Universidad Complutense: Arantxa Urretabizkaia

The Department of Basque Studies at Madrid’s Universidad Complutense (UCM) is the only university in the Madrid region that offers classes in Basque language and culture. Thanks to an agreement between the Etxepare Basque Institute and the Complutense University, each year a lecturer is selected to teach Euskara and Basque culture.

This year, a special event has been organised as part of the UCM’s Basque Philology programme, Euskalkonplu. Author Arantxa Urretabizkaia will give a talk entitled ‘Vengo a Madrid a hablar de mis libros´ (I come to Madrid to talk about my books) on 18th November in Faculty of Philology auditorium, Building A. The programme will be as follows:

• 4:00pm

Arantxa Urretabizkaia talks about her work. Hosted by Aritz Galarraga. Language: Spanish.

• 4:40pm

Conversation between Arantxa Urretabizkaia and Basque language students from the UCM who have read translations of her books. Hosted by Aritz Galarraga. Students: Kandela Arias, Lukas Romera, Karlota Strozzi. Language: Spanish.

• 5:20pm

Conversation between Arantxa Urretabizkaia and readers of her work in Basque. Hosted by Errukine Olaziregi. Language: Euskara.

The UCM’s Department of Basque Philology (now the Basque Studies Department within the Department of Linguistics, Arabic, Hebrew, Basque and East Asian Studies) has organised numerous events, many of which have been part of EUSKALKONPLU (Basque Language and Culture Conference at the Complutense University). Euskalkonplu has welcomed writers Anjel Lertxundi, Leire Bilbao, Iban Zaldua, Arantxa Urretabizkaia, Katixa Agirre and Castillo Suarez; linguists Patxi Goenaga, Hiromi Yoshida, Xabier Artiagoitia and Juan Carlos Moreno Cabrera; athletes including stone lifter Lierni Osa; sociolinguist Kike Amorarriz; actor Xabier Elorriaga, film directors Montxo Armendariz, Borja Goenaga and Jabi Elortegi; bertsolaris Xabier Amuriza, Nerea Ibarzabal and Miren Amuriza; and musicians Ruper Ordorika, Jabier Muguruza, Josu Bergara and Jon Maia. Thanks to these people, Basque language and culture come alive at the Complutense University every year.