Convened by the Council of the Basque Community (Kontseilua), the Euskaltzaleon Martxa initiative will take to the streets of Pamplona on Saturday. The day, organized to advocate for language rights, will be celebrated in a festive atmosphere, with numerous Basque associations joining the mobilization, including the Maizpide euskaltegi of Lazkao.

The demonstration will commence at 5:00 PM, divided into three columns. Each column will have its own character, imagery, and protagonists, each championing a key aspect related to the Basque language: the first (starting from Runa Park) will advocate for ‘full official status’ of Basque, the second (from Antoniutti) for a ‘leap in language policies’, and the third (from Plaza de la Libertad) for the ‘contribution of Basque-lovers’. After passing through the Old Town, the columns will converge around 6:00 PM in the Plaza del Castillo for the main event.

A bus has been organized for attendees from Goierri, with pick-up points at Ordizia train station (3:00 PM), Lazkao Txiki field (3:10 PM), and the entrance roundabout in Beasain (3:20 PM). Organizers explain that due to the extensive program, people plan to attend for the entire day.

Furthermore, the Pizkunderako Erronka 2036 initiative, presented by the Council on May 28th, was also discussed. The goal is to reach 300,000 speakers by 2036, and according to the director of the Maizpide euskaltegi, ‘setting goals provides direction’.

Begiristain has called for the free provision of Basque language learning, stating that while the Basque Government has made progress, it is not enough. She emphasized the importance of immersion courses (barnetegia) for achieving faster results, despite the significant investment required.