Bertsolaritza has been declared Intangible Heritage in the Basque Autonomous Community

Jun 12, 2024

Bertsolaritza is thus recognised as intangible cultural heritage to be safeguarded throughout its entire territory of origin, as it had already been recognised in Navarre and the Northern Basque Country.

Bertsolaritza was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage in Navarre in 2018, in the Northern Basque Country in 2022 and now in the BAC in 2024.

Bertsolaritza is thus recognised as having the characteristics of intangible cultural heritage, which make it heritage of great value: it is passed down from generation to generation, it gives communities a sense of identity and it contributes to increasing respect for multiculturalism and human creation. Measures to safeguard it are also recognised, including communication and publicity campaigns, training programmes and agreements with other government authorities. As this is an activity that transcends the Basque Autonomous Community, mention is also made of the cooperation agreements with the Government of Navarre and the Agglomeration community of the Basque Country.

UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003, which is promoting the legal recognition of intangible heritage. The international organisation recommends a process of inventorying and making intangible cultural heritage publicly available, which can serve as a basis for drawing up concrete plans for safeguarding such inventoried intangible cultural heritage. On the basis of this Convention, each government authority has developed its own legislation, under which the Association of the Friends of Bertsolaritza made the petition through which bertsolaritza has obtained the recognition in the different regional administrations: after obtaining the recognition corresponding to the regions of Navarre and the French Basque Country, bertsolaritza has now obtained the declaration of intangible cultural heritage in the BAC, in response to the petition that the Association of the Friends of Bertsolaritza made in 2020.

The Association of the Friends of Bertsolaritza will not stop working. The association has already taken on the task of safeguarding bertsolaritza thanks to the work it carries out in education, in the public arena and in research, through culture, the Basque language and collaboration with international organisations. And of course, thanks to the bertsolaris, moderators, judges, organisers, bertsolaris school, members and fans who make up the bertsolaritza ecosystem.