BILBAO – Gazte Martxa – A youth march took place in the Basque Country from April 14 to 17. The tradition of Gazte Martxa dates back to the 1980s and has since been led by left-wing Basque youth in their fight for independence in their homeland. Today, the festival is organized by Ernai, the youth organization of the left-wing Basque independence party Sortu, which now wants to take the parliamentary path to independence after the dissolution of the armed ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna – “Basque Country and Freedom”). In addition to Basque youth from socialist organizations in the Basque Country, youth delegations from abroad were also invited.
This year’s event focused on the 500th anniversary of the crushing of the Basque Kingdom of Navarre by the (Spanish) Kingdom of Castile. On this occasion, more than 1,500 young people made their way through the then embattled mountains to the place where Basque warriors resisted the invaders to the last.
On the second day, April 16, the march continued and went to the city of Elizondo. A program of political conferences, panel discussions and concerts was organized. The other day, on Easter Sunday, which coincides with the National Day of the Basque Country, the young people marched together to the city of Iruña to see the central show through the city.
With youth delegations from Catalonia, Galicia, Ireland, Western Sahara, and Kurdistan, the festival also gained an international dimension and became a networking site for various anti-colonial youth movements. Through the exchange of ideas about the struggles involved, a common historical consciousness in the anti-capitalist struggle against global imperialism became clear. It was agreed to act together to unite the existing forces in the future and to work together on projects based on internationalist solidarity.
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