- It will be on 24 March and 8,000 people will shake hands. The initiative is organised by the Confederation of Ikastolas and Euskaltzaindia. They want to underline the "value of the Basque Country in the development of our country" and to pay tribute to several people who promoted the creation of the unified Basque Country.
From Errenteria to San Sebastián there will be a human chain of tribute to the unified Basque. The initiative, to be held on 24 March, will bring together over 8,000 people. The event, promoted by the ikastola Orereta, was organized jointly by the ikastola Herriari and Euskaltzaindia.
They want to underline the "value of the Basque Country in the development of our country" and to pay tribute to several people who promoted the creation of the unified Basque Country.
The human chain will depart from the sculpture of the Koldo Mitxelena of the Alameda de Gamón de Errenteria and end at the height of the former Donostia city council. In this way, 8,226 meters will be built by hand and will travel several streets of Errenteria, Pasaia and Donostia. Its duration will be from 11:00 to 11:30 hours. Subsequently, an event will be held at five points of the road.
The chain will be composed of students from the ikastolas of Euskal Herria, but anyone can participate. The organization invites all Euskaltzales to attend.
Fifteen persons will be honoured: Koldo Mitxelena, Resurreccion Maria Azkue, Pierre Broussain, Jose Maria Satrustegi, Julia Berrojalbiz, Xabier Kintana, Raimundo Olabide, Julene Azpeitia, Luis Villasante, Henrike Knantörlouis, Juan
However, the organizers have emphasized that nowadays the Basque Country batua is a reality "thanks to many more people": "Therefore, we can say that the Basque Country batua has wanted the people, the people have created it and the people have done it through its use". They stress that in history there is not a single moment to indicate the creation of the unified Basque Country, but that they have been "many moments". Thus, they intend to represent in the human chain the continuum that all these moments form.
Basque Batua has given the people
They want to highlight "everything the Basque Country has given to the people." According to the organizers, without the unified Basque would not be what today are education, communication, social cohesion or Basque institutions. "What the ikastolas owe to the unified Euskera and what the Euskera batua owed to the ikastolas" will be one of the foundations of the day. They want to convey the value of the unified Basque to the students of the present ikastolas and teach the history of their creation.
In addition, Euskaltzaindia Euskararen Batasuna. The association of Basque speakers has produced a document, key to the consolidation, survival and development, that explains the historical trajectory of Euskara batua.
The day will end with an institutional act in the City of Orereta at 17:30. The organizers of the initiative, the Ikastolas and the members of Euskaltzaindia, the representatives and elected representatives of the institutions and agents of Euskalgintza, as well as the people honoured throughout the day will be present.