Tomorrow, September 8, the anniversary of Juan Sebastián Elcano‘s circumnavigation of the globe, is the International Day of the Basque Diaspora. This day is meant to highlight the contributions the Basque diaspora have made to Basque culture and Basque society. The Basque Government has made an explicit effort to strengthen connections and relations with the diaspora, starting with the law of 1994 that formalized these relationships. The Basque government intends to modernize this law, as outlined in a speech given at Jaialdi.

• At the Zortziak Bat symposium at Boise State University, held during Jaialdi, Lehendakari Imanol Pradales and his government announced that, in 2026, they will introduce a new draft law aimed at strengthening ties between the Basque Country and the diaspora. This will be an updated and expansion of the 1994 law that formalized relationships with the diaspora.
• The main goal of this new law would be for the Basque Country to take advantage of the talent that resides in the Basque diaspora. For example, in the “Global Basque Country” or “Euskadi Global” initiative, they want Basques in the diaspora to be active ambassadors to promote the Basque Country. They also want the Basque Government to take a greater role in serving that same diaspora.
• The 1994 law has been key in establishing and strengthening relationships between the Basque Country and the diaspora, primarily through the euskal etxeak, or Basque houses. These are organizations that promote Basque culture locally and they exist all around the world. There are currently euskal etxeak in 25 countries representing some 36,000 people. However, there are 80,000 Basques across 100 countries that have the right to vote. Thus, while the euskal etxeak have been instrumental in promoting Basque culture, they only represent a small fraction of the Basques in the diaspora.
• The New Basque Diaspora Law and the bigger Euskadi Global strategy are meant to position the Basque Country globally by taking advantage of the strong capabilities represented by Basques both within and without the Basque Country.
• Part of this strategy is the development of the digital HanHemen network. The goal of this platform is to connect Basques all across the globe “with the aim of connecting, exchanging information and resources, as well as sharing experiences.”
• The new law is part of the bigger “Eraldoroa” Four-Year Institutional Action Plan of the Pradales government. More specifically, this plan has four lines of action and several goals:
  • Actions:
    • Consolidating the Basque presence abroad
    • Diasporising Basque society
    • Connecting the global Basque community
    • Talent and Return
  • Goals:
    • To boost the dynamism of the Basque community abroad by
      supporting the activities of its associations and those that help to
      project Euskadi / the Basque Country wherever it may be.
    • To recognise the value of the diaspora as human, social, cultural
      and economic capital (transversality).
    • To boost relations between the Basque Country and its diaspora
      populations (Eraldaroa).
    • To make Basque society aware of its potential, through
      knowledge and recognition (Diasporizatu)
    • To welcome members of the diaspora wishing to return to the
      Basque Country on the best possible terms.
    • To align Basque diaspora policy with global approaches,
      positioning the Basque Country at the cutting edge.

A full list of all of Buber’s Basque Facts of the Week can be found in the Archive.

Primary sources: “Eraldoroa” Four-Year Institutional Action Plan; El Gobierno Vasco impulsará en 2026 una nueva Ley de Diáspora para adecuarla a los retos actuales, Orain; El Gobierno Vasco remitirá en 2026 al Parlamento vasco una nueva Ley de Diáspora para adaptarla al siglo XXI, irekia