"We Basques have a lot to do and empower ourselves."
- "School of Empowerment for Euskaldunes. The school "Jobs to stop being a subordinate prayer" has been organized in Vitoria-Gasteiz within the programming of Izaskun Arrue Kulturgunea (IAK) and with the collaboration of UEU. The school's dynamism is Manex Agirre Arriolabengoa (Aramaio, 1982). He holds a degree in Basque Philology and a degree in Theory of Literature and Comparative Literature. We've been with him to talk about school.
You have organized a School of Empowerment for Euskaldunes in Vitoria-Gasteiz. How does the idea come about?
The idea originates in Iñaki Lazkano's proposal to create a space for reflection, empowerment and articulation necessary for the Basques from the path of feminist empowerment schools. I think we have a lot to take over and how to empower, because we're often unaware of the things that we're able to create and articulate with. I think there will be an opportunity to do so with the guests who will accompany us in the school sessions.
This is a collaborative course.
The project is part of the programming of the Izaskun Arrue Cultural Center, and we are collaborating with UEU in its organization. This has an added value: The Cultural Centre that has just been set up in Vitoria-Gasteiz has, among other objectives, the vocation of being a space for training and reflection, and shaping this project together with the EU makes it very easy to achieve it.
Reflection, empowerment and articulation. It will be based on these three axes.
The Basque cultural activity is in a constant process of renewal, and it must be so: this is a need for continued reflection. And reflecting is a good starting point for understanding what we are part of and empowering ourselves as a result, knowing the projects and experiences that are being carried out. At school we also want to work on how these projects have been articulated (with whom, why, with whom, with whom…) and how the new ones can be articulated.
We have tried to find the right guests to work each axis: from your hand we will fill the above mentioned axes with content.
You have divided the school into several sessions. How can you participate?
It can be registered in all the sessions that the school will develop throughout this course, as well as in each of them individually.
On the other hand, the structure of the sessions must be taken into account, since the project does not have in vain the name of “school”. The sessions will be divided into two parts: in the first, the word will be that of the guests, and will be discussed on the theme proposed for the debate. In the second part, the axis will be the participation of the school members, who from what the guests said, will have the opportunity to take the theme out of each session and situate it in their own reality.
To whom is it addressed?
Looking at the guest list, I would say it is addressed to a broad audience. It can be useful for those who have a special interest in the Basque world, the Basque culture, the sociolinguistics…
The presentation will take place on 30 October.
In addition, the programme will be attended by GARIKOITZ Goikoetxea, who will be the guest. With a view to the future, the directions of the Basque Country will be drawn, and for this exercise of prospection it will use several keys: globalization, rapid digitalisation process, demographic changes… It will try to analyze the minority situation of the Basque Country from these perspectives and make some proposals for the future.
In addition, we will present the project, detail the program and open the registration.
Euskaraldia comes back. Apparently, it will be in the spring of next year. They have already presented it and the truth is that it has surprised me; not Euskaraldia himself, but his motto: We'll do it by moving around.
The first time I have read or heard it, the title of the... [+]
Lau egunez idekia izanen den merkatu bat antolatzen du Plazara kooperatibak euskararen aldeko beste hamar bat eragilerekin –horien artean ARGIA–.
The survival of the Basque country is not the only problem that the Basques play in the political game, but rather, as a more characteristic element of Euskaldunisation, the one that most reflects our situation. It shows very well what does not appear so much in other areas... [+]
Agorrilaren 27an igorri nizuen gutunean, irailaren 10eko auzian euskaraz deklaratzeko asmoa nuela adierazi nizuen. Auzi honen hastapenean, epaile nagusiari euskaraz zekienez galdegin nion. Gutxiespenarekin ezetz erantzun zidan. Orduan, nere gutuna eskuratu zuenez frantsesez... [+]
