This gathering aims to be a point of convergence and empowerment for Euskaltzale independentists. The organizers have stated that, despite last-minute unforeseen circumstances, everything is ready for the two-day event. They anticipate a positive response from participants and have highlighted their special efforts in promotion.
Free workshops have been organized for Saturday afternoon, and registrations have increased in recent days. Those who have not registered online will have the opportunity to do so on-site. Similarly, tickets for the lunch and evening concerts have also been well-received, and the organizers are pleased with the response.
“"Since 2023, forces against the Basque language have organized themselves and are launching specific campaigns against Basque speakers."
The objective of this meeting is to unite, connect, and strengthen the community of Euskaltzale independentists. The organizers have indicated that in a previous process, the need for a sovereign state for the survival of the Basque language was explicitly stated, along with the legal protection and other benefits such a state could offer a language. Thus, the need to link the struggles for independence and for the Basque language is recognized.
Although the context has changed, the objectives remain the same, as emphasized by the organizers. They have affirmed that the Spanish and French states continue to oppress the Basque language and its speakers, and that these mechanisms of oppression have become more brutal. They cited the judicial, political, media, and trade union offensives in the Basque Autonomous Community, as well as the growing global trend of the far-right, which reinforces the offensive against minority languages.
On the other hand, in the last three years, the Basque Language Council has declared a linguistic emergency, and the Basque language movement has conducted a unified diagnosis. They believe this has led to greater public awareness of the Basque language, and have noted that the issue of the Basque language is more present in public discourse and on the political agenda than three years ago. They have stressed the need for a new resurgence and a massive mobilization of Basque speakers.
The contribution of this meeting lies in the activation of Basque speakers. They recalled that the resurgence of the Basque language in the 1960s was a profound and strong social movement, and that this is what is being advocated for now. The task of EHE is to bring the struggle for the Basque language to the streets through direct actions and acts of disobedience. The core themes of the meeting will be reflection, training, and learning, based on mutual understanding and networking, as they consider this analysis important for carrying out direct actions and activating local struggles.
