The association is committed to a collegiate presidency model

The General Meeting of the Euskal Herriko Bertsozale Elkartea association has just been held in Palacio Condestable in Pamplona.

The President Iñaki Murua and the Secretary Xabier Gaztelumendi have left their positions after a period of more than ten years in these roles within the association. They have done so surrounded by bertsolaris from different generations and have been named honorary members.

Xabier Gaztelumendi has been connected with the association since 2002, participating voluntarily in the Board of Directors and carrying out brilliant work. Iñaki Murua, meanwhile, has been a volunteer member since the beginning and replaced Imanol Lazkano as President in 2005. He has been a fundamental factor in the development of the association, as well as in widening the appeal of the project and in terms of institutional relations.

As a reflection of the plurality of current bertsolarism and in order to create a presidency model offering multiple perspectives, the association has opted for a collegiate or group model to carry out the duties previously performed by Iñaki Murua and Xabier Gaztelumendi. This is another step forward in the culture of collaboration and sharing of functions that is characteristic of the association.

All of the members are leading figures within the world of bertsolarism and they offer different profiles:  along with Eneritz Zabaleta, Igor Elortza, Josu Goikoetxea, Maialen Lujanbio, Miren Artetxe and Xabi Igoa, Arrate Illaro and Beñat Gaztelumendi, who were already members of the Board of Directors, will form part of the presidency group. All of them have been chosen as a result of a process of reflection on the presidency model carried out last year in the Bertsozale Elkartea association.

This group will join the current leadership to date to lead the association along with those responsible for the main areas of work for the association (transmission, promotion and research), together with the director of the company Lanku, as well as the presidents of the regional associations.

Strategic internal reflection in autumn

The association has reached the milestone of a successful 30-year journey. Although we will remember 2017 as the year of the National Bertsolaris Championship, the association has carried out many projects in different areas throughout the year. The board has approved the report and the balance sheet for 2017 as well as the projects and budget for 2018.

 In 2018 the association will continue in the same direction, implementing its annual projects. At the same time, an internal strategic reflection will be carried out to review and redefine the vision of the bertsolarism movement.