From the Basque Country to the world...Korrika!

Every two years, the biggest initiative in support of a language is held in the Basque Country: hundreds of thousands of people take part in a relay race that passes the ‘Basque language baton’ from one hand to another without interruption. The 20. Korrika is touring Euskal Herria these days; just yesterday, it was the Etxepare Basque Institute’s turn to run with the baton on the main Boulevard in Donostia. But the message has reached the whole world. Twelve readerships of Basque language and culture have organized small Korrikas, echoing the message #BatZuk.

Every two years, the biggest initiative in support of a language is held in the Basque Country: hundreds of thousands of people take part in a relay race that passes the ‘Basque language baton’ from one hand to another without interruption. The 20. Korrika is touring Euskal Herria these days; just yesterday, it was the Etxepare Basque Institute’s turn to run with the baton on the main Boulevard in Donostia. But the message has reached the whole world. Twelve readerships of Basque language and culture have organized small Korrikas, echoing the message #BatZuk.

More than 80 people from 6 different countries gathered in Mexico City. And they certainly had reason to celebrate: the students of the lectureship won the contest sponsored by Korrika and Etxepare. Both in Mexico and Santiago, Chile, the Korrika participants celebrated afterward with a big feast.

In Venice, the date was set on Saturday morning. The organizers were surprised to see people gathered from cities across Italy including Bologna, Bergamo, and villages in the Veneto region. In Venice, Italians, Basques, Catalans and Valencians all ran together in favour of the Basque language in the first Korrika organized in the city. Chicago also hosted its first Korrika with a tour that ended at "The Bean".

It was not the first time for the Korrika to visit Edinburgh but there the Basque baton was supported by other languages: the Basque runners passed the baton to the Gaelic speakers, who passed it on to the Flemish, who then passed it back to the Basques.

The Korrika also made it in Hungary, where it crossed two cities: Szeged and Budapest. In Hungary the Korrika is celebrate in favour of all of the world’s minority languages.

In Helskinki the day dawned cloudy, but the Korrika lit up the day. After the relay, the participants watched the documentary "Gazta zati bat". Cork also brought together several runners, who had the change to live stream the beginning of the Korrika of Otxandio and watch the documentary "Batzuk: euskararen lau aurpegi". In Leipzig, the Korrika was organized at the university and the message of Euskara was also present at the anime and manga meeting of the Book Fair.

The Korrika also reached a number of other cities, including Brno and Liverpool.