Teaching Basque in the US

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Culture councillor promotes education in Basque language
02/17/2007

Miren AzkarateThe Culture councillor of the Basque Government, Miren
Azkarate, analized together with Basque centres and teachers of the USA
the objectives to develop education in Basque language. "The Basque
Government will provide these centres with materials and will appoint the
teaching staff as it is not sustainable to send teachers from the Basque
Country," Azkarate said. Azkarate took part in the annual meeting NABO
celebrated in San Francisco as the Basque Centre (or Euskal Etxea) will be
25 years. In the meeting, they analysed the success the Basque language
and education have enjoyed thanks to Basque Centres since 2003. That year,
in the World-wide Conference the Basque communities celebrated in
Vitoria-Gazteiz, USA Basque Centres mentioned some aims for 2007. "Not all
of them, but we have carried out several objectives," the representative
said.

Moreover, Azkarate highlighted the Basque Government will provide the
centres with didactic material, formation and education to all who would
like to give Basque classes in the mentioned centres.

10 teachers

Nowadays, there are 10 teachers teaching Basque in the in USA. They are
using a system, which is approved by the Basque Government although it has
been modified to the different realities. The aim of the executive is to
extend these classes to places like New York, San Francisco, Bouise and
Ontario as these are the principal areas of USA. Miren Azkarate explained
that "within the last few years, we have improved a lot in the area of
program planning and it is available both for teachers and students in
basque and french and Basque and English." It is also possible to gain
access to this material and some courses on the internet. "This covers the
needs of those who want to learn the Basque language," she said. Azkarate
took part in her first official act commemorating the 25th anniversary of
one of the most important Basque Centres in the USA. In the event there
were several local authorities such as the Mayor of San Francisco, Rich
Garbarino, Mari Gaztanbide and the San Francisco Basque Centres president,
Xabier Berruete.

Tomorrow, the Culture councillor Miren Azkarate will present a conference
in which she will explain the political situation of the Basque Country
and will take part in another act related to the 25th anniversary of the
mentioned Basque Centre.

http://www.eitb24.com/new/en/B24_35283/world-news/PROMOTING-BASQUE-EDUCATION
***********************************************************************************

N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of
the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a
message are encouraged to post a rebuttal.

***********************************************************************************