They say that the activation of the Euskaltzales was the most sincere contribution of Euskaraldia in 2018. To do so, they will create social networks or organized groups, with the objective of achieving the individual commitment and that of the groups, putting in one direction the work of each of the Euskaltzales and the group. Two years ago the protagonists were the Ahobizi and Belarriprest, and this year the arigunes will be the axes of the new ETB-2 programming. Or, as Iñaki Martínez de Luna has pointed out, “the number of groups that join this dynamic will also be very significant: if the initiative acquires a universal dimension within our community, if it is a success in the Basque Country, that step would represent a profound social change”.

In Vitoria-Gasteiz, the GEU Association is the manager of Euskaraldia and Josu Pedruzo is the coordinator. He's been the informer. As we know from Ahobizi and Belarriprest, he has preferred, above all, to explain what the arigunes are: “We’re making arigunes known in three ways. On the one hand, the Euskaraldia neighborhood commissions are working with several entities in the neighborhoods of Vitoria-Gasteiz. On the other hand, we have a public hearing on 4 March. Thirdly, we would find other sectors, mainly within the reach of public institutions”. Josu Pedruzo has crushed all three of us.

Neighborhood commissions working

With regard to the neighborhood commissions, currently, in Vitoria-Gasteiz, eight neighborhood commissions have been activated through volunteers. In particular, we have the committees of Abetxuko, Centro, Judimendi, Olarizu, Salburua, Txagorritxu -San Martin-Abendaño, Zabalgana and Zaramaga-Aranbizkarra. “They started working at the end of 2019 and are starting to map out the entities in the neighborhoods. In some cases these entities have been put out to the streets and in others they have not yet made known to the Basque Country. However, the rhythms are different. In two neighborhoods, for example, they wanted to appeal to local authorities, but the damn Covid-19 has paralyzed everything.” The lockdown has forced everyone into the house.

Unfortunately, before the pause, they had already done a lot of work. “On 28 January we held a training session aimed at neighborhood organizations and commissions, led by Topagunea. About 30 people participated in the session, and the neighbors met each other.”

Public hearings

Since the end of last year, 2020 Euskaraldia has made several interventions in Vitoria-Gasteiz, with the help of the GEU association. The first of these took place on November 27, 2019, on the occasion of the presentation of the Basque Country in the capital of Alavesa. On that day, several city agents took a group photo. There were the representatives of the public institutions, the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz, above all, Josu Pedruzo, coordinator of Euskaraldia in Vitoria-Gasteiz and member of the GEU association, told us: “Euskaraldia has enjoyed the full cooperation of the Euskera Department and the Basque technicians, both in planning and implementation, and have also carried out the work of the prescribers or promoters. We want to take advantage of the networks of the City Council and the Council to make known Euskaraldia”. Along with the institutions, members of the world of Basque culture and neighbors of the neighborhoods were present. “In the second edition of Euskaraldia more, more and more will be spoken in Euskera,” said the organization of Euskaraldia in Vitoria-Gasteiz GEU, coinciding with this year’s motto, “More, more, more”.

Soon after, on the day of the Basque Country, the Basque Country of Vitoria-Gasteiz took part in the GEU association.

After Christmas, Euskaraldia organized a training session for the neighborhood commissions on January 28, and finally, on March 4, organized an appearance of Entities in which the City Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Orona Electra Vitoria, Artepan, Supplies Uriarte, Educacion, Posesa, EdVital Fundazigazi, Hazoa.

Entities, example of Aenkomer

Several entities are disseminating information about the spaces of Euskaraldia. One of them is Aenkomer, Association of Trade and Services Entrepreneurs of Álava. In the last quarter of last year, for example, the association conducted 330 interviews in establishments such as commerce, hospitality, etc. with the objective of increasing the presence and use of the Basque Country and achieving the involvement of its partners.

In collaboration with the Diputación de Álava, Aenkomer has been able to make a diagnosis of the sector to learn about the use of Euskera in daily activity. In this sense, it is known today that 192 establishments, that is, 58.18%, have at least one staff trained to understand the Basque country. On the other hand, 26.20% of establishments are guaranteed customer care in Euskera, that is, they have personnel who know or understand Euskera. Finally, in 16.30% of the cases, there are real possibilities to create internal groups to work in Basque, since several people from the same place understand Basque.

Regarding these 330 establishments, 105, that is, 31.82%, participated two years ago in the Basque Country: 106 workers have been injured, 87 by drobizi. 42.10% of the people surveyed intend to improve the knowledge of the Basque Country through a basic course adapted to the sector, while 41% have a great or quite interest in promoting the Basque Country in the establishment.

In these establishments, 11.60% use the Basque language on their website, while 19.10% also use the Basque language on social networks. Regarding signs and posters, 45% of businesses in Euskera have them in Euskera.

On the other hand, 45.20% know the Basque services that are available to them, both from the Álava towns and from the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Hall.

With regard to the Basque Country of 2020, Aenkomer invited them to participate in the initiative, either as an establishment, as belarriprest or as ahobizi.

Neighborhood commissions, institutions, entities -- they worked enthusiastically, but sometimes, Josu Pedruzo said: the coronavirus. “Until the health crisis, the pace was not bad.” Covid-19 has arrived at the time when they wanted to work on communication and training. And now “at the moment everything is standing... We will see...”, what the future means and when.

Ahobizi, belarriprest, and arigunes

Euskaraldia will be held between 20 November and 4 December. It will last for two weeks. As then, the protagonists will be the Ahobizi and Belarriprest, although the organizers want to give greater empowerment to the role of Belarriprest, whether they are Ahobizi or Belarriprest, so that both of them also have the same importance.

This year, however, the arigunes will be the novelty, that is, the spaces or entities that want to practice Basque calmly. They will ensure, as far as possible, the use of the Basque Country. In the arigune spaces, internal and external borders will be provided. The former are the usual operating groups, i.e. departments, services, sports groups, working groups, assemblies… In them, in addition to all its members understanding the Basque Country, at least 80% of the members have to be prepared to participate as ahobizi or belarriprest. On the other hand, the External Arigunes are an arigune formed by the people who are in the contact points with the citizenship of the entity in question – reception, telephone, boxes, bar…. In these spaces there will always be at least one belarriprest or ahobizi.

As for the spaces and entities, they can be companies, associations, entities, sports groups, cultural associations, shops or bars... that constitute a space for practicing Basque. In the Basque Country in 2018, they were the promoters. This year, however, the organizers have called for greater commitment and, to begin with, they will have to take seven steps to decide whether or not they can create a space within their structures. Here are the seven steps: Analysis of the proposal and decision to participate. Identify groups that may be Arigune. Reach a consensus with colleagues. Sign up. Take action. Exercise. Assessment and stabilisation of measures.

Therefore, for two weeks, in addition to the individuals, the entities will speak in Basque. Some will be drowning and belarriprest; others will activate their arigunes.