Aste Nagusia in Bilbao

This article comes to us thanks to EITb:

Bilbao's Great Week kicks off

08/16/2008

Basque chef Aitor Elizegi was in charge of launching the firecracker rocket at 19,00 at Arriaga Square in Bilbao to start the "Aste Nagusia" (Basque name for Great Week).

Bilbao's "Great Week" kicked off officially at 19,00 with a warm reception to Marijaia -the figure of the festival- and the launching of the firecracker rocket –"txupinazo"- by the Basque chef Aitor Elizegi. An hour later the open air bars –"txosnas"- will be opened and the 23rd local pop-rock show will start with the performance of Mamba Beat and Munlet.

First fireworks of the "Great Week" 28th contest will be launched by the Saragossan pyrotechnic, beginning at 10:30 p.m.

The first concert will start at midnight in Botica Vieja with groups such as Delorean and The Teenagers.

As it is usual, Bilboko Konpartsak has already organized an alternative program to create an even greater festive atmosphere. Pinpilinpauxa, for instance, has organized a male strip tease at midnight.

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Boise's Basque Winefest

This article comes to us via The Idaho Statesman:

AUG. 15: BASQUE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER'S WINEFEST

One of the oldest and most popular wine festivals in the Treasure Valley is the Basque Museum and Cultural Center's Winefest. Now in its 11th year, the outdoor event will be held on Friday, Aug. 15, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Downtown Boise's Basque Block (Grove Street between Capitol Boulevard and 6th Street).

Selected Idaho wineries and distributors will be on hand offering tasting samples of their wines. Each ticket-holding adult will be given a commemorative glass to use for the tastings and to enjoy a full glass of wine if they wish to purchase one.

There'll also be plenty of food on hand from the Basque Block's restaurants, including Gernika Basque Pub & Eatery, Leku Ona Basque Restaurant, The Basque Market and Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery.

The event is so popular that more than 500 people attended last year. "This is the Basque Museum's largest fundraising event of the year," said festival chairwoman Diana Echeverria.

"The money raised supports the Basque Museum's mission of educational programs and community outreach," said Patty Miller, executive director of the museum.

Miller also points out that one of the highlights of this year's Winefest will be a performance by the Oinkari Basque Dancers. The group was organized nearly 50 years ago and has been pleasing crowds ever since with colorful, ethnic costumes and authentic Basque instruments. The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m.

There will be a silent auction, as well, for a wide variety of items donated by local businesses and wine distributors.

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Udalbiltza : Unified Celebration

This text was sent to us by our friends from Udalbiltza:

UDALBILTZA

ABERRI EGUNA 2007

DECLARATION

THE MOMENT HAS COME TO ACT LIKE A NATION. FROM THE ABERRI EGUNA, LET US FACE TOGETHER THE CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY EUSKAL HERRIA’S NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION.

Today represents an important date in Euskal Herria’s national calendar: today is the Aberri Eguna, the day of Euskal Herria and the Basque citizenry. Today Euskal Herria constitutes a nation without statehood, given that the Spanish and French states refuse to accept it as such. Due to this situation, the Basque citizenry is not free, because it is not subject to the rights enshrined by the international rights’ declarations.

More so, the tendency by the Basque citizenry to allow divisions within itself has exercised a great influence in the difficult situation we live in. The time has come for us to overcome those divisions. The Basque citizenry will open a brand new age, but for this it is fundamental that we present ourselves as a nation, not only before the states that violate our national rights, but before Europe and the entire world. An Euskal Herria above any imposed borders, three million inhabitants, 685 municipalities, seven territories, and one Basque community in the Diaspora… one nation that pretends to regain its sovereignty.

It is because of this that, historically, the organization of a joined Aberri Eguna has been of great importance. We should recall the very first ones, the ones that took place before Franco’s uprising, the ones that took place after his death and the ones from the last few years; the success obtained during 1999 and 200 in hundreds of municipalities from the hand of Udalbiltza. Fortunately enough, dozens of municipalities have maintained this tendency and its model has been echoed successfully even within the Diaspora. This year, let us commend the great step taken thanks to the demonstration that, from the hand of renown Basque personalities has brought together Irun and Hendaia, for this constitutes proof that, although slowly, we advance in the right direction.

Nevertheless, this can not be the exception but the rule. We must learn how to take advantage of the opportunities presented to us today. Above all the apparent difficulties, the will of our society to overcome the conflict once and for all, becoming the driving force for the political process that will usher a new and more democratic stage, is gaining strength; and the right of Euskal Herria to organize itself as a nation, politically and institutionally, has achieved great acceptance.

Our people have seen its freedom of speech and its freedom to build its own institutional work frame denied, and it must regain them. Therefore, we can not waste the opportunity presented to us by the elections within a year of municipal representatives in the seven territories, because this is a chance, starting with the institutions that are closer to the citizenry, to initiate the democratic organization of this nation. We must learn to overcome the divisions produced within Udalbiltza and seize this historic opportunity to build Euskal Herria politically and institutionally.

Euskal Herria needs an institution like Udalbiltza, capable of gathering the strength of all of Euskal Herria to ensure that, living anywhere they may, the Basque citizens are enabled to take part in the present democratic process, being this one only the first stage in the national institutional process. In any case, for all of this to become a reality, with utmost respect to the principles approved in the Euskalduna palace, Udalbiltza most adequate itself in order to be able to respond to the new needs of Euskal Herria’s new era, becoming a democratic agent that supports peace and the political process, developing the compromise assumed in favor of all the rights for the entire citizenry, presenting Udalbiltza as the first national institution consolidated and permanent as required by our people, favoring the structural process of our nation.

Being that Udalbiltza’s contribution to Euskal Herria can be so significant, it is time that we take some steps together. The cooperation and the dialogue are vital, this is why, with the firm conviction that the time for compromise has arrive to all of us, we conclude this institutional declaration for this year’s Aberri Eguna celebration with an open call:

1.- We call upon all of Euskal Herria’s social, political and worker union agents to, in this crossroad, assume their own responsibility and, leaving behind all partisanship, acting as one people while encompassing the whole of Euskal Herria, establishing the necessary democratic agreements.

2.- We call upon all of the Basque citizens, faced with the importance of this present moment we all live in, and above all perceived barriers, to get involved both in the construction of Euskal Herria and the dynamics regarding the democratic resolution of the conflict that we’ve endured for so long.

3.- We call upon the two states that violate the rights bestowed upon us as Basque citizens and as a people to not only recognize them but also to respect the political rights of Euskal Herria.

4.- We call upon all nations and states around the world, and specially the European ones, to support and facilitate Euskal Herria’s political process, defending, acknowledging and guaranteeing the rights of the Basque citizenry enshrined in the international treaties created to protect these very rights.

5.- Finally, we call upon the leadership of the political parties present in Euskal Herria and upon those who will be present as candidates in this upcoming electoral process to vindicate the necessity to celebrate democratic elections, and also to defend the people’s will. More so, to strengthen their bonds and to make public their compromise to create a national institution that gathers within itself all of the municipal representatives.

Euskal Herria, April 8th of 2007

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Pictures From The Unified Aberri Eguna

Here you have some pictures sent to me from Hazparne that show the unified Aberri Eguna celebration in the Hegoalde-Iparralde border:

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