Vitoria-Gasteiz. The Governing Council, at the proposal of the Department of Welfare, Youth, and Demographic Challenge, has approved a direct subsidy of 65,000 euros to the Association of Colombians and Colombianas in Euskadi (ASOCOLVAS) for the development of the Bizkaia Saretzen 2026 project. The initiative aims to create and consolidate an intercultural and intergenerational community network that facilitates social participation, the generation of bonds, volunteering, and mutual support, particularly in the context of extraordinary regularization processes.
The project draws on ASOCOLVAS's accumulated experience in supporting migrant individuals. The organization has a 25-year track record in Euskadi, working for social integration, the defense of rights, and intercultural coexistence. Currently, Colombia is the primary country of origin for foreign-born residents in Euskadi, numbering 45,495 people (14.2% of the total), with more than half residing in Bizkaia.
Bizkaia Saretzen 2026 will focus on strengthening proximity relationships, social participation, volunteering, and community building, fostering spaces where people from different backgrounds and generations can meet, participate, and establish support networks. The aid will be disbursed in two payments: 50,000 euros upon notification of the agreement and another 15,000 euros once the planned activities are developed and justified.
ASOCOLVAS celebrates its 25th anniversary in Euskadi this year, focusing on social integration, human rights, interculturality, equality, and community participation. In 2025, the Department of Welfare supported seven of the association's projects with 93,472.41 euros. The new initiative represents a move towards a more community-oriented approach, aiming not only to facilitate access to rights and resources but also to encourage active participation in the neighborhoods and communities where people live. The project aligns with various Basque Government strategies, including the Framework Strategy for Coexistence and the Pact between Generations 2025-2030.
The support for this initiative comes at a time of increasing presence of the Colombian community in Euskadi's social and demographic landscape. As of January 1, 2025, there were 45,495 people born in Colombia residing in Euskadi, an increase of 5,498 from the previous year, representing 14.2% of the foreign-born population. The presence is particularly significant in Bizkaia, where 24,859 people of Colombian origin live.
