3 December, 2025
The values that guide us on International Basque Language Day
Our journey began in 1840, in the heart of the Basque Country: a land full of life, shaped by a rugged and extraordinary landscape that has defined our values from the very beginning.
It was in that same land where our cultural identity first took shape—an identity that, together with our values, guides us along the path of preserving and promoting the Basque language. With that conviction, Euskera Batzordea was created as a committee to encourage the presence of Basque in the workplace and to offer a space where everyone can use it with confidence. It was in this context that Basque classes also began, a starting point from which to move forward with this commitment.
More than 50 people from 11 different nationalities have enrolled in the classes, each with their own motivations. For Eric Vinicius, being able to communicate in Basque with his team is essential:
“At work, there are many moments when you can strike up a conversation, and that motivates me to learn it, as I’ll surely be able to interact both inside and outside Orbea.”
For Sandra Schramm, continuing to learn Basque is a way to feel even closer to the culture of the Basque Country.
A motivation shared by Edurne Poves:
“It’s the language my daughters use with their friends, and I’d like that to continue. It’s a part of our culture that I wouldn’t want to see disappear.”
Beyond encouraging its use within the cooperative, the Basque classes aim to normalise the language in daily life at Orbea. This is the case for Basi Torre, for whom the experience has been key to overcoming the fear of making mistakes by learning alongside people facing similar challenges.
International Basque Language Day reminds us that every step—whether taken by someone who speaks it daily, someone just beginning, or someone willing to give it a try—keeps a heritage that unites us alive.