euskalkultura.eus

08/09/2016 - Oñati, Gipuzkoa

This August 9th Juan Zelaia Letamendi (Oñati, 1920), 95, has died after a long illness.

Linked to the Diaspora, he was a true businessman committed to the Basque language and culture and a patron, guardian and big supporter of many cultural and sport projects in the Basque Country and its Diaspora.

PhD in Industrial Engineering, he had strong feelings and commitment for his native culture and a true entrepreneurial vocation. In 1959 he took over the family business, Cegasa, created in Oñati 25 years before, that soon expanded and consolidated as the core of his other industrial and productive initiatives.

Juan Zelaia has been president of Cegasa (batteries), Tuboplast (plastic) and Hidronor (recovery and treatment of industrial waste), but his business also covered other sectors such as wine (initially with Lan in Rioja, but latelly with Txakoli and Upaingoa, the txakoli he produced under his native baserri's brand), canning factories and commercialization, with activity in his Basque homeland and in many other countries.

Entrepreneur with special concern about the social and cultural dimensions of life, Juan Zelaia promoted and supported with his own money and anthusiasm many initiatives in these two areas, including the creation of ikastolas (regular schools in Basque), UZEI (Basque Institute of University Services) ot the iconic Tximist Expedition to mountain Everest (1974); or major performance and selfless support for sports like cycling, literature, translation or bertsolarism.

Many of his performances took place without special mention to who supported them financially.

Zelaia had also strongs feelings about the Diaspora and its place in the Basque culture and community and he encouraged the meeting, work together and mutual recognition of Basques abroad and in the Basque Country. "I spent half of my lifetime in America or between Europe and America and I consider myself one more of the members of the Basque diaspora" he said more than once.

As a result of that feeling and concern to unite Basques around the world in a common project for culture, Juan Zelaia was the main inspirer and promoter of Euskal Fundazioa (Basque Foundation for Culture), which appointed coordinator Joseba Intxausti and whose objectives included since its inception in 1994 a special attention and sensitivity to the Diaspora and its projects.

And with the initial sponsorship of Euskal Fundazioa the bulletin Euskal Kultura was born in 1998 as a paper newsletter. It jumped in 2001 to the web to become EuskalKultura.com.

He also supported the creation of journalistic projects in Navarre and the rest of Euskal Herria and was part of the Board of the Noticias news group.

In recent years he received several awards, including the Sabino Arana Award (2000), Basque Government's Lan Onari (2000), Antton d'Abbadia Prize (2002), the Gold Medal of Gipuzkoa (2003) and Argizaiola Prize given by Durango's Book Fair.

Our condolences to his nephews, family and friends and to the Basque cultural world in general.

Gogoan Bego Juan Zelaia Letamendi jauna.

Eskerrik asko.

Articles and comments about Juan Zelaia's death in several Basque newspapers and media:

Juan Zelaia hilda, gaixotasun luze baten ondorioz
http://goiena.eus/debagoiena/1470821682783

Markel Olano: "Gipuzkoarrontzat pertsona eredugarria izan zen"
http://goiena.eus/debagoiena/1470838877033

Celaya, la gran excepción a la regla: Noticias de Gipuzkoaren editoriala
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/opinion/editorial/celaya-la-gran-excepcion-a-la-regla

Agur t'erdi, Juan, por Iñaki Alzaga
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/agur-terdi-juan

Fuerza y convicción, por Pablo Muñoz
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/fuerza-y-conviccion

Eskerrik asko, Iñaki Aldekoaren azken agurra
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/eskerrik-asko

Lourdes Idoiaga: "Hutsune handia sentituko dugu ez bakarrik Oñatin, baizik eta EH osoan"
http://goiena.eus/oinati/1470830546809

Mikel Biain: "Oñatiar gehienok izan dugu inguruan norbait Cegasan lan egin duena"
http://goiena.eus/debagoiena/1470838877033

Juan Zelaia, un navarro de Oñati, por Luis María Martínez Gárate, de Nabarralde
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/juan-zelaia-un-navarro-de-onati

Andres Urrutia: "Juan Zelaia euskal kulturaren sustatzaile aparte izan zen"
http://goiena.eus/oinati/1470830546809

La Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa expresa su profundo pesar
http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/la-diputacion-expresa-su-profundo-pesar

Aritz Galdos: "Zelaiak lan handia egin zuen Getariako jatorrizko izendapena Gipuzkoa osora zabaltzeko"
http://goiena.eus/oinati/1470828937550

Juan Celaya, el vasco que vio el futuro
http://www.deia.com/2016/08/11/sociedad/obituarios/el-vasco-que-vio-el-futuro

Juan Zelaia enpresaburu eta euskal kulturaren sustatzailea hil da
http://www.diariovasco.com/economia/201608/10/juan-zelaia-enpresaburu-euskal-20160810122447.html

"Su legado será un referente", dice la Diputación Foral
http://www.diariovasco.com/economia/201608/10/legado-sera-referente-20160810141243.html

Juan Zelaiaren emaria eten da
http://www.berria.eus/albisteak/125653/juan_zelaia_enpresaburu_eta_euskaltzalea_hil_da.htm

Juan Celaya enpresaburu eta euskaltzalea hil da
http://www.eitb.eus/eu/albisteak/gizartea/osoa/4302688/juan-celaya-enpresaburu-eta-euskaltzalea-hil-da