Reception for future Basque language teachers from the Basque Diaspora

This morning, the Basque Minister of Culture and Language Policy, Bingen Zupiria, and Etxepare Basque Institute Director, Irene Larraza welcomed 16 people from Argentina, Uruguay and Chile to the Institute´s headquarters in Donostia. The 16 students are finishing an intensive eight-week stay at the Maizpide barnetegi in Lazkao as the last stage of their teacher training as part of the framework of the Euskara Munduan programme.

The group began as complete beginners in 2020. Upon completion of this intensive full-immersion Basque language course, they will work as Basque teachers at their respective euskal etxeak (Basque centres). For four years, they have switched between online and in-person classroom sessions as part of their language programme. For 34 weeks each year they have independently studied using HABE´s Ikasten online platform. Additionally, they have attended two intensive, in-residence programs each year, totalling 52 hours each. This specific group faced additional challenges as three of their sessions (in July 2020, January 2021, and July 2021) had to be conducted online due to the pandemic. In July, they plan to undergo examinations in Buenos Aires to obtain accreditation for levels B1, B2, and C1 in Basque.

Euskara Munduan

The Etxepare Basque Institute promotes Basque language learning at Basque centres around the world through the Euskara Munduan programme. The programme aims to train members of the different euskal etxeak (Basque centers) to become proficient Euskara instructors within their own communities, thus safeguarding the future of the Basque language. The programme grew out of the Argentinan Euskaraz project, created in 1990 to revive knowledge of the Basque language in Basque centres in Argentina. Years later, the programme extended to euskal etxeak in other countries and became known as Euskara Munduan. Since 2018, the Institute has been implementing the program, which includes financing Euskara classes at Basque centres worldwide, providing teaching materials, coordinating language level certification exams, and offering support in training Basque teachers, as many centres develop their own teaching staff. Since the programme began, more than 100 people have undergone training, 35 of whom are currently working as teachers.