS EUSKAL ETXEAK

TWO NEW MAGAZINES several articles about the political struc- Euskal Kultura was created by Eus- ture of Euskal Herria, some of its cultu- kal Fundazioa in order to offer cultural FOR THE BASQUES OF THE ral roots, and its oldest monuments. information about Euskal Herria and the WORLD There are also many references to Bas- Basque communities spread all over the que pelota and the international enga- world. The magazine, which is practi- gements for his year, the card game cally a bulletin has this main objective: mus, a humorous page and the inevita- “to stick an antenna into the world of Two new magazines for the Basque ble recipe, dedicated this time to porru- Basque cultural activities, to encourage communities living outside Euskal He- salda. The magazine also gives the contact between the communities living rria have just been published for the first members the opportunity to know all in many countries, and between them time. ARGIZAIOLA, published by the about the different activities organized and the original or Pyrenean Euskal He- Santiago de Chile Euskal Etxea, and by Eusko Etxea. rria”. ■ EUSKAL KULTURA, published by Euskal Fundazioa, an entity with headquarters in Euskadi and delegations in several countries. Argizaiola is the name of the en- graved tablet used to wind the wax and keep it burning during the old religious ceremonies. It is also the name of the new magazine of the Santiago de Chile Euskal Etxea, which is being published –according to its leading article– in or- der to promote “understanding sprin- ging from common ideals, with the gui- dance of the founding statutes of the institution we belong to”. The magazine will be published every four months and about a thousand issues will be printed initially. The first issue of Argizaiola includes a report on the visit of President Frei and his wife to Euskadi, in response to Lehendakari Ardanza’s invitation, and

Basque students will support of the Society for the Industrial welcomed warmly many Basques for Promotion and Rationalization (SPRI), so long. practice in chilean in order to promote the development of In the two previous occasions the companies the Latin American countries with subs- celebrations took place in the Bizkaian tantial Basque communities. town of Mungia, but probably next ye- ar they will take place in . Students from Deusto University will practice in Chilean companies as a result of a program signed by the Basques from venezuela Chilean-Basque Foundation for Deve- Holiday camp for basque lopment, and Deusto Trade School. meet in Euskadi The aim of this agreement is to en- children in courage the students of the Trade Nearly two hundred Basques who School to get a better knowledge of the live in Venezuela and Venezuelans The American town of Elko, Neva- social and economic situation of Chile, who live in Euskadi met last April in the da, will host from June 21st to July the for according to the agreement orga- Santuario de Aranzazu to celebrate 4th a new edition of the “Music nizers, this country possesses an inte- the independence of Venezuela. This Camp”, or holiday camp for children resting potential for development. was the third consecutive year in which and teenagers of Basque descent. This The Chilean-Basque Foundation, the Venezuelan-Basque Association event takes place every summer in a like the foundations in Argentina, Me- organized this brotherly gathering to different town or State in the United xico and Venezuela, was born with the show gratitude to a country that has States, organized by Nabo. ■

16 The Orfeon Donostiarra and the Sculptor Oteiza won the ’97 Universal Basques Prize

orge Oteiza eskultore jury formed by prestigious professionals tia, Gipuzkoa and Euskadi, as we have ezaguna eta Donos- decided to give the prize ex aequo, as been considered wherever we have be- tiako Orfeoia 97ko it happened last year. Last year Monse- en”. J ñor Laboa and sculptor Eduardo Chilli- Jorge Oteiza, with his strong perso- Euskalerritar Unibertsal aukeratu dituzte. Euskadi- da were awarded the prize. This year, nality and disposition has stamped his the jury decided to combine the “capa- unforgettable mark on Basque art du- ren izen ona leku batetik city for working harmoniously in com- ring his 89 years of life. He has helped bestera eraman duten mon with the individual genius that place Basque Art in an important posi- euskaldun ospetsu hauei brings such riches to our community”. tion internationally. He is considered the omenaldia eskaini die All those attending the event poin- father of Basque sculpture, and he has euskal gizarteak. Bi sari- ted out precisely these two features. The won, among others the Pevner Prize, gi- tuak oso desberdinak izan Culture Consultant, Mari Carmen Gar- ven in Paris to a whole life. He has be- arren, bien artean euskal mendia, read the Lehendakari’s speech, en the creator of iron and stone gaps, gizartearen ezaugarriak which described the Orfeón Donostia- as we can see when admiring the im- biltzen dituzte. rra as “the epitome and sublimation at pressive Apostles of the front of the San- the same time, of this trend so dear to turario de Aranzazu. us, to form choral groups, to polyphony, Mari Carmen Garmendia spoke of where the joint efforts and sensibilities the magnificent sculptor from Orio sin- The Orfeón Donostiarra and the result in a final product full of harmony cerely and with deep emotion. The Con- sculptor Jorge Oteiza received last May and beauty”. sultant, speaking in the name of the Le- 5th the ’97 Universal Basque Prize du- A hundred years of history full of in- hendakari, admitted that the relations ring a moving ceremony that took place ternational prizes, singing under the di- between the Basque Government and in Gasteiz with the attendance of im- rection of the best orchestra directors the artist “have always been marked by portant representatives of the worlds of and with the most prestigious singers tensions, disagreements and misunders- culture, politics, economy and society. and musicians in the world, speak cle- tandings” but however, “you must know Oteiza could not attend because of his arly of the quality of the Orfeón Donos- that I acknowledge and admit this tor- poor health and Lehendakari Ardanza tiarra. The Orfeón celebrated last year tuous and stormy relation on my side, also missed the celebration for he was its centennial and they now feel this but we have always acknowledged that “marooned” in the airport of Paris, award is the perfect ending for this ce- you are a great genius”. Finally she ad- where he had gone on an official visit. lebration. The president of the choral, ded: “we could not disagree with the In this second edition of this prize José María Etxarri, declared when he common feelings of our people, ours promoted by the Basque Government took in his hands the sculpture made by and yours, that love and admire you, as and the Caja Laboral in order to thank Xabier Santxotena, which goes with the you know. And as it happens with our the Basques that have contributed to prize, that this distinction was “their people, we cannot help loving and ad- project a positive image of Euskadi, a confirmation as ambassadors of Donos- miring you too”. ■

17 INSTITUTIONS ERAKUNDEAK Basque physicist Pedro Etxenike receives the prince of Asturias Science Prize

Pedro Miguel Etxenike, the resear- cher born in Navarre and professor of the University of the Basque Country has received with the Catalan Emilio Mendez, professor in New York Univer- sity the Prince of Asturias prize for Scientific and Technical Research. The jury took the decision unanimously after examining 64 candidatures from 19 countries. Both proposals had received about 200 letters of support from multi- national companies such as IBM, Philips or Hewlett-Packard, Spanish and fo- reign universities, and prestigious scien- tists including some Nobel Prizes. The jury underlined Etxenike’s theo- retical contribution to the research of the condensed matter physics, as well as the creation of a scientific group in the Chemicals College of San Sebastián, which is the international leader of the- revelation has been invaluable in order an exceptional quality”. Moreover the oretical research in electronic micros- to understand what goes on in the swe- award is according to Etxenike “ a dis- copy. He also created a research unit eping tunnel effect microscope discove- tinction granted not only to personal associated to the Consejo Superior de red by Binning and Rochrer, who won work but also to that of a whole school Investigaciones Científicas (Higher the Physics Nobel Prize. formed by many people, some of them Council of Scientific Research). But Etxenike is also a man firmly en- young, some more mature, that have an Pedro Miguel Etxenike was born in gaged with the broadcasting of scientific important international prestige. It is al- Isaba in 1950. He has been a teacher and technological culture. In the eighties so the acknowledgement of the institu- all his life, although he abandoned tea- he was at the head of the creation of the tional research of the Physics Depart- ching in 1980 for four years in order to Technological Centers which are nowa- ment of the University of the Basque become Education Consultant and Spo- days such an important part of the Bas- Country, which is doing an excellent kesman of the Basque Government. Af- que technological network. He is a mem- work and is at the head of world phy- ter this stage as a politician he returned ber of honor of the American Physics So- sics. It is a warrant of the quality of uni- to his professorship and his research in ciety and he has received several prizes versity research in the Basque Country, Cambridge University. such as the Euskadi Prize of Research, gi- and particularly in the University of the The research of Etxenike has been ven by the Basque Government, the Prin- Basque Country (UPV). centered mainly in the explanation with ce of Viana Prize of the Government of Pello Salaburu, rector of the Univer- the methods of mathematics and com- Navarre, and the Dupont Prize of Scien- sity of the Basque Country agreed with puting of the behavior of the particles ce. In July he will receive from Cambrid- these statements – he presented Etxeni- that compound the solid bodies and ge University the highest degree awar- ke’s candidature–, and in his opinion their interaction with outer charged par- ded by this university. the prize “gives prestige not only to the ticles beams. He has proved the losses After he was given the news, Etxe- man who gets it, but also to the institu- of energy suffered by electrons accor- nike was pleased and honored for “this tion in which he teaches, that is, the ding to the distance that separates them is a very prestigious prize given by a University of the Basque Country, and to from a solid surface or interface. This very ample jury and with candidates of the country itself”. ■

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