Manuel Irujo Chair: Irati Elorrieta

As part of the University of Liverpool’s Manuel Irujo Chair on Basque exile, writer Irati Elorrieta will give a lecture entitled ‘Berlin, my life abroad´. The talk will take place on 7 March at 4pm (GMT) in the Rendall Building at the University of Liverpool. It can also be viewed online.

In collaboration with the Etxepare Basque Institute, the University of Liverpool´s Department of Languages, Cultures and Film are delighted to be joined by writer Irati Elorrieta for the Annual Manuel Irujo Lecture in Basque Studies 2023.

Irati Elorrieta, born in Algorta (Vizcaya) in 1979, writes in the Basque language, Euskara, and lives in Berlin. In 2008 she published the short story-novel ´Burbuilak´ (Alberdania). She has translated works by Rotraut Susanne Berner and Daniel Glattauer from German into Basque and has collaborated as a columnist in print media. The novel ‘Neguko argiak’ (Pamiela) was the winner of the Euskadi Award for Literature in Basque in 2019; it was published in 2021 in Spanish by Galaxia Gutenberg as ‘Luces de invierno’ (Winter lights).

Elorrieta will share her experiences and reflections on the diaspora in ´Berlin, my life abroad´. She will talk about the decision to move abroad, nostalgia, personal changes, community and the Basque language, among other topics.

The Basque diaspora may well become a crucial contributor when it comes to renewing the narratives that sustain Basqueness in the 21st century. Basque writer Irati Elorrieta has been living in Berlin for years now but has kept contributing to Basque culture with her writings. The winner of the 2019 Euskadi Award for Literature in Basque will be sharing with us her thoughts and experiences related to the topic.

In addition to the students and teachers involved in the Etxepare Basque Institute´s network of universities, the event is open to the general public.

More information here.