Spain: Historic agreement to promote Basque language in Iparralde

[Harold F. Schiffman]

PROMOTION OF BASQUE LANGUAGE

Historical agreement to promote Basque language in Iparralde

02/07/2007

The Basque Government and the Public Office of the Basque Language of
Iparralde (Northern Basque Country) signed an agreement to collaborate in
linguistic issues. An economic fund of 1,450,000 was fixed for 2007.
Historical agreement to promote the Basque language in IparraldeThe Basque
Government and the Public Office of the Basque Language of Iparralde
(Northern Basque Country in the French State) signed in Baiona an
agreement to collaborate in linguistic issues. Both institutions qualified
the agreement as historical, as it makes official an institutional
collaboration that goes beyond juridical and administrative borders.

The agreement signed by the Basque Government and the Public Office of the
Basque Language will make possible a linguistic policy that promotes the
Basque language in Iparralde. In March a call for projects will be
announced, to be financed with a 1,450,000 fund, a fund to which the
Basque Government will contribute 450,000. In 2007 several joint
initiatives will be carried out such as the 4th Social-linguistic Survey
of the Basque Country and the collaboration in research on toponyms and
education.

The agreement institutionalizes a relationship existing since 2003, when
the Councilor for Culture signed a first protocol with different French
institutions. The recent creation of the Public Office of the Basque
Language opens the path to a historical transfrontier collaboration. A
mixed commission will follow up the evolution of the projects. Today's
signed agreement will be valid until 2010, but has to be ratified every
year.

http://www.eitb24.com/new/en/B24_33678/life/PROMOTION-BASQUE-LANGUAGE-Historical-agreement-to-promote/
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