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Diario Euskadi

Euskara bidegurutzean Cycle Concludes with Keys to Tolosaldea's Experience

The lecture series organized by the Naziogintza group has ended with a talk by sociolinguist Kike Amonarriz, analyzing the keys to Basque language revitalization.

A microphone on a podium inside a Basque palace, with a blurred audience in the background.
IA

A microphone on a podium inside a Basque palace, with a blurred audience in the background.

The Euskara bidegurutzean lecture series, organized by the Naziogintza group, has concluded at Basazabal Palace with a talk by sociolinguist Kike Amonarriz, who analyzed the keys to Basque language revitalization in the Tolosaldea region.

Sociolinguist Kike Amonarriz delivered a lecture yesterday afternoon on Basque language usage data and revitalization keys in the Tolosaldea region, as part of the final session of the Euskara bidegurutzean lecture series. Many people gathered at Basazabal Palace, as in previous appointments, to learn about the diagnosis of the Basque language situation and future challenges.
The objective of the Naziogintza group, through this cycle, has been to complete a diagnosis of the current situation of the Basque language and to identify ways to move from theory to practice, “gathering proposals to chart the path from emergency to renaissance.” They have concluded the project with the positive experience of the Tolosaldea region, detailing the tasks to be carried out for an optimistic future.
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"The revitalization of the Basque language is complex and multifaceted."

Kike Amonarriz · Sociolinguist
Amonarriz pointed out that the experience of the Tolosaldea region is not unique, also mentioning the cases of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Estella-Lizarra. After analyzing the evolution of Basque language use in Euskal Herria over decades, he detailed the contributions made to the normalization of Basque in Tolosaldea. He highlighted the importance of a unified Basque language team for the entire region and the positive impact of measures adopted in education and institutions.
The sociolinguist enumerated the fundamental keys to Basque language revitalization, such as the region's entrepreneurial spirit, ambition for innovation, transversality, realistic ambition for activation, combining advocacy and celebration, the involvement of all local agents, and the increase of functional usage areas. He also emphasized the influence of current people in leadership positions having grown up and lived in Basque, which has encouraged them to make various decisions naturally.
Looking to the future, Amonarriz considered the articulation between agents indispensable: “An involved city council, a structured and strong Basque language movement, as well as education and social agents working in that network with an involved attitude.” He acknowledged that Tolosaldea has also experienced “crises” over the years, among agents, political parties, or in the educational sphere, but that prioritizing the Basque language has allowed them to move forward.

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