Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu has just released his now traditional Christmas message, where, in addition to sending out his warmest Christmas wishes to the Basque community abroad, he also went over some of the biggest events the Basque Government organized with and for the Basque diaspora throughout 2022.
The Lehendakari recalled the 500th anniversary of Elkano‘s first circumnavigation of the globe, as well as the International Day of the Basque Diaspora on September 8th, with an official event in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and the return of the Gaztemundu program, along with other events and activities.
He also recalled that the sixth delegation of the Basque Government abroad, the one in Paris, “opened” with the presentation of the 2023 Tour, which will start and run through the Basque Country in its first three stages, covering four (Biscay, Alava, Gipuzkoa, and Navarre) of the seven Basque territories. This will be an amazing opportunity to show the Basque Country off to the whole world.
He also referred to the updating of the basic tool for the structure of the network of Basques in the world, the Law for the Basque Community Abroad, which replaces the current one, and whose mission is to support all the Basques around the world in the next two decades. This new law is adapted to the new global reality offered to us by new technologies and the globalization of relationships: “integrating organized presence via the Basque Centers, the Basques who live abroad, the people who maintain relationships via the Internet, and other Basque agents acting outside the Basque Country.”
He also referred to other key elements that, we’re sure, will show off their potential in the coming years, the Han Hemennetwork, the Basque Diaspora Studies graduate program, and the Basque Diaspora Archives.
The Lehendakari ends his letter by sending a warm embrace to the Basques in the world, and his warmest wishes for 2023.
Message in Basque
Message in Spanish
Message in English
Message in French
We join him in sending all Basques around the world our warmest wishes. May the holidays be wonderful, and may 2023 be an extraordinary year.
Last Updated on Dec 23, 2022 by About Basque Country