america

center and editor, Mr. José Vicente Trip to South America Katarain, who has released 2020 different publications in 31 years. Between April 23rd and May 2nd, tant conference given by the Vice The lecturer was presented by Josu the director of the Basque Com- President of the Bogotá Basque Legarreta. munities, Josu Legarreta and the technician Andoni Martín met wi- th representatives from the Basque Centers in , , and . The trip aimed to present the Four Year Plan 2008-2011 appro- ved by the Advisory Council for the Basque Communities, present re- formulations of the rules and the new website project for Basque centers and Federations. The meetings were well atten- ded by numerous representatives and there was lively debate on the topics which were raised. Another two specific programs were run during the trip: the event commemorating the Bombarding of Gernika held around the fledgling Gernika Tree located in a park and participation in the International Book Fair in , including an impor- Josu Legarreta and José Vicente Katarain in the Delegation in Argentina.

Brussels

The Lehendakari visited Brussels In his second session he met the President of Flanders, Kris The Lehendakari, Juan José Miren Azkarate. Among meetings Peeters. Both presidents advoca- Ibarretxe, made an official trip to attended by the Lehendakari, we ted working together to put Eus- Brussels where he held different should highlight his first port of kadi and Flanders in the innova- meetings with European and call visiting the President of the tion and education “top 5” by Flemish officials. The Lehendakari Regions Committee, Luc Van den 2020. Before this meeting, the visited this Central European city Brande, with whom he tackled the Lehendakari held a working with the Minister for Education, issue of the role of the European breakfast with the Flanders Fo- Universities and Research, Tontxu regions and communities within reign Minister, Geert Bourgeois. Campos and the Culture Minister, the European framework.

18 euskal etxeak euskal etxeak 19 kanpo harremanak official activities abroad

laburrak The Basque Government officially recognized the “Santa Cruz Hegoalde Argentinarra Basque Center”

In its weekly meeting, the Basque Cabinet of Ministers officially recognized the “Santa Cruz Hegoalde Argentinarra Basque center” in Rio The Euskal-Japoniar Elkartea/ Gallegos, province of Santa Cruz Basque-Japanese Association visited (Argentina). This Euskal Etxea will therefore become join the official the Directorate for Relations with Basque Center register. Basque Communities The Basque Cabinet of The Euskal-Japoniar Elkartea/ Japanese, and it tries to provide a Ministers approved the Basque-Japanese Society visited space for people interested in the decree which regulates the Directorate for Relations with , their culture and language. Basque Communities on April 8th. It also advocates closer relations grants to Euskal Etxeak The Delegation for this group was between the two countries. The Basque Cabinet of Ministers received by the general manager, During the reception Josu approved the Legal Decree regulating Josu Legarreta Bilbao. Legarreta received a picture the concession of grants to different This association has more than showing the word “Basque” in Basque Centers. These grants can be 50 members, most of them Japanese. used for the Centers own operating costs or to run annual programs or specific non-profit making activities. Iñaki Aguirre, Secretary Official reception for the Presentation of the General for Foreign representative of the Euskara Munduan Action in the Basque Tibetan people, Thubten program Government, spoke Wangchen before the European The Lehendakari, Juan José Ibarretxe, The Basque Government presented Regions Committee gave an official reception for the re- the Euskara Munduan 2008-2011 presentative from the House of Tibet program. Over the next few years, The Basque Government Secretary in Barcelona, Thubten Wangchen. this program aims to train 28 General for Foreign Action, Iñaki The Lehendakari conveyed the Bas- irakasles from Argentina, Uruguay, Aguirre, spoke before the European que People’s respect for Tibetan iden- Chile, Brazil, Peru and . The Commissioner for the Information tity and supported their cause. He HABE institute (Institute for Basque Society and Media, Viviane Reding, said that he did not understand “that Culture, Language and Adult Literacy) during the 74th plenary session of such large populations could be so is coordinating the whole project the Regions Committee. In his afraid of such small, humble and pa- with special help from the different speech, entirely in Euskara, the cifist populations like Tibet or the Basque centers, particularly the FEVA, Secretary defended the role of Basques.” FIVU and NABO federations. regions in reducing the digital gap.

18 euskal etxeak euskal etxeak 19